Hue Historic Citadel

Must visit. If you’re visiting Hue, plan to visit Citadel along with the tombs. Do a 2 days tour and don’t rush. Guided tours will offer more. Excellent capital city. Rich history and great architecture. You’ll be satisfied with the experience.

The Imperial City (Hoàng thành), located inside the walled city of Huế, was the former royal capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty This is recognized by UNESCO as the world cultural heritage for over 30 years. I have experience many vicissitudes of history of Vietnam over centuries from many dynasties until Vietnam became a republic. The imperial city is still a long lasting and remain one of the most cherished values. Visitors will be able to learn about the 13 Nguyen dynasty kings who ruled Vietnam from 18th century to 1945. The many palace buildings that spread across the big compound was nice and grand and somehow you will feel that history has come alive from walking around. Note that the traveller could be spending half a day for walking tour.

Go between June and August for better weather. Still, such a great day trip from Da Nang with its rich history and passionate restoration work. You will see some Vietnamese locals dressed up in traditional wear taking photos, making the experience even more surreal.

Hue Imperial City was built in 1804 under King Gia Long and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. I love walking around the ancient palace and admire the beauty at every corner. Hundred years ago, it used to a enormous and glorious palace. Sadly, many constructions are damaged, though they are being restored, could not bring back the original spirit of the place. The atmosphere was quite sad in a rainy day.

Expansive area of historic city with palaces, temples and official buildings. Visited on a rainy day and spent an entire afternoon walking through the corridors and alleys. Not as beautiful as present day Vietnam but still worth visiting

Come to the palace for a photo op, especially in traditional costumes. It's not a particularly interesting place for a casual tour, but it's beautiful in its details. If you're visiting on a sunny day, be sure to bring an umbrella, as there's very little shade.

Overall, it was a solid experience, though I expected a bit more. The complex is huge, but the overall layout could be better organized. I didn’t take the audio guide because I don’t like using headphones — probably a mistake. The descriptions of the monuments were quite minimal and not very engaging. I also chose a bad day to visit since it was extremely hot.

Was really nice to be able to walk the walls of the citadel and the information panels along the way added all the relevant info. You could get an idea of how important the defences were in times gone by. Shame you couldn't get to upper levels in the towers. Take time to have a walk if you're in the area.