Stand on the corner of Zhongshan Road and Dongmen Street and the smell of incense drifts out over the food stalls packed around the City God Temple. A few minutes' walk away, the granite arch of the East Gate sits in the middle of a traffic roundabout, and the Baroque facade of the railway station watches over the buses. Hsinchu wears its history in small, walkable pieces.
The city suits travellers who like temples, markets and short walks more than big-ticket attractions, and who are happy to build a day around a lake, a hill and a bowl of noodles. It also rewards anyone passing through on the way to the science park or the universities.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material, ordered from the ones most worth your time down to the smaller stops, followed by a plan for a single day.
Top things to do in Hsinchu
1. City God Temple
Built in 1748 and standing on the corner of Zhongshan Road and Dongmen Street, this is a typical Taoist temple covered in colourful frescoes. It is the city's best-known place of worship and the natural first stop in the old centre.
Come hungry: the streets immediately around the temple are where you will want to eat, so pair the visit with a meal rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
2. East Gate
Constructed from granite with a distinctive arched entrance, the East Gate is the city centre's most well-known landmark. It sits at the junction of Dongmen and Zhongzheng Roads, so you will pass it whether or not you plan to.
Because it stands in the middle of a road junction, treat it as something to look at and photograph on your way between the temple and the station rather than a place to linger.
3. Eighteen Peaks Mountain
This is a large hill or small mountainous area circling the eastern and southern suburbs, with well-maintained stepways, concrete paths and tarmac pathways. That makes it ideal for a walk in the forest without the hardships of true country hiking.
It can get very crowded at weekends or early in the morning, and some visitors find the canned music a little unnatural. If you do not mind crowds, the best time to visit is during a flower festival, when the Japanese underground shelters are sometimes opened. Views of the city are limited because of heavy tree cover.
4. Green Grass Lake
Also called Qing-cao Hu, this is a parkland surrounding a lake off Ming-hu Road. It is a great place to relax and watch water fowl gliding with the clouds.
Set aside an unhurried hour here rather than squeezing it between two temples; the point of the place is the sitting still.
5. Hsinchu Zoo
On Kungyung Road in East District, this is the oldest and smallest zoo in Taiwan, founded by the Japanese in 1936. It has been tastefully renovated and displays animals including tigers, crocodiles, monkeys, bears and all kinds of birds, on lovely garden-like grounds. It is a great place to bring children.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30 to 17:00, all year, and closed on Chinese New Year's Eve. Entry is NT$10, so it is an easy addition to a morning rather than a whole-day commitment.
6. Craft Glass Museum
On Section 2 of Dongda Road in East District, this gallery is dedicated to Hsinchu's long association with the craft of glass making. It sits in the park directly behind the railway station.
It is open 09:00 to 17:00 with the ticket office closing at 16:30, and closed on Mondays. Combine it with the station area and the East Gate, which are close by.
7. Hsinchu Railway Station
Built in 1913 in the classic Baroque style popular in Taiwan at the beginning of the 20th century, the station is at Section 2, Zhonghua Road. There is nothing to see inside, but the facade provides a good backdrop for souvenir photographs of the city.
Use it as the anchor of a walking loop: the Craft Glass Museum is in the park behind it, and the East Gate is a short walk away.
8. Hsinchu Botanical Garden
On Baoshan Road near Tsing-hua University, the garden has some great hiking trails and gives you the chance to become acquainted with more than 300 varieties of Taiwan's indigenous flora.
It pairs naturally with Eighteen Peaks Mountain, since both are reached from the same side of the city along Baoshan Road.
9. Guan Di Temple
Built in 1776 and standing on the corner of Wenchang Street and Zhongshan Road, this temple is noted for its refined ornamentation and for inscriptions carved by local scholars on the temple pillars. It is at No. 109-1, Nanmen Street.
Look up at the pillars rather than only at the main altar; the carvings are the reason to come.
10. Image Museum of Hsinchu City
On Zhongzheng Road, this museum occupies a renovated former movie theatre. Alongside images and documents of film and theatre in Taiwan, it has an auditorium where movies and plays are performed.
It is open 09:00 to 21:00, which makes it one of the few stops that works late in the day if you have filled your morning and afternoon elsewhere.
11. Hsinchu City Art Gallery & Reclaimation Hall
At No. 116, Zhongyang Road, this is the city's art gallery, open 09:00 to 17:00. It fits neatly into a walk through the old centre.
Check what is on before you go, since the gallery's appeal depends entirely on the current exhibition.
12. Hsinchu City Fire Museum
At No. 4, Zhongshan Road, this is a small museum in a converted fire station dedicated to the history of firefighting in Taiwan. It is open 09:00 to 17:00.
It is small enough to slot in between the City God Temple and the East Gate without disrupting your route.
13. Hsinchu City Black Bat Squadron Memorial Hall
At No. 16, Section 2, Dongda Road, this hall is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the conflict between Taiwan and Mainland China.
It sits on the same stretch of Dongda Road as several other stops, so group it with them rather than making a separate trip.
14. Hsinchu Museum of Military Dependents Village
At No. 105, Section 2, Dongda Road, this museum is open 09:00 to 17:00 and covers the history of the military dependents' villages.
Like the Black Bat Squadron hall, it is on Dongda Road, so the two are best visited together.
15. The linear parks on Wenhua, Xinyi and Sanmin roads
The medians of these three roads have been converted into linear parks. These stretches of green are good for a leisurely stroll on a sultry summer day or for escaping the office during a lunch break.
The parks along Wenhua and Xinyi streets are especially pleasant, and quite romantic at night, because they have incorporated the city's historic moat into their design.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the City God Temple on Zhongshan Road, then walk to the East Gate at the junction of Dongmen and Zhongzheng Roads. Continue to the Hsinchu Railway Station to see the 1913 Baroque facade, and step into the Craft Glass Museum in the park directly behind it. If you have children with you, the Hsinchu Zoo on Kungyung Road is the obvious next stop.
Afternoon. Head out along Baoshan Road for Eighteen Peaks Mountain and its stepways and pathways, then continue to the Hsinchu Botanical Garden nearby for the trails and native flora. If you would rather take it easy, swap the hill for Green Grass Lake off Ming-hu Road and watch the water fowl.
Evening. Return to the centre and finish at the Image Museum of Hsinchu City on Zhongzheng Road, which stays open until 21:00. If time allows, walk the linear parks along Wenhua and Xinyi streets, where the historic moat is worked into the design and the setting is at its best after dark.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Hsinchu?
October to December are arguably the most pleasant times of year. The rainy season runs from February to September, heaviest from late April through August, with plum rains in May and early June, and June to September is hot and humid. The city is also known for strong northeastern monsoon winds in autumn and winter.
How do I get around the main sights?
Many of the central stops are within walking distance of one another: the City God Temple, the East Gate, the railway station and the Craft Glass Museum all sit in the same part of town. For Eighteen Peaks Mountain, the Botanical Garden and Green Grass Lake you will need transport out to the eastern and southern suburbs.
Which sights are best with children?
The Hsinchu Zoo is described as a great place to bring children, with garden-like grounds and animals including tigers, crocodiles, monkeys, bears and birds. The Craft Glass Museum behind the railway station is also an easy, indoor option.
What should I do if it rains?
Build the day around the museums: the Image Museum of Hsinchu City, the Hsinchu City Art Gallery & Reclaimation Hall, the Hsinchu City Fire Museum and the Craft Glass Museum are all indoor stops. Note that the Craft Glass Museum closes on Mondays.
Decide which of these fits your dates, check the opening days for the museums, and start mapping your route through the old centre.