Address: Hoan Kiem, Hanoi   If you only have time to do one thing in Hanoi, we recommend that you take the time to walk through Hanoi's Old Quarter. After all, the history of Hanoi goes back over 2,000 years, and the Old Quarter in particular retains an ambiance that gives one insight into the past as well as the present.   The streets are always alive and bustling. Hanoi wakes up early. By 5:30 am, people are out on the sidewalk exercising, washing clothes, and playing badminton. Economic activity starts at 6:00 am with restaurants opening for breakfast, shopkeepers getting ready for the day, and street vendors arranging their wares. All this goes on till 9:00 at night and by 9:30 the streets become quiet. The best part of the walk is that you can easily observe how people are living and you have a chance to interact with Hanoians both young and old.

Address: 1 Trang Tien, Hanoi   The Hanoi Opera House is situated on Le Thanh Tong St., Hanoi, near the Red River and several hundred meters east of Hoan Kiem Lake. The Hanoi Opera House is renowned for its unique architecture and good composition. It is furnished rationally and harmoniously. Since its establishment, the Hanoi Opera House is the largest theatre in Vietnam. Today, it is also a tourist attraction for local and foreign visitors.

Address: 87 Ma May, Hanoi Open hours: 08:30 – 16:30 Ticket:  VND 20.000   This house in the Old Quarter was restored in 1999, as an example of an ancient Hanoian home. It represents the architecture of the Old Quarter, and is decorated to reflect ancient houses of Hanoi.