Hanoi's Old Quarter Walking Tour (Self Guided), Hanoi

Vietnamese writer Thach Lam’s book Hanoi’s Thirty-Six Streets celebrates the streets, food and everyday character of the old city. In one memorable passage, he wrote: “We too have Hanoi, a city of many beauties.”

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has a history stretching back more than a thousand years, although settlements existed in the area long before the city became an imperial centre. Its strategic position beside the Red River made it an important centre of trade, agriculture and political power.

The defining moment in Hanoi’s early history came in 1010, when Emperor Ly Thai To transferred the capital of the Ly Dynasty from Hoa Lu to the site of present-day Hanoi. According to tradition, the emperor saw a dragon rising into the sky as he approached his new capital and consequently named it Thang Long, meaning “Ascending Dragon.”

For centuries, Thang Long remained the political and cultural heart of northern Vietnam, serving successive dynasties despite periods of warfare and foreign occupation. Its importance declined after the Nguyen Dynasty established its imperial capital at Hue in 1802. In 1831, Emperor Minh Mang renamed the city Hanoi. The name derives from Sino-Vietnamese words meaning roughly “within the rivers,” referring to its geographical position among waterways.

The French captured Hanoi in the 19th century, and it later became the capital of French Indochina. Colonial rule dramatically reshaped the city. Broad boulevards, villas, administrative buildings and landmarks such as the Hanoi Opera House appeared alongside Hanoi’s older temples, markets and narrow commercial streets.

Following decades of anti-colonial struggle, French forces withdrew from Hanoi in 1954, and the city became the capital of North Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, Hanoi suffered repeated American bombing, particularly during the intense air campaign of December 1972. After the reunification of Vietnam in 1976, it became the capital of the unified country.

Today, Hanoi is a rapidly developing metropolis, yet much of its history remains remarkably visible. Ancient temples, colonial architecture, bustling markets and the narrow streets of the Old Quarter coexist with modern buildings and relentless motorbike traffic.

Walking through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, visitors enter a maze of historic guild streets filled with shops, cafés, street food and constant activity. Discover the former cotton merchants of Hang Bong Street before visiting atmospheric Hoa Lo Prison and the fascinating Vietnamese Women’s Museum. Pass the imposing Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, browse the silk shops of Hang Gai Street and experience traditional water puppetry before finishing beside beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, the legendary heart of Hanoi.

Nearly a century after Thach Lam celebrated his beloved “city of many beauties,” those beauties are still waiting to be discovered. Set off to discover the Hanoi that inspired his words, one street at a time.