Located in front of the famous Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square is one of the popular historical relic sites in all Hanoi City Tour’s itineraries. It is a place to recognize many important landmarks in Vietnamese history, especially on September 2nd, 1945, the President of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Vietnam Democratic Republic Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the People’s Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Below is everything you need to know for a visit to this lively and animated spot.

Located to the south of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Temple of Literature was founded in 1070, almost 1000 years ago, by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong as a temple to worship the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Temple of Literature one of the most important monuments in Hanoi. In 1076, his son established the Imperial Academy as a royal school for only members of the elite such as princes, nobles, and bureaucrats. The Imperial Academy, which was considered as the first university in Vietnam, opened for about 700 years and educated hundreds of well-known scholars and mandarins. Despite continuous wars and disasters, the Temple of Literature remained its precious architectural and cultural value.

Hoa Lo Prison (now it is called historic relic Hoa Lo Prison) is located at address 1 Hoa Lo Street, Hanoi. In the past, this land was a village specializing in making all kinds of casserole, portable earthen stove,…. so this place is called Hoa Lo village (Hoa Lo means “ fire earthen stove” in Vietnamese). When the French occupied Hanoi, this was moved to another place to get land to build courts and prisons. Because this prison was landed on Hoa Lo village, people called this place “Hoa Lo Prison”. Hoa Lo prison was built by the French in 1896 and was named “Central Prison”. The location of the prison was located on the full land of Phu Khanh village. The total area of Central Prison and the neighboring roads leading to the prison is 12.908m2.

The capital of Vietnam has many special sights to see. But what they are most proud of here is the food. Much of this food can be found in modern or upscale restaurants, but often the best dishes are not here, but on the street. Before you hit the road, it is useful to first check where you can find the best street food in Hanoi. After all, you want to eat at hygienic places that prepare good quality food. If you don’t dare to do this yourself or if you also want to learn more about the real food culture in the city, go on a real street food tour with a local guide.

Bat Trang Ceramic Village is located outside Hanoi, just 20 minutes drive from the city center. The village has been producing ceramics and potteries for over six hundreds of years and selling all over the world. The villagers have thousand techniques to manage fire and create many types of ceramics and potteries. Bat Trang is also the ancient village for locals and visitors to know about the arts of ceramics in Vietnam. The half day trip to Bat Trang is operated by Vietnam Travel and it is highly recommended. You could also visit the village on the way back to Hanoi from Halong Bay.