Day 1: Exploring the Old Quarter

Morning: Hanoi’s Old Quarter & Hoàn Kiếm Lake

Start your first day in Hanoi by wandering through the Old Quarter’s bustling streets, a maze of thirty-six narrow streets each specializing in a different trade. It’s a fun, disorientating district, where you never know what you’ll discover around the next corner. Immerse yourself in the charm of small boutiques, local shops, cozy cafés, and traditional restaurants.

After exploring the Old Quarter, take a leisurely walk around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, a serene spot in the heart of the city. The lake is a great spot for people-watching, where locals come to sit, socialise, practice Tai Chi and play musical instruments. There is a temple called Ngoc Son Temple on a small island in the middle of the lake, which you can visit. Close to the Hoàn Kiếm Lake, you can find St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the city’s oldest church which was constructed between 1882 and 1886. Built in a neo-Gothic style, the church was modelled on Notre Dame and still hosts Mass several times a day.

Afternoon: Temple of Literature

After having lunch near the Mausoleum, walk to the Temple of Literature, the site of Vietnam’s first university. Here you can admire a beautiful 11th-century temple dedicated to Confucius (the Chinese scholar of learning). You will notice eighty-two blue stone turtles, inscribed with the names of ancient scholars, symbolizing wisdom and longevity. The Temple of Literature is a peaceful spot to stroll through the beautiful gardens and learn about Vietnam’s academic history.

• Opening Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Entrance Fee: 30,000 VND (approx)

Evening: Dinner in Hanoi’s Old Quarter

On your first evening in Hanoi, dive into the atmospheric Old Quarter. Motorbikes weave through the crowd, while street vendors offer fresh fruit from bicycle baskets. Shopfronts spill onto the pavements, and tangled electricity cables stretch overhead like cobwebs. Tempting aromas drift from nearby restaurants, inviting you to step inside. The best way to experience the Old Quarter? Just wander, letting the atmosphere -and your nose – guide you. Unsure what to taste first? My blog post, 12 Must-Try Dishes in Vietnam, has you covered.

If you’re visiting Hanoi over the weekend, check out the lively night market on Hang Dao Street (Fridays to Sundays 6pm-midnight). Wander through stalls brimming with clothing, accessories, and souvenirs, or simply soak in the atmosphere. You’ll find plenty of street food vendors too, perfect for sampling some delicious local snacks along the way

Day 2: Historical Hanoi & Cultural Highlights

Morning: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Museum Complex

Start Day 2 by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, where you can pay respects to Vietnam’s beloved leader, Ho Chi Minh (affectionately known as “Uncle Ho”). Explore the museum which is full of his personal memorabilia and learn about his childhood, career, beliefs, and influence on Vietnamese history. Keep in mind that the complex has a strict dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered. 

• Opening Hours: Apr–Oct: 7:30–10:30 / Nov–Mar: 8:00–11:00 (Closed Mondays & Fridays)
• Entrance Fee: Free

Afternoon: Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)

After grabbing lunch in the Old Quarter, head to Hoa Lo Prison, a former prison turned museum that provides fascinating insight into the lives of those imprisoned there; firstly Vietnamese soldiers under French rule, then American soldiers during the Vietnam/American war. It was sarcastically nicknamed the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ by American Prisoners of War.

• Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00
• Entrance Fee: 30,000 VND
• Audio Guide: 50,000 VND

Evening: Explore the Tây Ho district

For your second evening in Hanoi, I suggest venturing to the Tây Ho neighbourhood which is north of the Old Quarter. It is easily reached by Grab taxi or local bus, and is centred around Hồ Tây Lake. This area is known for its fashionable bistros and restaurants serving modern Vietnamese dishes, along with fusion and international cuisine. There are plenty of classy wine bars and craft beer pubs, or you could relax on the lakefront and watch the beautiful sunsets.

Day 3: Walking Tours and Culture Fix

Morning: Foodie or Historic Walking Tour

On your third day in Hanoi, why not explore the city on foot with a local guide? There are tons of food tours to choose between in Hanoi, so I’d like to highlight two companies that I personally rate.

A Chef’s Tour offers three distinct food tours in Hanoi – Hungry Hanoi, Hanoi Dusk, and Hanoi Dawn – which provide a deep dive into the capital’s street food culture. Rather than repeating the same stops, the tours are carefully designed to complement one another, revealing how Hanoi eats from early market hours through to its most energetic street food periods. Whichever tour you choose, you’ll move beyond the Old Quarter bubble to family-run eateries, hidden kitchens, and lively food markets, tasting more than 15 dishes per tour that showcase the depth of Northern Vietnamese cuisine.

