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    Shilin
    Ganmatthew / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

    Taiwan

    Shilin

    CityCultureCulinary

    Shilin in northern Taipei combines three reasons for a visit: the Shilin Night Market, the city's most famous; the National Palace Museum with its imperial treasures; and the Shilin Residence, the former home of Chiang Kai-shek with a…

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    7. Taipei
    9. Shilin
    Shilin in northern Taipei combines three reasons for a visit: the Shilin Night Market, the city's most famous; the National Palace Museum with its imperial treasures; and the Shilin Residence, the former home of Chiang Kai-shek with a large garden.From Shilin, one can also ascend to Yangmingshan National Park with its extinct volcanoes.
    Shilin is the sprawling north of Taipei. Most come in the evening for the night market at Jiantan Metro Station and during the day for the National Palace Museum, which you reach by bus from Shilin Station. The Shilin Residence, with its garden, lies in between and is perfect for a quiet break. Plan at least two to three hours for the museum.

    Sights in Shilin

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Shilin Residence
    Attraction

    1Shilin Residence

    The former residence of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling is set in a large garden with European and Chinese sections, as well as her rose garden. The park is freely accessible, and Shilin MRT Station (Exit 2) is nearby.
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    National Palace Museum
    Museum

    2National Palace Museum

    The museum houses one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese art. Its holdings originate from the same institution as the Palace Museum in Beijing and were brought to Taiwan during the Civil War, including renowned pieces like the Jade Cabbage and the Meat-shaped Stone. Buses run up from Shilin Metro Station.
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    Shilin Nightmarket
    Market

    3Shilin Nightmarket

    Taipei's most famous and largest night market is a short walk from Jiantan Metro Station. The market hall's basement houses nearly a hundred food stalls; outside in the alleys are street food, clothing, and game stalls. It's more touristy than other night markets, but for many, it's a must-see on their first Taipei visit.
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    Yangmingshan National Park
    National Park

    4Yangmingshan National Park

    Directly behind Shilin, the land rises to Yangmingshan, a national park featuring extinct volcanoes, sulfur fields, hot springs, and hiking trails. In spring, cherry blossoms and azaleas bloom here. Buses run up from Jiantan Metro Station.
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    Restaurants in Shilin

    1

    Chicken Boss Barrel Chicken

    This restaurant right by Shilin Night Market specializes in Tongzai Chicken, a barrel oven-cooked chicken, and has over 1,100 Google reviews with a 4.8 rating. A great choice for a proper meal after the market.
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    2

    Giguo Hotpot Shilin

    Hotpot restaurant on Zhongzheng Road in Shilin, Google-rated 4.9 stars from over 9,000 reviews – an alternative to the night market's bustle.
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    Food and Drinks

    In Shilin, almost everything is about the night market.

    Shilin Night Market

    Downstairs in the market hall, nearly a hundred food stalls are lined up; more snacks await outside.

    Tongzai Chicken

    Barrel-cooked chicken, such as at 雞老闆, right by the market.

    Getting there & around

    Metro: Red Line to Jiantan (Night Market) or Shilin (Residence, buses to the Museum).Bus: From Shilin Station, buses run to the Palace Museum and up to Yangmingshan.

    Accommodations in Shilin

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      • 2National Palace Museum4 days
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    Nearby

    Dadaocheng

    Dadaocheng

    Dadaocheng on the Tamsui River was Taipei's wealthiest commercial district from the 1850s. In the old shophouses of Dihua Street, merchants still sell dried goods, herbs, and tea, interspersed with cafés, bookstores, and design shops.The Xiahai City God Temple from 1859 is the district's focal point; in the evenings, people gather at Dadaocheng Pier on the river or at the Ningxia Night Market.
    Zhongshan and Chifeng Street

    Zhongshan and Chifeng Street

    Zhongshan is Taipei's district for a stroll: Around Zhongshan MRT Station, a green strip of park stretches, lined with boutiques, department stores, and cafés. In the alleys west of it lies Chifeng Street, where old car repair shops and hardware stores now stand alongside vintage shops and small cafés.Further north, things get cultural: The Municipal Art Museum and the Expo Park are located on Zhongshan North Road, and at Xingtian Temple, you'll experience one of the city's most vibrant religious centers.
    Wanhua and Ximending

    Wanhua and Ximending

    Wanhua, formerly Bangka, is Taipei's oldest commercial district. Its heart is the Longshan Temple (1738), and shops in the surrounding alleys sell incense, herbs, and traditional remedies.Just north is Ximending, the youth entertainment district: pedestrian zones offer fashion, street food, and cinemas, and evenings at the Red House feature open-air bars.
    Beitou

    Beitou

    Beitou, in northern Taipei, is the city's hot spring district, accessible by metro to Xinbeitou. A few minutes from the station is the Hot Spring Museum, opened in 1913 as Taiwan's first public bathhouse.Surrounding it are bathhouses and hotels with hot springs; a stroll through the riverside park leads through the old spa quarter from the Japanese era.
    Da'an and Yongkang Street

    Da'an and Yongkang Street

    Da'an District is Taipei's green, well-kept residential and university neighborhood. Right by Dongmen metro station begins Yongkang Street, not a night market alley, but a street full of good restaurants, tea shops, and small stores, known for mango shaved ice and beef noodle soup.A few minutes' walk away is Da'an Forest Park, the city's green lung, and further south, National Taiwan University.