A Walk Through Tainan: Forts, an Old Station and Tofu Pudding in Two Days
Tainan is a city best explored on foot. A fort built by the Dutch four centuries ago, a station from the Japanese colonial era and a library that opened only a few years ago all sit on the same map, with one small food stall after another in between.
ExploreStamp's "A Walk Through Tainan" route picks six of them: two historic sites, a station, a library, a museum and a bowl of tofu pudding. This post covers what's worth seeing at each one and how to fit them into two days.
The route at a glance
| Place | Category | District |
|---|---|---|
| Tainan Station | Railway Station | East |
| Chihkan Tower | Heritage Site | West Central |
| Anping Fort | Heritage Site | Anping |
| Tong Ji Anping Tofu Pudding | Food | Anping |
| Tainan Public Library | Library | Yongkang |
| Chimei Museum | Museum | Rende |
The first four are between the city center and Anping and fit into a single day. The library and the museum lie to the north and south of the city, so they work better on day two.
Tainan Station: starting in the Showa era
Most people arrive in Tainan by train, so this is the natural first stop. The current station building dates from the Japanese colonial era. With its white walls, red-tiled roof and row of arched windows, it is one of the few major stations in Taiwan that still uses its original building. The second floor once housed a railway hotel, a fashionable place to stay in its day.
Once you're out of the station, turn around to take in the front of the building, then head west into the old town.
Chihkan Tower: a Dutch fort under Chinese pavilions
Chihkan Tower is about a fifteen-minute walk west of the station. This was originally Fort Provintia, built by the Dutch in the 17th century. After the fort fell into ruin, Qing-era builders put up the Wenchang Pavilion and the Sea God Temple on its old foundations, giving the site the look it has today.
Look out for two things. One is the remaining Dutch red-brick foundation, which makes an interesting contrast with the Chinese eaves above it. The other is a row of stone tablets carried on the backs of bixi, turtle-like mythical creatures, left from the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty.
The streets around Chihkan Tower are the heart of old Tainan, with more than enough food stalls to sort out lunch.
Anping Fort: walls four centuries old
Anping lies west of the city center and is easy to reach by bus or YouBike. Anping Fort began as Fort Zeelandia, which the Dutch started building in 1624, one of the earliest forts in Taiwan's history.
The most rewarding part of the site today is easy to miss: a weathered red-brick wall wrapped in the aerial roots of old banyan trees, one of the few original Dutch-era structures still standing. The white lookout tower in the middle of the grounds was added later; climb it for a view over the streets of Anping.
Tong Ji Anping Tofu Pudding: the dessert stop
Save the tofu pudding for the end of your time in Anping. Tong Ji is a long-standing tofu pudding shop in the area, with a silky texture and toppings such as tapioca pearls, red beans, or the local favorite, candied sweet potato. After a full day on foot, it's the right way to finish.
If you have time, the shops along Anping Old Street sell shrimp crackers, candied fruit and souvenirs featuring Anping's sword lion.
Tainan Public Library: the city's new living room
On day two, head north to Yongkang District. The main branch of the Tainan Public Library opened only a few years ago. Its exterior is a large fair-faced concrete volume lined with vertical fins, and inside, the tall, bright space has seats tucked between the shelves. After a day of historic sites, this is a look at Tainan as it is today.
Anyone can come in to read, no library card needed. Buses run here from the city center.
Chimei Museum: a collection in a European-style palace
The last stop is the Chimei Museum in Rende District, to the south. The white European-style palace stands in Tainan Metropolitan Park, fronted by a fountain with figures from Greek mythology and a long bridge. Just walking around outside is worth the trip.
Inside, the collection focuses on Western art, musical instruments (especially violins), arms and armor, and natural history specimens. It's large, so set aside at least half a day. From Tainan Station, take a local train south and transfer from there.
A two-day plan
Day 1: the city center to Anping
- Arrive at Tainan Station in the morning
- Walk to Chihkan Tower and have lunch nearby
- In the afternoon, take a bus or YouBike to Anping Fort
- Finish at Tong Ji Anping Tofu Pudding in the evening
Day 2: north and south
- Visit the Tainan Public Library in Yongkang in the morning
- Head south to the Chimei Museum in the afternoon
With only one day, do the four places from day one and save the library and museum for your next visit.
Before you go
- Opening hours, closing days and ticket prices can change, so check each place's official website before you set off.
- Tainan's summer sun is strong. Bring water and sun protection for walking around the city.
- Most historic sites charge admission. Ask whether a combined ticket is available.
Collecting this route with ExploreStamp
Open ExploreStamp, find "A Walk Through Tainan" among the themed routes and tap "Check in" at each place you reach. The app confirms you're within range, adds the place's stamp to your stamp book and records the date of your first visit. Collect all six stamps to complete the route.
See the other routes under Explore.