Taiwan: Taipei

Overview

About one third of Taiwan’s population lives in the capital, Taipei, and its surrounding metropolitan area. Founded in the early 18th century by Chinese settlers, Taipei became an important trading hub in the 19th century. Over time, control of the island shifted between different powers. Taiwan became a Chinese province in 1886, with Taipei as its capital, was later ceded to Japan, and returned to Chinese administration after World War II. Today, Taipei is a modern, densely populated city and the political, economic, and cultural centre of Taiwan. Filip from Slovakia has lived here for seven years. After studying Chinese, he stayed to work as a radio host. With Filip, we explore authentic Taiwan, from street food and home cooking to tea culture and traditional rice treats.