Running alongside the port, Malaga Park (also called Parque de la Alameda) is a long, shaded stretch filled with exotic plants, fountains, and old sculptures. It was built on reclaimed land in the late 1800s and has a bit of that faded old-world charm. Not huge, but a good spot to cool off, take a slow walk, or just sit under the palm trees for a break from the sun.

The Beitou area of Taipei is renowned for its high concentration of thermal spa centres. There are establishments to fit any budget, from the low-priced open-air Public Hot Spring (modest swimwear required) to private hotels and resorts uphill, all offering hot spring baths at various price points. One option most resorts offer is renting a private room with a large bath that can be filled with hot spring water. The Spring City Resort in Beitou is a great mid-range option. A session here includes access to about a dozen thermal pools of varying water temperature (from seemingly boiling-hot to rather chilly), plus robe, towel, and slipper rental. They even offer a free shuttle bus to the metro station. For a luxurious spa treatment, look into the offerings of Hotel Regent Taipei, for example. Wellspring Spa offers a wide range of relaxing treatments including massages, body wraps, skin polishing and facials. Take the elevator to the top floor and unwind at this urban sanctuary.

Locals call it La Manquita — 'the one-armed lady' — because only one of its towers was ever finished. Built between the 16th and 18th centuries, the cathedral mixes Renaissance design with a Baroque front. It actually sits on the site of a former mosque, and you can still spot a few traces of that. There's a long-running rumour that money meant for the second tower went to support the American War of Independence — not confirmed, but it’s part of the local lore.