Things to Do & See 02 01 01 Xinyi New Year Eve Party & Fireworks Heading to the City Hall Square for Taipei’s The Xinyi Commercial District, local mecca for New Year’s Eve Countdown Party, counting fashion chic, is one of Taipei’s liveliest areas. down with big-name pop stars, and celebrating Beside the 10-plus department-store buildings the end of the year watching the Taipei 101 Fireworks Show are extravaganzas among and various international hotels is an enclave Taiwan’s biggest annual happenings. The of old residences transformed into a cultural- fireworks show is a world-class New Year’s Eve creative hub, backed by green hills with trails highlight event, along with the night’s special- bringing superb views. The many styles and effects lighting and music performances, creating a “must-do” experience. ways to play is Xinyi’s greatest charm! City Hall Square in front of Taipei City Hall 03 Taipei 101 Observatory Vistas With a height of 508 meters, Taipei 101 was at one time the world’s tallest building. After buying tickets on the 5th floor for the Taipei 101 Observatory, ride the super-fast elevators to reach the 89F indoor viewing area in just 37 seconds. Enjoy grand Taipei overlooks and view the world’s largest and 03 heaviest tuned mass damper. On the 91F outside observation platform see the tower’s soaring spire up close and take in even more exalted vistas. Go even higher, to the 101th floor, by signing up for the SKYLINE 460 experience. 7, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Taipei City (02)8101-8800 04 Audio Guides 04 Xiangshan Night Views Lookout spots up on the Xiangshan Hiking Trail are popular places for Taipei night-view enjoyment. Posting “check-in” photos on social media with the Six Boulders, Taipei 101, and Taipei Basin as backdrop has become a “must-do” for international tourists. As each day’s sun sets in the west and the lights dim, the urban streetscape is dyed in subtle, changing hues. After the sunset the night scene, twinkling city lights below and sparkling stars above, creates a traveler-favorite Taipei scenic memory. 05 From Exit 2 of MRT Xiangshan Station follow Lane 150 of Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd. to Alley 22 of the same lane. From the trailhead, a walk of 15 to 20 minutes to the Six Boulders. 02 05 Resplendent Christmas Season Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Guard Mounting At each year’s end Xinyi District’s department Completed in 1972, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen stores are all decked out in romantic Christmas Memorial Hall is a grand and elegant complex that lighting. The streets become a sea of lights. not only plays host to various architecture and art The Uni-President Taipei, Taipei 101 Mall, ATT exhibitions, but a changing of the guard ceremony 4 fun, and other outlets erect giant Christmas is held at the top of each hour from 9 to 5 each trees, and different Christmas-themed scenes day as well, presenting impressive synchronized are created for the Uni-President Taipei’s movements and rifle technique. Zhongshan Park Dream Plaza and BELLAVITA’s central outside, brimming with greenery and colorful flowers, courtyard. The many decorative flourishes is great for family outings. create a wonderful festive atmosphere. 505, Sec. 4, Renai Rd., Taipei City Area from Uni-President Taipei to Taipei 101 (02)2758-8008 Audio Guides 2 Touring Xinyi - Check-In Hotspots The trendy, romantic, and stylish Xinyi District is thick with IG check-in hotspots, including the city’s iconic Taipei 101, the charming magical night scene, artist Jimmy Liao’s whimsical Moon Bus, and the myriad installation artworks. Each is a must-visit hotspot for taking photos. Chic Nightscapes The Xinyi Shopping District at night is a place of chic fashion and splendor. The European- architecture BELLAVITA’s elegant exterior and colorful fountain form a gorgeous night- time dreamscape. The Chianti Plaza within the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Place, and the sky bridges connecting the department-store buildings, are also great photography spots. Jimmy's Moon Bus The Moon Bus is a large-scale installation artwork based on illustrator Jimmy Liao’s picture book When the Moon Forgot. A real bus is used as creative space in whimsically depicting the book’s world, with a teddy bear driver and a little boy holding the moon. Gaze at the stars through the skylight, and enter an infinity-reflection mirrored tree trunk “interior.”, arousing our childhood memory. LOVE Taipei Beside Taipei 101 are numerous large-scale installation artworks. Perhaps most eye-catching is the LOVE sculpture in the plaza in front of the tower, created by American pop-art master Robert Indiana. It is an urban-art landmark in Taipei. Another is the Infinite Life sculpture, made with retired Taipei 101 steel elevator cable, a group- photo favorite. 