About Hanoi

Founded over 1000 years ago, Vietnam’s capital city is rich in history, with the streets of its rambling Old Quarter dating back to the 14th century. Wandering these tree-lined lanes past crumbling colonial facades will transport you back in time. However, today's Hanoi is about much more than the past. The ancient city is being invigorated with modern cafes, world-class restaurants, and cool art galleries. When the sun goes down, you have your pick of watering holes, from sophisticated rooftop bars to buzzing bia hơi. If you're traveling to Hanoi for the first time, these are experiences you must try at least once in your life. From ancient temples to buzzing markets, Hanoi's got it all. It's basically the cultural heartbeat of Vietnam.

Attractions to Visit

  • Old Quarter
    The Old Quarter is the name commonly given to the historical civic urban core of Hanoi, Vietnam, located outside the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. This quarter used to be the residential, manufacturing and commercial center, where each street was specialized in one specific type of manufacturing or commerce.
    Another common name referring to approximately the same area is the 36 streets, after the 36 streets or guilds that used to make up the urban area of the city.


  • Hanoi Train Street
    Train Street or Railway Street is a narrow train bypass in Hanoi which several times daily sees a train pass close to buildings on either side of the tracks (the width of the train takes up nearly the entirety of the "train street"). It is situated specifically, along Điện Biên Phủ and Phùng Hưng streets,opposite Dropin Cafe and the main Hanoi Railway Station. The track was built by the French in 1902 and is still an active rail line as of 2026.
    The train passes several times daily, on the single track line running north out of Hanoi railway station (thus not the rail line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in the south). Residents living alongside the tracks clear their belongings from the narrow space when trains approach. Often during other times, they use the space for daily activities, like drinking tea and playing board games.[4][5] A writer on the Hanoi Old Quarter travel website wrote: "Hanoi Train Street encapsulates an extraordinary portrait of local life a real-time illustration where trains routinely coalesce with the rhythm of resident sources of pride and heritage."

  • Hoan Kiem Lake
    Hoàn Kiếm Lake, also known as Sword Lake (Hồ Gươm) or Tả Vọng Lake (Hồ Tả Vọng), is a fresh water lake, measuring some 12 ha in the historical center of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.
    In the past, the lake was variously named "Lục Thủy Lake" (Vietnamese: Hồ Lục Thủy, meaning "Green Water Lake" - aptly named for the water's color) or "Thủy Quân Lake" (Vietnamese: Hồ Thủy Quân, meaning "Mariner's Lake"). The lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and serves as a focal point for its public life.



  • Temple of Literature
    Văn Miếu, literally translated as Temple of Literature, is a temple dedicated to Confucius in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. The temple was founded and first built in 1070 at the time of Emperor Lý Thánh Tông, and it hosted the Imperial Academy, Vietnam's first national university, from 1076 to 1779. In 1803, The academy was moved to the new capital of Nguyen dynasty in Hue.
    The Văn Miếu is one of several temples in Vietnam which are dedicated to Confucius, sages, and scholars. The temple is located to the south of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. The various pavilions, halls, statues, and stelae of doctors are places where offering ceremonies, study sessions, and the strict exams of the Đại Việt took place. The temple is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese đồng banknote. Just before the Tết Vietnamese New Year celebration, calligraphists will assemble outside the temple and write wishes in Chữ Hán. The art works are given away as gifts or are used as home decorations for special occasions.
     

  • Hanoi Opera House
    The Hanoi Opera House, or the Grand Opera House is an opera house in central Hanoi, Vietnam. Built by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911, it is one of three opera houses built during the colonial period in French Indochina, alongside Haiphong Opera House and Municipal Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City.