9 Historical Tours in Taiwan to Build a Day Around

1.Taipei Cooking Class & Market Adventure in Historic Dadaocheng

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 77 reviews · from $90Our pick

Meet Alex at No. 356, Section 1, Dihua Street for a three-hour food outing in old Taipei. You’ll walk through Dadaocheng markets, sample local treats, then cook one Taiwanese dish from scratch. Classes run Tuesday through Sunday, with a different menu each day and no more than six participants.

“The cooking part of this tour was great. Didn't see the initial walking tour and 'photo shoots' as particularly necessary and the taking of group photos for social media marketing was a bit too intense for my taste.”

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2.Taipei’s Origin & Longshan Temple – Taiwan Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 19 reviews · from $1Best value

Meet an English-speaking guide at Longshan Temple Station for a 2.5-hour walk through Taipei’s origins and Longshan Temple. Learn about folk gods, Buddhist and Taoist customs, traditional healing, moonstone divination, fortune reading, and daily Taiwanese beliefs. Guide Leo is noted for his warm, volunteer-style enthusiasm. The $1 booking fee does not include the guide’s tip.

“Leo's explanation was wonderful. He did it almost entirely as a volunteer, and his enthusiasm was evident. Thank you very much.”

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3.Cooking Class & Market Adventure Historic Dadaocheng

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 17 reviews · 3 hours · from $99

Meet Alex at historic Shi Lian Dong on Dihua Street for a market walk, local tastings, and a hands-on Taiwanese cooking class. You may make beef noodle soup, lu rou fan, scallion pancakes, or youfan, depending on the day. The class runs in English, Chinese, and some Japanese, with groups limited to six.

“Alex was a great host. We started the activity with a brief city history tour. We tried a few things in the market and explored the various produce items common to the region. We then went to Alex’s class room where we prepared a meal with pork belly, daikon radish, mushrooms, and sticky rice. What I liked about the class was we did our own food prep. You make a nice sized portion of food, so be prepared to take some with you. The end result is a very flavorful dish to enjoy for lunch!”

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4.Taipei Foodie + History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 2 hours · from $45

Start at MRT Beimen Station with an English-speaking guide such as Howard, Kevin, or Henry. Visit Taipei’s North Gate, pause for ice cream and star fruit juice, then walk through Ximending for street food and local stories. The two-hour tour ends near Ximen Station and includes oyster vermicelli, but not extra food or transport.

“Really nice tour through Taipei's old city and their night market. Learned a lot about the history of Taipei as well as Taiwanese culture. The food we sampled was delicious too! Howard was a most gracious host”

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5.WoknRoll Taipei Walking and Historical Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $85

Join CC for a small-group morning walk through Dadaocheng and Dihua Street. Over two to three hours, you’ll visit markets, back alleys, and temples while tasting 10 local foods and drinks. The tour suits curious eaters who want local context, flexible food choices, and a personal introduction to Taipei.

“It was a very insightful tour with plenty of delicious food. I really enjoyed this tour. I was the only person on this tour and my guide, CC, was friendly and very knowledgeable. Her English was excellent. Guide books would not have provided as much information as CC did.”

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6.Guided Historical Tour in Taichung with Suncake DIY Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $63

Walk Taichung’s Central District with a local guide, visiting the 1917 railway station, Miyahara, ASEAN Square, Qingcao Street, and historic shops. You’ll taste local culture through stinky tofu and make a package of sun cakes with a pastry master. Guides may include Shine, Hans, Ewa, or Christine.

“One of the best experiences I had in Taichung! My friend and I had a really great time learning about Taichung history and architecture. Our tour guide Hans was such a nice and knowledgable man. He gave us a lot of interesting facts and he had good ability to connect us to the lesson.”

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7.One-Day Historical and Heritage Tour in Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $57

Spend about nine hours seeing Taipei’s major historical and cultural sights with a licensed English-speaking guide and included transportation. You’ll visit the National Palace Museum, Longshan Temple, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Four Four South Village, and Taipei 101. Guides such as Joanne, James, and Bear have been praised for clear explanations and helpful service.

“Cancelled on my family less than 24 hours prior to the event, after confirming our reservation (they oversold and asked us to change our date as a result). There are plenty of other tour companies that offer wonderful (and often cheaper) experiences. Save yourself the last-minute cancellation and book with another company.”

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8.Taipei Foodie and History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $115

Meet your Stunning Taiwan guide at Beimen Station at 6:00 pm, then walk toward Ximending while learning how Taipei grew from colonial-era roots into a modern city. The evening includes star fruit juice, oyster vermicelli, and one scoop of ice cream. Guides Stacy and Sun are praised for warm, personal explanations.

“I love the introduction of guides, slowly walk in the streets of Taipei to listen to his story, very relaxed,”

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9.Full Day Private History Tour in Taipei City

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $189

Spend about eight hours with a private guide and driver, starting at Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station. Visit the Martyrs’ Shrine, National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Presidential Office Building, and Longshan Temple, with time to make Taiwan’s famous pineapple cake. Guide Jeff can tailor the day to your interests and mobility needs.

“This was perfect for me. My tour guide Jeff was great. He was very knowledgeable and tailored our stops to my desires and limited mobility. I especially appreciated his knowledge when we visited the national museum, he took me to specific exhibits and provided great history about them. Much more informative than reading the plaque,”

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