Treasure Hill

Top choice in Taipei


Head down to the river from the Museum of Drinking Water, turn left, and you'll soon come across this charming art village. It was founded in the late 1940s by soldiers who fled to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek. It was praised for its 'living memories' and off-the-grid community lifestyle – villagers 'borrowed' electricity, set up organic farms by the river, built homes out of discarded materials and recycled grey water. However, the village underwent a makeover in 2010 and is now largely an artist village.

It's a photogenic place, and very dreamy to explore at night; architects, activists and artists are likely to find it both fascinating and inspiring. There's always some kind of arty event happening here from exhibitions to light shows to outdoor movie screenings. Check the website to see what's on.