French Quarter Tour: Discover Hanoi's Colonial Past

Explore Hanoi’s French Quarter history and architecture on a free tour, featuring Hoa Lo Prison, Hanoi Opera House, and Indochinese masterpieces.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Statue of King Le Thai To - Discover Vietnam’s long history and the deep cultural and historical roots of Hanoi as the imperial and national capital of Vietnam.
    Understand why a large statue of King Ly Thai To stands at the heart of the city and its significance.
  • State Bank of Vietnam - Hanoi’s history during French colonial rule and the…
What's Included
  • Entrance ticket
  • Guide
  • Bottled water
  • Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Travel back in time as you explore Hanoi’s historic French Quarter, where colonial elegance blends with the enduring spirit of the Vietnamese people. Discover iconic sites such as the Government Guesthouse, the magnificent Hanoi Opera House, and the evocative Hoa Lo Prison, each narrating a compelling story—from French colonization to the determined…

Location
Ly Thai To Garden
Phố Lê Lai
Please meet us at the Ly Thai To Statue in Ly Thai To garden
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(23 Ratings)
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1 star
Sandra_w
Mar 6, 2026
The historical value of... - The historical value of the tour was very high. Shaun is a very knowledgeable and kind person, he ensured we were comfortable and engaged with the topics. We would highly recommend him as a tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
Kandykam
Feb 25, 2026
Best guide ever for best tour ever - Julia was an amazing guide teaching us many new facts about Vietnams history. Throughout the tour, she was also really patient with our questions we asked. She was so friendly and nice even going 1 hour over time just to teach us more. She also recommended us a lot of restaurants to go to. She was the most amazing guide ever!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
915miak
Feb 23, 2026
Great tour and guide - Shaun was a really great guide, giving us all the information and cultural background easy to understand in excellent English. The tour was well thoughthrough composed of the essential highlights. Thank you very much Shaun for this helpful introduction into history and culture of Hanoi. Yara
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P6001xhcyrilm
Feb 3, 2026
Amazing trip ! - We had a really good tour with Julia, we visited must seen spot with great details of the history, culture and habits of Viet Nam. But also some others hidden spot like an old appartment build during french colonization. Julia was really kind and has an onsane knowledge. We also had great conversation about some differents subjects.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ambassador145277
Jan 7, 2026
Best Walking Tour I had in Vietnam - I went to the tour with Lisa, and it turned out to be the best walking tour I had in Vietnam. Lisa is very friendly and knowledgable. Talking with Lisa is more like conversation between friends, not tour guide vs. tourists, which made the tour more fun and enjoyable. We visited some hidden places, and got great recommendation of local restaurant. Definitely recommended Lisa and this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fayesi473vx
Jan 4, 2026
Fabulous walking tour of French Quarter - Had a great walking tour with Julia this morning. I learned so much about the history and culture of Vietnam. Highly recommend recommend it to everyone who wants to enjoy their tour . Can hardly wait to try her restaurant recommendations .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
173elenid
Jan 4, 2026
Hoa Lo prison and Little Paris - Julia showed us a number of interesting places and took the time to explain details covering various historical events, architecture and Vietnamese culture. She is warm and makes you feel comfortable throughout the tour. Julia has a positive energy and you can see that she loves what she does which enabled me to truly enjoy the tour. Highly recommend this for tourists in Hanoi!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wilw491
Jan 3, 2026
Julia is probably one of the best tour guide - Julia is very professional, knowledgeable and outgoing. She provided all the information we need to understand Vietnam in general and Hanoi in specific. Her English is excellent and the pace of the tour is just perfect. The best tour in Vietnam so far.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Glencc
Dec 20, 2025
Fabulous tour in Hanoi - We spent a very enjoyable 4 hours walking around the French district. We learnt so much about the buildings but also about life in Hanoi. The last place we visited was the Hanoi Hilton - the prison. Very harrowing but a must to see. We would recommend this tour to anyone. Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cindyn983
Dec 5, 2025
Great insight of Hanoi in a Nutshell - I went on this free walking tour from free tour and it was a great decision to do the guided walking tour as I could listen to the story and places I won’t know if I explored myself. Nam is such a great guide and very informative, he told us the story behind every stops and always answering and even provided us with other infos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $46
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).