Airport MRT: pick the purple Express, not the blue train

For a stay with day trips, base near Taipei Main Station, where the Airport MRT, high-speed rail, regular trains, buses and two metro lines meet. Zhongshan is one stop away and suits cafes and mid-range hotels. Treat Beitou as a one or two night hot spring add-on, since it is far from the central sights and daily…

The Grand Hotel, established in 1952 on Yuanshan hill, is a palace-style landmark with vermilion columns, golden tiles and views toward the river and city. Even if you do not sleep there, ask at the front desk about visiting the lobby, where professional performance groups give live music every day. Go in the late…

Each autumn Taipei hosts the Golden Horse Film Festival, which screens Chinese-language films with English subtitles and builds up to the Golden Horse Awards ceremony in November. Check the official festival site for the film schedule, and buy tickets online through the festival ticketing partner. It is a good…

The annual Taiwan LGBT+ Pride march takes place in Taipei in late October and starts and ends at Taipei City Hall Plaza. It is free with no registration, so visitors can simply join the crowd at the meeting area. Use the MRT, bring water, sun protection and a folding umbrella, and ask before taking close photos of…

Legacy Taipei is the flagship live-music room in Huashan 1914 Creative Park, set in a former winery complex, and has hosted indie, rock and touring acts since 2009. Smaller sister rooms such as Legacy Mini and Legacy MAX run under the same name, so check which room your show is in. Buy tickets ahead for popular acts…

Revolver is a bar near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, set up by British expats around 2010. Its upstairs room holds about a hundred people and hosts bands and DJs, mostly punk, metal and indie rock. Check the lineup on the venue's social pages before you go and expect a small, close-up crowd. The street-level bar…

The Jianguo Holiday Jade Market under the Jianguo overpass runs on weekends only, until about 6 pm, and some stalls start closing after lunch, so go in the morning. Entry is free and browsing is welcome. From Daan Park MRT take Exit 6 and walk through the flower market to reach it. The Artists Corner next to the jade…

On weekday mornings, scooter riders stream down an off-ramp of Taipei Bridge in Datong, forming one of the city's best-known street scenes. The classic window is roughly 7 to 8 am, when riders pile up at the traffic lights. Shoot from the pavement or another safe spot and never step onto the road. Combine it with a…