Taipei is one of the easier Asian cities to sightsee. Distances are manageable, the MRT is cheap and clean, and the major sights are concentrated in a handful of districts. Start with the National Palace Museum, home to the greatest collection of imperial Chinese art in the world — over 700,000 pieces brought out of mainland China by Chiang Kai-shek's retreating forces in 1949, of which a small fraction is on display at any time. From there, Taipei 101 in the Xinyi district was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010, and the observation deck still offers the best view in the city. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a grand ceremonial complex with hourly changing-of-the-guard ceremonies; the National Theatre and National Concert Hall face each other across the same plaza.
In the older, working-class part of Taipei west of the station, Longshan Temple in Wanhua is the most atmospheric working temple in the city, with clouds of incense, crowds of worshippers, and a constant hum of chanting; the surrounding streets still contain some of the oldest neighbourhoods in Taipei. Out in the northern district of Beitou, a Japanese-era legacy of hot-spring bathhouses and ryokan-style hotels are built into the forested slopes and are Taipei's best antidote to the urban heat. Further north still, Yangmingshan National Park is a belt of volcanic craters, hot springs, and hiking trails above the city — particularly beautiful in March when the cherry and calla-lily blossoms are out.