Taipei is one of the world’s 24 most underrated cities, an article on the Yahoo Travel Web site said yesterday.
The article, titled “World’s Most Underrated Cities,” said Taipei was no longer a city “choked in smog” as in the 1980s and 1990s.
“Today, Taipei is one of Asia’s most pleasant capitals, with acres of green space and an easy-to-use public transport system,” the article on the search engine’s travel site said.
For outdoor enthusiasts, there is plenty to see — Yangmingshan National Park, hot springs in Beitou, hiking trails throughout the surrounding mountains and riverside bike paths, the writer, Jennifer Chen, said.
However, she added, Taipei’s biggest draw is the cuisine.
“Taipei has some of the best Chinese food in the world, from humble holes-in-the-wall to culinary temples. Don’t fret if you can’t speak or read the lingo — friendly locals are eager to help visitors,” Chen said.
She suggested that visitors should not miss Lan Jia Gua Bao, a restaurant near Gongguan Night Market, which “serves superlative gua bao, or braised pork belly buns.”
Other cities on the list included Detroit, Tucson, Providence, Philadelphia and Denver in the US, Nara in Japan, Antwerp in Belgium, Bologna in Italy, Galway in Ireland, Glasgow in Scotland, Adelaide in Australia, Valparaiso in Chile, Kotor in Montenegro, Merida in Mexico and Bratislava in Slovakia.
The Yahoo article said these urban underdogs — cities that are not on the radar for most travelers — would be interesting to visitors who like exploring.
“If undiscovered art scenes, experimental cuisine, great architecture and interesting neighborhoods are on your travel checklist, then these cities deserve a second look,” the writer said.
Also on the list were China’s Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, Calgary in Canada, Bordeaux in France, Durban in South Africa, Montevideo in Paraguay, Dusseldorf in Germany, Valencia in Spain and Granada in Nicaragua.
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