4-Hour Hanoi City Tour with Lunch and Cultural Landmarks

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore Hanoi's historical and cultural landmarks
• 02 Learn about Vietnamese history and culture
• 03 Enjoy a delicious Vietnamese lunch
• 04 Visit Trấn Quốc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hà Nội
• 05 Discover the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university

Hanoi, located on the banks of the Red River, is one of the most ancient capitals in the world, where travelers can find well-preserved colonial buildings, ancient pagodas, temples, and unique museums within the city centre. This tour introduces some of the city's most important historical and cultural landmarks, including Trấn Quốc Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh Complex, the Temple of Literature, and Hỏa Lò Prison Museum. You will also enjoy a Vietnamese lunch with eight delicious dishes while learning more about the country's rich history and diverse culture.

Hanoi, located on the banks of the Red River, is one of the most ancient capitals in the world, where travelers can find well-preserved colonial buildings, ancient pagodas, temples, and unique museums within the city centre.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City Hanoi

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Morning Visit to Hanoi's Pagodas and Museums

• 8.00-8.30: Get picked up by our friendly guide and start exploring Hanoi City.
• 08.45: Arrive at Trấn Quốc Pagoda, located on Golden Fish Island in West Lake.
• It is the oldest pagoda in Hà Nội, built in the 6th century.
• 09.30: Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, then walk around the garden to see the two houses where he lived and worked from 1954 to 1969. Then visit One Pillar Pagoda, where people worship the Goddess of Mercy - it is a unique pagoda in the world.
• 11.15: Visit the Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of the 54 ethnic groups living throughout Vietnam. For tours on Mondays, we will visit the Women's Museum because the Ethnology Museum is closed on this day.
• 12.45: Have lunch at our restaurant. You will have the opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine with eight delicious dishes. Then return to your hotel.

2

Day 02

Afternoon Tour of Literature and Wartime History

• 12.45: Have lunch at our restaurant. You will have the opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine with eight delicious dishes.
• 14.00-14.15: Continue to visit the Temple of Literature - the first university of Vietnam, established in the 11th century.
• 15.15: Leave for Hỏa Lò Prison Museum, which was initially used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. It was known to American POWs as the 'Hanoi Hilton' during this later period.
• 16.15-16.30: The tour finishes. Return to the hotel.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• English-speaking guide
• Pick-up and drop-off at hotel in Old Quarter
• Lunch
• Admission fee

What's Not Included

• Personal expenses
• Drinks
• Tips

What to bring

• Dress modestly by covering your shoulders to your knees when visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, temples, and pagodas.

Know before you go

• Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays.
• Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum is closed for at least 2 months (15th June-15th August) for annual maintenance, but you can still take pictures of the Mausoleum and visit that area.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tour start

Đ. Thanh Niên, Yên Phụ, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.