Hanoi travel guide

At a glance

capital of Vietnam. For a first visit, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Tran dynasty are strong starting points. This guide brings together 19 places, practical 1/3/5/7-day routes and a concise food shortlist so you can understand the city before shaping the trip around your pace.

Highlight stops

• Imperial Citadel of Thang Long — old imperial citadel in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum — national mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Tran dynasty — Imperial Vietnamese dynasty (1225–1400)
• Temple of Literature — complex of monuments in Hanoi
• AON Hanoi Landmark Tower — Skyscraper in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Hoàn Kiếm Lake — Water area in Hoàn Kiếm Ward
• Ba Ðình Square — square in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Hanoi Street Circuit — racing circuit in Hanoi, Vietnam

Food and drink

Use these well-documented flavours as a practical tasting shortlist; open an item to understand it and add it to your trip plan.

• Bun cha — Vietnamese dish
• bánh chưng — Vietnamese dish
• gỏi cuốn — Vietnamese dish
• bánh bao — Vietnamese bun
• bánh tét — Vietnamese dish

1-day itinerary

Day 1 · Museums and art

Hỏa Lò Prison · National Library of Vietnam · Vietnamese Women’s Museum · Hoàn Kiếm Lake

3-day itinerary

Day 1 · Museums and art

Hỏa Lò Prison · National Library of Vietnam · Vietnamese Women’s Museum · Hoàn Kiếm Lake

Day 2 · History and landmarks

French Indochina · Dong Xuan Market · Long Bien Bridge · Hanoi Opera House

Day 3 · History and landmarks

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long · Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts · Temple of Literature · Ho Chi Minh Museum

5-day itinerary

Day 1 · Museums and art

Hỏa Lò Prison · National Library of Vietnam · Vietnamese Women’s Museum · Hoàn Kiếm Lake

Day 2 · History and landmarks

French Indochina · Dong Xuan Market · Long Bien Bridge · Hanoi Opera House

Day 3 · History and landmarks

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long · Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts · Temple of Literature · Ho Chi Minh Museum

Day 4 · History and landmarks

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum · Ba Ðình Square · Tran dynasty · West Lake

Day 5 · Architecture and city fabric

Lotte Center Hanoi · AON Hanoi Landmark Tower · Hanoi Street Circuit

7-day itinerary

Day 1 · Museums and art

Hỏa Lò Prison · National Library of Vietnam · Vietnamese Women’s Museum

Day 2 · Nature route

Hoàn Kiếm Lake · French Indochina · Dong Xuan Market

Day 3 · Architecture and city fabric

Long Bien Bridge · Hanoi Opera House · Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Day 4 · Museums and art

Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts · Temple of Literature · Ho Chi Minh Museum

Day 5 · History and landmarks

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum · Ba Ðình Square · Tran dynasty

Day 6 · Nature route

West Lake · Lotte Center Hanoi · AON Hanoi Landmark Tower

Day 7 · Architecture and city fabric

Hanoi Street Circuit

Before you go

This route distributes nearby source-backed stops across balanced days. Opening times and ticket conditions can change; check the official source before visiting.