Luke L.
Yelp
Anping Old Street (安平老街) was the first street in Taiwan to be given a name 300+ years ago as it was the first street built by the Dutch in Anping.
[How to get here]: Take Tainan 98 Fucheng-Taijiang Line (98府城台江線) or Route 2 (2路) from Tainan Train Station and hop off at Yanping St Station (延平街站).
[What to see]
* Pay an extra attention and visitors will spot Wind Lion Gods (風獅爺) on the roofs of the old buildings or Sword Lions (劍獅) on the lintels of doors.
* Explore small alleyways like Jasmine Alley (茉莉巷) and Rouge Alley (胭脂巷).
* The area is surrounded by historical landmarks such as Anping Old Fort (安平古堡), Anping Matsu Temple (Kaitai Tianhou Temple) 安平天后宮(開台天后宮), Anping Tree House (安平樹屋), and Eternal Golden Castle (億載金城).
[Tips]
* Most of the stalls and shops on Anping Old Street do not open until 11 AM or noon, so it is best to plan your visit for after lunchtime. However there are few eateries do open for breakfast so plan accordingly. To make the most of your morning, you can start at Anping Matsu Temple (opens as early as 5 AM), then visit Anping Old Fort (opens at 8:30 AM), and continue to Anping Tree House (also opens at 8:30 AM).
* Many stalls tend to close one day per week typically on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. While these days may not be ideal for a visit, they shouldn't deter you if they're your only available days.
[Food - Signature Items]
* Candied fruits (蜜餞) from Lin Yong Taixing Candied Fruit Shop (林永泰興蜜餞行 - 2,300+ Google reviews): This century-old brand is located just off Old Street on Yanping Street (延平街). Be sure to check Google Maps for directions.
* Shrimp crackers from Deyi Shrimp Crackers 得意蝦餅 (550+ Google reviews)
[Food - Popular Eateries]
* Chou's Shrimp Rolls 周氏蝦捲 (12,000+ Google reviews)
* Chen oyster roll 陳家蚵捲 (2,300+ Google reviews)
[Food - Honorable Mentions (for those willing to walk few more blocks)]
* Wang Shi Fish Skin 王氏魚皮 (12,500+ Google reviews)
* Win Chang Beef Soup Anping Main Shop 文章牛肉湯 (21,500+ Google reviews)
* Elate Pudding 依蕾特布丁(10,000+ Google reviews)
* Tongji Anping Bean Curd (Anping Main Store) 同記安平豆花 (10,000+ Google reviews)
[Conclusion]: Honestly if the old street doesn't hold any historical significance, then this feels like your typical Taiwanese street market and I prefer Jiufen Old Street (九份老街) in Taipei over Anping Old Street. Unfortunately I came unprepared and didn't do much research beforehand, so I wasn't able to make the most of my visit and really missing out on some of the popular eateries. With that being said, I still think this tourist trap is worth a visit. However I would recommend tempering your expectations and planning ahead to maximize your experience here.