Hanoi 3-day itinerary

Start with phở bò at Phở Gia Truyền on Bát Đàn Street (₫50,000) — legendary since the 1950s. Then explore the Old Quarter's 36 ancient streets, each named after the goods traded there — Hàng Bạc (Silver), Hàng Gai (Silk), Hàng Mã (Paper). Walk to Hoàn Kiếm Lake and cross the red Thê Húc Bridge to Ngọc Sơn Temple (₫30,000) on a tiny island. The lake is Hanoi's calm centre amidst the surrounding chaos.

Visit the Temple of Literature (₫30,000) — Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070, with five tranquil courtyards, turtle stele, and beautiful traditional architecture. Then walk to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex — the mausoleum (free, closed Mon & Fri), Presidential Palace, Stilt House (₫40,000), and One Pillar Pagoda. The complex tells the story of Vietnam's most revered leader.

Catch the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre (₫150,000, 50 min) — a thousand-year-old Vietnamese art form with wooden puppets performing on water to live traditional music. Then head to Bia Hơi Corner at Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến — tiny plastic stools, draft beer (₫7,000), and grilled skewers in the most social drinking experience in Asia. The Old Quarter at night is electric.

Start with cà phê trứng (egg coffee) at Cafe Giảng on Nguyễn Hữu Huân Street — the inventor of egg coffee, running since 1946. The foamy egg yolk whipped with condensed milk over strong Vietnamese coffee (₫35,000) is extraordinary. Then walk to Train Street — a narrow residential lane where the daily Hanoi–Lào Cai train passes just centimetres from the houses. Coffee shops line the tracks.

Visit Hỏa Lò Prison (₫30,000) — the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" where French colonists imprisoned Vietnamese revolutionaries, and later where American POWs including John McCain were held. The museum is sobering and fascinating. Walk through the French Quarter — tree-lined boulevards, the elegant Sofitel Metropole Hotel (peek inside), and the Hanoi Opera House modelled on the Paris Opera.

Dinner at a bún chả stall — Hanoi's signature dish of smoky grilled pork patties with vermicelli noodles and dipping sauce. Bún Chả Hương Liên on Lê Văn Hưu is where Obama ate with Anthony Bourdain (₫50,000, the "Obama combo" is on the menu). For drinks, explore Tạ Hiện Street's evolving bar scene — Polite Pub and Standing Bar are local favourites with cocktails from ₫80,000.

Rent a bicycle and ride around West Lake (Hồ Tây) — Hanoi's largest lake surrounded by pagodas, cafes, and residential streets. Stop at Trần Quốc Pagoda (free) — the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi (1,500 years), sitting on a small peninsula with its iconic multi-tiered red tower. Continue to the Quán Thánh Temple (₫10,000) nearby — a Taoist temple from the 11th century with a 4-tonne bronze statue.

Walk through Đồng Xuân Market — Hanoi's largest covered market with four floors of wholesale goods, clothing, and food. The surrounding streets are the real attraction — local food vendors selling bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls, ₫25,000), nem chua rán (fried fermented pork, ₫15,000), and chè (Vietnamese sweet soup, ₫15,000). This is where Hanoi feeds itself — raw, authentic, and delicious.

One last bowl of phở — try Phở Thìn on Lò Đúc Street for the stir-fried beef version (₫60,000) that differs from the classic boiled-beef style. The seared beef and caramelized garlic add a smoky depth. Walk the lake one final time as the lights reflect on Hoàn Kiếm. A last egg coffee at Cafe Giảng. Hanoi is the kind of city that grows on you — most people leave already planning their return.