Hanoi in 1 day
10 placesPassing through or on a stopover
- The essentials in a day
≈ 1 h 44 min on the road
First time in the city
Hanoi in 3 days a ready-made itinerary
Three days: the centre on day one, the citadel, museums and West Lake on day two, ethnology, the market and Train Street on day three
20 places with a map and times
The plan comes from our article Hanoi Attractions 2026: Old Quarter & Top Sights
Day 1 · The essentials in a day
- 09:00
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Sight · 1 h
A marble mausoleum on the square where independence was declared in 1945
walk ≈ 3 min
- 10:03
One Pillar Pagoda
Temple · 20 min
A wooden shrine from 1049 on a single column in a lotus pond
walk ≈ 15 min
- 10:38
Temple of Literature
Temple · 1 h 15 min
Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070: five courtyards and 82 stelae on stone turtles
taxi ≈ 9 min
- 12:02
Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su
Food · 40 min
Bib Gourmand pho with proper tables and a choice of beef or chicken
incl. crossing ≈ 27 min
- 13:09
Hoan Kiem Lake
Park · 45 min
The heart of the city: tai chi on the shore in the morning, a loop in half an hour
incl. crossing ≈ 24 min
- 14:18
Ngoc Son Temple
Temple · 30 min
A temple on an island in the lake, reached by the red The Huc bridge
walk ≈ 7 min
- 14:55
- 17:01
- 18:00
Water Puppet Theatre
Sight · 1 h
Puppets on water to a live orchestra, an art over 1,000 years old
walk ≈ 9 min
- 19:09
Old Quarter Night Market
Market · 1 h 30 min
Friday to Sunday: 3 km of stalls and street food up to Dong Xuan
Day 2 · Citadel, museums and West Lake
- 09:00
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
Sight · 3 h
A UNESCO site with Doan Mon gate, the Kinh Thien dragon stairs and a wartime bunker
taxi ≈ 30 min
- 12:30
Military History Museum
Sight · 1 h 30 min
Tanks, aircraft and B-52 wreckage in the open air at the new building
taxi ≈ 35 min
- 14:35
- 15:35
Hoa Lo Prison
Sight · 1 h 15 min
A French prison from 1896, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American pilots
incl. crossing ≈ 40 min
- 17:30
West Lake
Park · 1 h 30 min
A break from the centre: cycling along the shore and cafés over the water
incl. crossing ≈ 35 min
- 19:35
Day 3 · Ethnology, the market and Train Street
- 09:00
Museum of Ethnology
Sight · 2 h
Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, with real traditional houses in the grounds
taxi ≈ 25 min
- 11:25
Dong Xuan Market
Market · 1 h
The largest covered market: food downstairs, fabrics and clothes above
walk ≈ 10 min
- 18:00
Long Bien Bridge
Viewpoint · 45 min
A steel bridge from 1903 with sunset views over the Red River
taxi ≈ 10 min
- 18:55
Train Street
Sight · 45 min
Trains squeeze past the houses with under a metre to spare; watch from a trackside café
Travel times are approximate
Other itineraries
Build your own
City, days and pace. The places come from the same articles
To the planner
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