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As the saying goes, "One Mansion, Two Deer, Three Manka, Four Yuejin." Among the four major ancient towns in Taiwan, Tainan holds two spots: "City of the Mansion" and "Yuejin." As the earliest developed area in Tainan, Anping Old Street boasts numerous historical sites, traditional street houses, and shops, making it a must-visit destination for many people traveling to Tainan.
So, how exactly do you get to Anping Old Street? With so many Anping Old Street snacks available, what are the must-buys, must-eats, and must-dos in Anping Old Street? Don't worry, let's explore Anping Old Street in Tainan together with the editor!
Located in Anping District, Tainan City, Anping Old Street is one of the most historically significant streets in Taiwan.
The history of Anping Old Street in Tainan can be traced back three hundred years. It was first established by the Dutch, and initially, it was called "Yanping Street," a very important commercial center in early Taiwan.
The Dutch established Fort Zeelandia (now Anping Fort) in 1624, using it as their base for rule and trade. Anping Old Street gradually developed into a commercial and residential area, with buildings mostly made of earthen houses, low red brick houses, and Western-style mansions, reflecting the architectural styles and techniques of that time.
The original width of Anping Old Street was only about two to three meters, primarily for pedestrians and bicycles, with no cars allowed. This design allowed Anping Old Street to preserve its original appearance, and also retained many traditional settlements and narrow alleys, such as Jasmine Lane and Rouge Lane.
Today, Anping Old Street is not only a witness to history but also a popular tourist attraction. Here, you can find all sorts of traditional Taiwanese snacks, such as shrimp rolls, oyster omelets, etc.
Walking on Anping Old Street will give you the illusion of traveling through time. It's a great place if you want to understand the history of Taiwan. The editor recommends that if you go to Tainan next time, don't miss Anping Old Street in Tainan.
Image source: Official Website of Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau
Located in Anping District, Tainan City, Anping Fort was originally called Fort Zeelandia, the earliest Dutch defensive fort in Taiwan.
It was mainly built in 1624, and later renamed by Koxinga in 1662. The existing remains of the fort include old banyan trees and parts of the city walls, and it is an important site for studying early Taiwanese history and the Dutch colonial period.
Image source: Official Website of the Cultural Heritage and Operations Section, Tainan City Government
Haishan Hall is a municipal historical site with a rich historical background. Originally, it was a meeting hall built by soldiers of the Fuzhou Haitan Town Biao Navy to enshrine the gods of their hometown and for gatherings. The architecture exhibits traditional Southern Fujian style, including the courtyard and the roof of the Baodou Tower. Haishan Hall not only witnesses the historical changes of Tainan but also is a place to understand early military and social culture.
Image source: RTR Official Website
Anping Sword Lion Plaza is a very famous cultural attraction in Anping District.
The Sword Lion is the guardian deity of Anping, symbolizing protection and courage. Here, you can admire various sword lion sculptures. The Sword Lion Plaza also offers a variety of cultural and creative products for sale and has a garden cafe, allowing visitors to slow down and enjoy leisure time while appreciating art.
Image source: Official Website of Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau
Anping Tree House was originally a warehouse of the Tait & Co. Trading Company, later used by the Dai-Nippon Sugar Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
After nearly a hundred years of banyan tree growth, the walls have been overtaken by banyan trees, forming a very unique coexisting landscape of trees and house.
Now, there are wooden walkways that allow visitors to observe this natural and human-made wonder up close.
Image source: Official Website of Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau
Tait & Co. Merchant House is one of the earliest five major merchant houses in Taiwan. Founded in 1867, Tait & Co. mainly engaged in the trade of opium, camphor, and sugar at that time.
Later, after the merchant house gradually declined, it was converted into the Taiwan Pioneer Museum of Historical Relics, primarily showcasing the early life and trade history of Taiwan.
The building itself is also a municipal historical site, a very important place to study early commercial activities in Taiwan.
The Blessing of the Big Fish in Anping is a giant whale installation art located in the Tainan Anping Harbor Historical Park, created by artist Yang Shi-yi.
