Hanoi itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Hanoi

1. 01

   Day 1: Lake, Old Quarter and temple

   Start early with a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and across the red bridge to Ngoc Son Temple. Walk into the Old Quarter for a slow look at the trade streets. After lunch and a rest, take a taxi to the Temple of Literature, and end with dinner at a vegan or vegetarian restaurant in the Old Quarter.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)	1 to 1.5 hours	Easy	Morning on a weekday

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Hanoi

1. 01

   Day 1: Lake and Old Quarter

   Walk Hoan Kiem Lake in the morning, visit Ngoc Son Temple, and spend the afternoon in the Old Quarter. Look at St Joseph's Cathedral and rest before an evening of street life.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   St Joseph's Cathedral	20 to 30 minutes	Easy	Morning, or evening when the exterior is lit

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: History and culture

   Visit the Temple of Literature in the morning, then the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. If the Mausoleum is open (check days), go early; otherwise walk its grounds. End at Tran Quoc Pagoda by West Lake near sunset.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)	1 to 1.5 hours	Easy	Morning on a weekday
   Imperial Citadel of Thang Long	1.5 to 2 hours	Moderate	Morning or late afternoon
   Tran Quoc Pagoda	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   West Lake (Ho Tay)	Half a day for a short stretch	Easy	Late afternoon, near sunset

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Imperial Citadel of Thang Long: Large flat grounds with paved paths but little shade; the walk between the gate, the palace foundations and the bunker is considerable. A few stairs lead into the underground wartime rooms. Take water and a hat.

Plan 03

3 days in Hanoi

1. 01

   Day 1: Lake and Old Quarter

   Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, a slow Old Quarter walk and St Joseph's Cathedral. Early dinner in the Old Quarter.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   St Joseph's Cathedral	20 to 30 minutes	Easy	Morning, or evening when the exterior is lit

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Imperial Hanoi

   Temple of Literature, the Fine Arts Museum, then the Citadel. Rest in the afternoon and visit Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake at sunset.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)	1 to 1.5 hours	Easy	Morning on a weekday
   Tran Quoc Pagoda	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   West Lake (Ho Tay)	Half a day for a short stretch	Easy	Late afternoon, near sunset

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

3. 03

   Day 3: Museums

   Take a taxi to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology for a half-day, with the open-air houses in the cooler hours. Return for the Vietnamese Women's Museum or Hoa Lo Prison Museum in the afternoon.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Vietnam Museum of Ethnology	2 to 3 hours	Moderate	Morning, for the outdoor houses before the heat
   Vietnamese Women's Museum	1 to 1.5 hours	Easy	Midday or afternoon heat
   Hoa Lo Prison Museum	About 1 hour	Moderate	Morning, when it is quieter

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: Indoor galleries are air-conditioned and level. The outdoor area has stairs into some houses, uneven paths and little shade. Take taxis both ways and choose which houses to climb into.

   With parents at Hoa Lo Prison Museum: Rooms are small, floors uneven and passages narrow, with some stairs and low entrances. The content is grim. Take it at your own pace and skip any sections that feel too heavy.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Hanoi trip for parents and children

• Base yourself near Hoan Kiem Lake rather than deep in the Old Quarter. Flatter ground and wider pavements make a real difference.
• Cross roads slowly and steadily; do not stop or run. Scooters are used to going around steady walkers.
• Do big sights in the morning and rest through the afternoon heat and humidity in summer.
• Use ride-hailing apps or hotel taxis for sights outside the centre. The Ethnology Museum is some distance from the Old Quarter.
• Buy travel insurance with medical cover. Tell your hotel about any health conditions and ask for help finding a private clinic if needed.
• Carry your medicines in original packaging, with a prescription list, and check customs rules for any controlled drugs before you fly.

Hanoi with elderly parents: the full guide →