Transfer from your hotel in Hanoi with your private guide and friendly driver to start this half-day excursion through Hanoi and visit the renowned sights and landmarks of the millennium-old capital of Vietnam. This tour offers both morning and afternoon departures with slight modifications for afternoon departures with the Mausoleum of the late Ho Chi Minh. Hanoi was founded in 1010 and became the official capital of independent Vietnam in 1954. Today, ancient crumbling buildings dating from the 11th century lie scattered among grand French colonial residences, while shrines and monuments to the country's first president, Ho Chi Minh, sit in the shadow of modern high-rise buildings.

Your day will include stops at Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his former residence, the One-Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature. The temple was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong and is dedicated to the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Six years later, Vietnam's first university was founded; here to teach the children of royalty and aristocracy (generally called mandarins). It is a serene retreat from the busy streets outside.

Finally, have a short walk in Hanoi's famous Old Quarter. The streets of the Old Quarter preserve age-old customs, where trade takes one back half a century, and temples, pagodas and monuments reflect the historic character of Vietnam. This densely populated corner of the city was once a centre of commerce where trading good was the talk of the town under the street name of a particular guild. Still a thriving community of sellers today, you will see street names such as Sugar Street, Tin Street and Paper Street. Historical homes and temples are intertwined with stores in this souvenir hunter's paradise! After getting a sniff of what Hanoi's Old Quarter is all about, we will bring you back to your booked hotel.