The Grass Mountain Chateau — Attraction in Beitou

This is a place with a history almost as fiery as its past. Once nearly destroyed by a fire, it’s been rebuilt and still retains that lovely Japanese architectural charm, like an old book that’s been patched up but still carries the same musty, nostalgic scent. The vibe is thick with history, as if you could almost hear the ghosts of the past complaining about the renovations.

Inside, there’s a café where you can sip your coffee and pretend you’re really ‘taking in the culture,’ when in reality, you’re just planning your next stop. The location is Brilliant, whoever chose this spot had an eye for views, offering a picturesque backdrop that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into a postcard.

If you’re into history, or just fancy a bit of peace and quiet surrounded by nature, this small place does the trick. You’ll find yourself thinking, “I could chill here for hours… but then again, there’s a whole bunch of other spots I’m supposed to be ticking...

Got to this spot by accident after missing the last stop to the park. Getting down to the restaurant is a little formidable at first especially when you see cars coming in your direction in a very tight spot. Keep going because it's worth it. Once you get there, you'll see a stone structure that has Japanese style interior. Front desk is very friendly and directed me to look around. Since the rain was relentless, I decided to have brunch here- $30 for a 5 course meal is not bad. The mushroom truffle soup, duck confit and the creme caramel are utterly delicious, says this woman who was married to a French guy for 20 years. The service is also very lovely. The historical side of the chateau adds quite an intrigue to this...

As the former residence place of Chiang Kai-Shek, former president of the Republic of China, this place has been converted to sort of a museum, as well as a restaurant. There are messages that shows what the former rooms of the home were, and there is also a shop here that sells various ancient artifacts for high prices. There is also a restaurant in here, but there weren't anybody eating here when we visited, most likely because it's early morning. Outside, there is a view where you can look out to see Taipei itself, which is spectacular. Overall, a very cozy place with a lot of...