Expect everything from phở, bún chả, bánh cuốn, and chả cá to crispy spring rolls, turmeric-stained fish, caramelised pork, fresh herbs, seasonal snacks, and local drinks, all explained through the lens of history, technique, and daily life. After doing several tours with A Chef’s Tour, I can honestly say they’re one of the most reliable ways to eat well and understand a city’s food culture. I really appreciate that you walk away not just well fed, but with the confidence to navigate Hanoi’s food scene on your own.

I’ve done two tours with One Trip with Local (so far!) and really enjoyed them both. The first was their Vegan Street Food & Stories of Hanoi walking tour, and it was such a fun experience. Vietnamese cuisine is one of my favourites – fresh, fragrant, and bursting with flavour – but since meat and fish feature so prominently, I was curious to see what vegetarian and vegan options the city had to offer. Over the course of the afternoon, our guide Vy, a passionate local foodie, led us through the narrow alleys of the Old Quarter to hidden eateries and market stalls.

We sampled sticky rice with crispy onions and pickled cucumber, papaya salad, fried mung bean and coconut donuts, stir-fried morning glory, dry noodle salad, and sweet desserts like chè and pandan sticky rice with coconut ice cream. Every dish was packed with flavour, proving that Vietnamese food doesn’t need meat or fish to be satisfying. What made this tour so memorable was that it wasn’t just about the food. As we wandered past incense-scented temples and bustling market stalls, Vy shared fascinating insights into Hanoi’s history, daily life, and how the city is evolving.

I also took part in the Uncovering Hanoi’s Untold Stories, and it was one of the most interesting tours I’ve ever done. Our guide Kien didn’t shy away from anything – we discussed a huge variety of topics – politics, social issues, crime, and what everyday life in Hanoi once looked like. Ken offered a refreshingly open, balanced look at how Hanoi was shaped not just by the Vietnam War, but also by French colonialism and Japanese rule. As we wandered through areas most visitors never see, we learned about life under the planned economy, how families coped during the country’s division, and what unification truly meant for people in both the North and South.

Along the way, we visited the Cho Gioi area, once Hanoi’s bustling black market, the Kham Thien B52 Memorial, a sombre reminder of the 1972 air raids, and Train Street, now a tourist hotspot but once an essential smuggling route during the war. What made the tour even more meaningful was knowing that 20% of the profit is donated to the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin and the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation – two incredibly worthwhile causes that add real depth to the experience.

Along with these two tours, One Trip with Local offer an interesting mix of different tours and activities in Hanoi, each led by passionate local guides who love sharing their city’s stories:

• An Old Quarter walking tour – Taking you through bustling Dong Xuan Market, across the historic Long Bien Bridge, and ending with a coffee break on a hidden rooftop bar with panoramic city views.
• A guided bike tour – Visiting landmarks like Hỏa Lò Prison and Trấn Quốc Pagoda, complete with a local food tasting – perfect for travellers who like a mix of history, culture, and cycling.
• A French Quarter walking tour – Diving into Hanoi’s colonial past and exploring how French rule shaped Vietnamese society and architecture – a must-do for history lovers!
• A morning run through historic Hanoi – Experience the city at its most peaceful hour, joining a 12k run through the city. Your guide will pause at specific places to share stories about Hanoi, and you’ll finish off the run with a well-deserved breakfast and cup of coffee.

Afternoon: Water Puppet Show or Museum Visit

One of the quirkier activities in Hanoi is watching a traditional water puppet show. Skilled puppet masters control wooden puppets via bamboo canes, making them splash, spin and dance in a pool of water. The puppets perform stories about local legends and Vietnamese myths. Tickets cost 150,000 VND per person and for a few dong extra, you can get an audio guide.

• Showtimes: The shows usually take place between 2.30pm and 5pm, but check at the ticket office for exact times.

If a water puppet show isn’t your cup of tea, I suggest visiting another fantastic museum in Hanoi. I’ve written a dedicated blog post about the best museums to visit in Hanoi. Check it out and decide which one interests you most!

Evening: Sunset & Last Dinner in Old Quarter

For your last evening in Hanoi, return to Hoàn Kiếm Lake just before sunset to experience the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful views as the lights around the lake start to twinkle. Afterwards, wander through the Old Quarter one final time, enjoying the hustle and bustle that makes Hanoi so memorable.

You could even treat yourself to a massage, one of my favourite things to do after a busy day of sightseeing. Traditional Vietnamese massages focus on deep tissue and targeting pressure points. Hanoi’s massage parlors also offer treatments like Swedish massages, Thai massages, body scrubs, manicures, pedicures, and hot oil massages. A full-body massage usually costs around 250,000 VND for 60 minutes.