It is 23 meters long, 10 meters wide, and 8 meters high. It is especially beautiful when lit up at night. Also, it is said that the entire design does not use any screws. Now, it has become a new landmark and a popular check-in spot in Anping.
One-Day Tour Itinerary Recommendation around Anping
Tainan Canal National Park (Sicao Fort, Sicao Dazhong Temple, take an ecological sightseeing boat tour of the mangrove forest) → Anping Fort → Yanping Old Street (Sword Lion Plaza)
Further reading: 【Sicao Green Tunnel】A complete guide to Tainan Anping Sicao Green Tunnel traffic information and travel!
Everyone knows that Tainan is a food paradise, and there's definitely no shortage of delicious food and drinks!
So, when you go to Anping Old Street, what Anping Old Street foods are you not to be missed? Of course, there are! Come and take a look~
It's a sugar water dessert shop located in the Anping area. The Tainan douhua at the shop melts in your mouth and is also one of the must-try snacks here.
Beef soup, which is almost synonymous with Tainan cuisine, is also a must-try food when you visit Tainan. Moreover, Wen-Zhang Beef Soup in Anping has a continuous flow of people every day and is considered the boss of beef soup in Anping Old Street. Not only is it loved by locals, but it is also a must-eat food for visiting tourists.
Yi Feng Winter Melon Tea, located near the Sicao Green Tunnel, offers refreshing and thirst-quenching winter melon tea, which is very suitable for drinking in hot weather. It is one of the editor's must-drink beverages when I go to Tainan.
When you come to Anping, not eating Anping Old Street shrimp rolls is like not having been to Anping. In addition to Zhou's Shrimp Rolls, another shop, Chen's Oyster Rolls, is recommended by many locals. The editor also eats this one when going to Anping and really thinks it's good. I recommend everyone to try it. Although it's not as famous as Zhou's Shrimp Rolls, but it's fresh and worth recommending!
Of course, there are also special Tainan snacks like coffin bread, which the editor also recommends everyone to try!
Speaking of Anping Old Street souvenirs, many people may think of Anping Old Street preserved fruits - Lin Yongtai Hsing preserved fruits and one of the oldest shops of Fucheng Anping Old Street shrimp crackers, De Yi Shrimp Crackers. The editor personally, every time I go to Anping, also brings back I-Li-Te Pudding, Zhangcheng Malt Cake, and DoGa Chili Cookies as souvenirs to give to people. I recommend it to everyone!
National Highway No. 1 (Zhongshan Freeway) to Yongkang Interchange → Provincial Highway 1 → Gongyuan Road → Nanmen Circle → Minsheng Road → Guanyin Street → Anping Fort → After passing Anping Fort, Yanping Street is on the left.
If you want to park at Anping Old Street, you can consider the parking lots near Anping Old Street:
You can take the "88" holiday sightseeing bus (only operates on holidays) from Tainan Railway Station, which passes through Yanping Street, Anping Harbor Historical Park, and Anping Fort.
Image source: Tainan City Bus
Or, from Tainan Railway Station, take the "2" bus heading towards Anping, get off at Anping Post Office, turn left onto Gubao Street after getting off, walk past Anping Fort, and Yanping Street will be on your left.
Image source: Tainan City Bus
So, how long does it take to get from Tainan Railway Station to Anping Old Street?
Because the 88 bus goes around major attractions in the city, the travel time is at least one hour, and the No. 2 city bus can arrive in about 30-40 minutes.
However, because there are not many bus services in Tainan, and the intervals are long, and some buses that only run to important attractions in Tainan are only available on holidays, the editor recommends that if you come to Tainan, in addition to driving yourself, you can also consider renting a scooter. It will be faster than waiting for the bus. Of course, if you want to run many important attractions in Tainan at the same time, like the editor, for a perfect one-day tour, chartering a car is definitely your best choice!
Moreover, the current car rental is no longer like before, where you can only charter for a whole day. There are car rental platforms that offer car rentals for 2-12 hours, you can make an appointment for car pick-up and drop-off according to your itinerary, it's really convenient!
Image source: tripool official website
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