Thang Long Imperial Citadel: A Slow Afternoon

The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long doesn't show off. There are no intact palaces, just foundations, stone steps, gates and a great deal of shade. Walk slowly, though, and you feel a thousand years of capital stacked beneath your feet. Its central sector became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

Walking from Le Duan Street

From Narcissus Le Duan, head to the Cua Nam junction and follow Dien Bien Phu Street. In about fifteen minutes you reach the Hanoi Flag Tower, a brick tower built in 1812 and standing for more than two centuries. A few hundred metres more along Hoang Dieu Street brings you to the citadel entrance.

What to see

• Doan Mon, the main gate to the forbidden city, with low, cool vaulted passages.
• The Kinh Thien Palace foundation and its pair of Le-dynasty stone dragons, still crisply carved after more than five centuries.
• House D67 and the command bunker, with wartime meeting rooms, maps and rotary phones left as they were.
• Hau Lau, the small pavilion at the end of the main axis, loveliest in late sun.
• Across the road, the 18 Hoang Dieu archaeological site exposes palace foundations from several dynasties, layered one over another.

Afternoon tips

• Arrive around 3:00 PM, when the light softens and slants across the brick.
• Bring water and a hat; the grounds are large and not all shaded.
• Opening hours can change, so check with reception before you go.
• Walk back along leafy Phan Dinh Phung Street past the North Gate, still scarred by French cannon fire from 1882.

If you have the energy, start the day at the Temple of Literature, only a few streets away.