Where to Stay in Hanoi

For your first visit to Hanoi, I suggest staying in the Old Quarter (Hoàn Kiếm District). This historic neighbourhood is a maze of narrow streets filled with street food, cafés, markets and shops. Staying here puts you within walking distance of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Water Puppet Theatre, Train Street, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and many cultural highlights.

Here are some well-rated hotels in the Old Quarter for you to consider:

• Astoria Hanoi Hotel & Travel ($) – A well-reviewed boutique hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter, just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and Hanoi’s lively food and nightlife spots.
• Ancient Lane Hotel ($) – Located right in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, this budget-friendly hotel is perfect for those wanting to close to the action.
• Serene Boutique Hotel & Spa ($$) – This hotel in the Old Quarter offers modern, air-conditioned rooms and is located just a 5-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake.
• Hanoi Aria Central Hotel & Spa ($$) – A centrally located hotel in Hoàn Kiếm, just minutes’ walk from Hanoi Railway Station and within easy reach of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the Old Quarter.
• La Passion Hanoi Hotel & Spa ($$) – This hotel in the Old Quarter offers comfortable, spacious and stylish rooms minutes from Hoan Kiem Lake.

If you’d like to stay outside of the Old Quarter (which can be very loud and hectic), here are some quieter, calmer neighbourhoods close to the action:

• French Quarter (around the Opera House) – If you prefer a slightly quieter and more elegant atmosphere while still being centrally located, the French Quarter has wide boulevards, colonial architecture, and higher-end hotels.
• Ba Dinh District – Best for visitors interested in history and museums, Ba Dinh is a calmer area near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Vietnam Military History Museum and botanical gardens. It’s still well connected to the Old Quarter and central Hanoi.
• West Lake (Tây Hồ) – A good choice for those who want a more relaxed, scenic stay away from the busiest streets yet still close to cafés, restaurants, and boutique hotels. This is the neighbourhood where most ‘expats’ live, so you can find a range of international restaurants (in case you want a break from Vietnamese cuisine!)

Essential Travel Tips

• Currency & Costs: The Vietnamese Dong (VND) is the local currency.
• Language: Vietnamese is the official language, though basic English is common in tourist areas.
• Getting Around: Use Grab or local taxis for easy, affordable rides around Hanoi. There are also lots of local bus routes, where you pay for your tickets on board.

Day Trips & Overnight Stays near Hanoi

If you’re lucky enough to have more time in Hanoi, I suggest doing a day trip or overnight stay in a nearby city. The most popular destinations are to Halong Bay and Ninh Binh, and here are some of the most well-rated tours to consider:

Halong Bay Tours

• Sunlight Grand Day Cruise: Ha Long Bay, Sung Sot, Titop Island
• Sea Lion Day Cruise: Ha Long Bay, Sung Sot, Ti Top
• Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour – Cave, Kayaking, Swimming & Lunch
• Full-Day Halong Bay Cruise with Swimming & Kayak Tour
• 2-Day Halong & Lan Ha Bay 5-Star Cruise with Balcony (Overnight stay)

As a less touristy alternative to Halong Bay, why not visit Bai Tu Long Bay? It is just as beautiful and much less crowded. Here’s my blog post all about the Bai Tu Long Bay River Cruise: Full Itinerary and What to Expect.

Ninh Binh Tours

Here’s a selection of top-rated tours you might like:

• Best of Ninh Binh Day Tour: Hoa Lu, Trang An, Tam Coc, Hang Mua
• Ninh Binh Day Tour from Ha Noi: Hoa Lu, Tam Coc, Mua Cave
• Hanoi/Ninh Binh: Tam Coc, Hoa Lu & Mua Caves Full-Day Trip
• Ninh Binh Full-Day Tour from Hanoi to Hoa Lu, Tam Coc & Mua Cave Via Boat & Bike
• From Hanoi: Ninh Binh, Trang An, Bai Dinh, and Mua Cave Trip

If you’d like a less touristy alternative to Ninh Binh, consider Mai Chau, a lovely little village surrounded by rice paddies and lush valleys which offers a more relaxed experience with fewer tourists.

I hope this 3-day itinerary has given you lots of ideas about what to see and do in Hanoi, to soak up the city’s unique mix of history, culture, and bustling street life. Let me know if you have any questions or comments, and if you’ve been to Hanoi before, please let us know your favourite places and experiences!

Ciao for now

Izzie, the Curious Sparrow