3 Taipei 101 When visiting Taipei, taking photos in front of Taipei 101 is a must. To get the best images, you have to move a bit away from the tower. Great spots include the Xinyi Assembly Hall (44 South Village), Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, and the Keelung Road-Xinyi Road intersection. Head into the lanes and alleys of the district to find more interesting angles. Xinyi Assembly Hall Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (44 South Village) Use the old townhouses here as With few works of architecture in the backdrop, or use the green grass in frame, vistas here are wide. Take the small hill area for Taipei 101 shots, compelling panoramas with the park’s creating canvases of unique character reflective pond in front, Taipei 101 in of new and old combined. the distance. Keelung Road/ Lane 253, Songren Road Xinyi Road Intersection The pedestrian overpass here This narrow lane becomes popular provides a perfect angle, with Taipei because of its use for TV idol-drama 101, the Taipei World Trade Center, shoots with Taipei 101 in full view. and neighboring high-rises fitting in The intriguing composition draws one frame. The lights of streaming many specially for social media traffic add to the beauty at night. photographing. Touring Xinyi–Department Stores With more than 10 department-store buildings in an area of about 0.5 square kilometer, this is Taiwan’s highest-density department store district with places such as the Taipei 101 Mall and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi’s Xinyi Place, great for visits by the whole family; the Uni- President Taipei, with strong urban-woman appeal; the Breeze Center Xinyi, known for great eating and boutiques; the eslite Xinyi outlet, a books and cultural-creative brands emporium; Audio Guides BELLAVITA, known as the department store for socialites; and ATT 4 fun, teeming with flagship brand stores. There are also the VieShow Cinemas outlet, Neo19, and other businesses. Pedestrian sky bridges connect many of the buildings, and some outlets have basement-level metro station connections. This convenient connectivity has made Xinyi District a super-sized shopping mall, and Taipei’s most iconic fashion trendsetter center. Base for Trendy International Brands Sports and leisure is a recent key international style trend, and a department-store focal point. Breeze Song Gao is home to JORDAN 16 SONGGAO, the largest flagship store in Asia for the Jordan brand. The classic Air Jordan sneakers are displayed and a full range of sporting goods sold. Some of the department stores have sports and leisure floors with a playground look. Taiwan-first sales and special-price sales are also frequently offered at flagship stores of sports brands in other department stores, attracting big crowds. The Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A11 building has Korean women’s celebrity-edition bag brands, specialty women’s purses, and on the third floor trendy men’s brands from Japan’s Ura-Harajuku, the U.S., Hong Kong, and other places. The first floor of eslite Xinyi’s and the fourth floor of Breeze Nan Shan’s are filled with famed Japanese select shops and street brands. 5 Diversified Entertainment Activities The 16m-tall spiral Weeeeee! Slide outside the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A8 building is called “Asia’s highest 3D slide.” The 4F X-plaza outdoor basketball court at the A11 building, with large wall-mounted electronic scoreboard, stylish matching-color flooring, and eye- catching neon lighting, is now a big check-in hotspot. Myriad activities are staged on weekends and weeknights at the Chianti Plaza, along with shows by ingenious talented street performers, making this an entertainment hotspot. The i-Ride, in Breeze Nan Shan, is a 5D somatosensory flight theater with an immersive simulation system whisking passengers on a global-travel joyride over mountains and seas, providing a great family-togetherness experience. Premium Supermarket The Breeze Nan Shan supermarket covers over 7,000 square meters. In addition to premium imported foodstuffs, fresh-made foods, snacks, and food-gift items are sold in great variety. A shopper favorite is the cheese and ham area, with around 200 unique-character selections sourced from France, Spain, Italy, and elsewhere. In the hot-foods area fresh items are prepared on order, along with valet cuisine and other special services. Women's TLC Services To provide women a more pleasant shopping environment, Xinyi’s department stores have rolled out TLC services. Taiwan’s first “Pretty Girl No. 1”, serving as the flagship outlet, is in the Uni- President Taipei, offering wardrobe classrooms and personal-styling services. Breeze Xinyi has a lounge area where ladies can leisurely get their makeup done. All stores have breastfeeding rooms, and Breeze Song Gao and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi have on-site nursing staff. 6 Touring Xinyi–Songshan Cultural and Creative Park Established as a tobacco-factory complex in 1937, this was Taiwan’s 133, Guangfu S.