Taichung is filled with big city conveniences at a slightly slower pace than the great urban center of Taipei and New Taipei City.

Taichung’s greatest contribution to world culture may be the invention of “Bubble Tea”, the sweet milky tea and tapioca pearl drink that has now boomed far beyond the shores of Taiwan. You can still swing by the original Chun Shui Tang Siwei Main Shop to pick some up. Queues can be long, so we recommend arriving early. We order the classic milk bubble tea – black tea, tapioca balls, cane sugar and milk. Sometimes, simple is best.

For an afternoon snack fit to beat the heat, Taichung has not one but two phenomenal ice cream parlors. First there’s Miyahara, a social media darling that fills an old Japanese glasses shop from the 1920s. Though if you are in the mood for something a bit simpler, stop at Minimal, the world’s first (and only) ice cream parlor with a Michelin star. Everything about the experience emphasizes minimalism and they put all of their focus on flavor – and what flavors they are. You might like a Japanese shiso sorbet with elements of apple, or perhaps gin gelato.

One of our favorite ways to spend an afternoon in Taichung is to visit some of the art museums, and if you’re going to choose one, we’d suggest the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, focusing on contemporary Taiwan art.

For a bit of a break the city, the seaside Gaomei Wetland is just a 40-minute taxi ride and has one of the best sunsets in the country – the setting sun reflecting off the tidal flats with rows of wind turbines flicking around in the breeze.