A complete guide to food, fun, and things to do in Taichung (Taizhong)! Locals reveal how to enjoy the best of Taichung!

Text and photos byGui Xiaosun

Map: Explore Taichung www.playtc.com.tw　(Highly recommended — an absolutely worthwhile Taichung exploration website to bookmark)

Here’s a simple itinerary of must-do activities in Taichung, along with some places I’d personally recommend if friends came to visit from far away. Day one covers the easiest spots near the city center that are all accessible by bike (of course, they’re all my personal favorites), while day two extends to areas within the city and even former Taichung County, which has now been merged into Taichung City.

As for accommodation, being a local myself, I really can’t tell you which places I’ve personally experienced and loved,
but here are a few options that I’d consider if I were picking for myself:
Couples / Husband and wife:Fengjia Aoding(Fengjia Shopping District, entire old house rental), Jingxiang Liulong (Quiet Lane Six Alleys), and Travellers’ Forest.

Essential highlights for a one-day Taichung trip:

Taichung Railway Station (you can also return to the station via regional train from the high-speed rail): Start by visiting iconic spots:Miyahara Eye Clinic,Fourth Credit Cooperative
→ Rent a bike →Taichung Prison Gate(Daohe Six Arts) →One Piece Mural Alley→ National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts → Little Seedling General Store or French grocery Bonbonmisha
→ For lunch, pick a restaurant near Qimei Shinpin Green Park Boulevard (the heart of Caotun Road area) (e.g.,Vapiano, TOFU 35, Shovel Italian Restaurant,echo Burger)
→Qimei ShinpinExplore from the basement up to the third-floor bookstore, check out the outdoor CMP BLOCK; Wucun Road Section 1, Lane 117 Art Street;Green Light Project　— take a stroll
(enjoy a serving of Light Cheese, or visit Chunyizhi in Lane 117, Tokyo Donuts,make coffee)
→ In between, you can squeeze in some afternoon tea from nearby areas (highly recommended: Famieh, Musashichocolate,Xiaogeng Desserts)
→Qiuhong Valley Ecological Park Take a walk to enjoy the night view → Head to Fengjia Night Market in the evening for a feast of local delicacies, e.g. Tianbula,Geki Tori → Return home

Taichung Two-Day Itinerary (Choose Based on Your Preferences):

Day 1/
Taichung Railway Station (You can also transfer from the high-speed rail to a local train to get back to the station): Start by visiting iconic spots:Miyahara Eye Clinic,Fourth Credit Cooperative
→ Rent a car →Taichung Prison(Daohe Six Arts) →One Piece Mural Alley→ National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts → Little Tree Seed Grocery Store or French grocery Bonbonmisha
→ For lunch, pick a restaurant near Qimei Shinpin Greenway (the heart of Caotun Road area) (Vapiano, TOFU 35, Shovel Italian Restaurant,echo Burger)
→Qimei ShinpinExplore from the basement up to the third-floor bookstore, check out the exterior CMP BLOCK; Meicun Road Section 1 Lane 117 Art Street;Green Light Project　Take a stroll
(You can enjoy a serving of Light Cheese, or visit Chunyizhi on Lane 117, Tokyo Donuts,)Make coffee)
→ In between, you can squeeze in afternoon tea from nearby areas (highly recommended: Fami, Musha Chocolate,)Xiaogeng Desserts)
→ Evening: a. Head to Fengjia Night Market to indulge in delicious food, e.g. Tianbula,Geki Shiki Yakitori
or b. Eat freshly grilled seafood: at Diyi Meng or a classic Taiwanese barbecue spot:Muzhou → Head up the mountain for night views: Mitaka 3e Cafe (recommended for drivers as the route is quite dark) → Accommodation

D2／　
Option 1:[Qiuhong Valley] Breakfast (new Lavender branch: Haohao) then head to:Qiuhong Valley Ecological Park— it’s not very big, but great for taking photos and leisurely walking around.
→ Visit City Hall Plaza and key shopping areas in Taichung: (Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Dayeh Takashimaya)
Option 2:[Yizhong Street itinerary] Breakfast (Tianle No. 3 College Branch \Second Market\ Sansi Tea House \ Rou Dan Toast) → Shop at Zhongyou Department Store → Walk around and eat on Yizhong StreetMolecular ice cream Oops!
Option 3:→ Ride a bike there (depending on where you’re staying, about 30–40 minutes):Xin Zhi Fang Ting
Option 4:[Play in Houli and Fengyuan] After returning the car, take a local train to Houli Zhongshe Flower Market
→Take the shuttle bus to Fengyuan:Lecheng French Beef Noodles, ikiwi juice;Miaodong Night Market: Yongfangting Pig's Trotter Rice Dumplings, Zhenglaopai Meatballs, Water Chestnut Crisps, Jintree Pineapple Ice
Option 5:【Head to Xinshe for fun！】Recommended for drivers: Xinshe 2013 Flower Sea Early Report
Suggest a few places to visit (Qianhua Garden, Princess Annie, Taoli Riverside, Muxinqan, Baiguzhuang)
Option 6:【Want to go to the beach！】Head toGaomei Wetlands, which is a bit of a distance away.

Author of this article:［Enjoy life, never boring. By Xiao Sun］