Taipei 101 rules the city's skyline. Niu Yixin / China Photo Press

From the heights of Taipei 101 to the depths of sulfurous hot spring baths, the capital of Taiwan province offers a lot in 48 hours, Jules Quartly finds.

If all the time you have in Taipei is 48 hours, fear not, it will be a rapid succession of attractions wrapped up in a subtropical garden of delights. A weekend well spent. Its compact size and convenient transport options allows you to see and do more than you could in a week elsewhere.

The capital of Taiwan province is a concentrate of the mainland experience, slightly more traditional, with hints of Japanese, European and Aboriginal influences - and a style all its own.

If your hotel is centrally located none of the attractions suggested are more than an hour away and usually much less. They can easily be accessed on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, which is cheap, safe, clean and often elevates above the city to provide a golden sightseeing opportunity for the price of a ride.

Day 1

Take to the streets and seek out one of the ubiquitous mom-and-pop breakfast joints that sell a heady range of traditional and non-traditional snacks to start off your day.

My favorite is either steamed and pan-fried luobogao (turnip slices) and soy sauce, or a bacon sandwich with a beaker of iced tea, but there are plenty of other options.

Once you've filled up, head for Taipei 101 (Taipei City Hall MRT), which looks like a bamboo reed poking into the sky. You really can't miss it. Until recently it used to be the world's tallest building, and you are recommended to go straight to the top for a truly panoramic view of the city.  

On a clear day, the city shimmers and merges into the mountain ranges that struggle to contain it. Aboriginal Ketagalan tribes controlled the Taipei Basin before the 18th century, when Chinese started settling in the area. The observation tower has maps of the city to reference, so it is a simple exercise to identify all the locations you plan to visit - a bit like looking at a satellite map.

When you've seen enough it's probably time for tea or coffee and a quick ride back down on the supercharged elevators, the world's fastest.

In the mall there are plenty of choices for light refreshment, before browsing the elegant lifestyle avenues, city squares and designer walks. High-end shopping is the order of the morning here, so come prepared with a credit card if you are in the mood to spend.

For a completely different shopping experience, head to the nearby textile market of Wufenpu (Houshanpi MRT). Named after five mainland settlers who bought "five parcels of land", it's a great place to polish your bargaining skills.

Originally, a wholesaler's market, this is where the smart young money does its shopping for clothes and accessories. It's crammed with bargain hunters, but has a laid-back atmosphere that is typically Taiwanese.

Lunchtime. As you might expect from a city with one of the highest population densities in the world, Taipei is packed with restaurants and good places to eat are on every street, although dining at a rickety table on plastic stools in a market is a must.

Savor beef noodle soup with cilantro, hot pot (known as shabu shabu ) with shacha sauce, dumplings at Din Tai Fung, dim sum at a number of hotels, Hakka or Kejia food, fish fare (Taiwan's an island) and cuisine based on dishes from all over China - but generally with a lighter touch, less salt and oil.

By now, you should have had enough of shopping and it's time to smell the roses, at the Flora Expo (Yuanshan MRT).

I'm not a keen gardener so I wasn't blooming with anticipation at the thought of going, but it turned out to be a highlight of my recent visit. It's the city's biggest ever event and expects to have pulled in up to 8 million people by the time it ends on April 25.

There's more than just horticulture, of course, with 14 pavilions, highlighting Chinese culture, the torch singer Teresa Teng, fashion demos, an eco park and visits to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, among other draws.

Imagine walking around in fields of flowers surrounded by the buzz of a forward-looking 21st century city and you get the concept.

One stop away (Jiantan MRT) is Shihlin Night Market - one of the world's best in my humble opinion - and a great place to recharge on snacks and a juice drink, or simply enjoy the carnival spirit.

You will have to negotiate huge crowds, especially on the weekend, but try following your nose to Cicheng Temple, where you will find vendors selling smelly tofu, which you should try, if only to say you have. It's an unforgettable experience.

Your head should be swimming (after the tofu) and your feet aching by this point, so it's time to unwind in Beitou (Xin Beitou MRT).

One of the fortunate things about living in an active earthquake zone is sulfurous hot spring baths. Their health benefits were largely ignored before the Japanese invaded (1895-1945) and demonstrated they were pleasant to bathe in.

There are so many 24-hour hot spring hotels you can walk around and take your pick, and they range from five stars to bathhouse cheap.

It's late and you may be considering an early start next day, but for those of you revivified by the hot spring waters, head back downtown to find a lounge bar. It won't be difficult, the city is famous for them. My choices are Fifi's W Bar, Room 18, The Bed and possibly Champagne Bar.

Nightlife carries on till early morning most nights. If you fancy a late night snack before bed, try one of the all-night congee restaurants on Fuxing South Road.