Hue Imperial City Walking Tour: Historical 3-Hour Exploration of Palaces

Experience the grandeur of Hue Imperial City on a 3-hour walking tour. Learn about the history of the palace complex and immerse yourself in the stories of emperors, concubines, and eunuchs.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Nine Holy Cannons - Cast by Hue artisans in 1803, these 9 cannons are among the most treasured bronze artworks. Initially placed at the foot of the Imperial Citadel near the Ngo Mon Gate, they were moved to their current location during King Khai Dinh’s reign.

  • The Noon Gate (Cua Ngo Mon) - Constructed in 1833 under King Minh Mang, this gate, built in traditional Vietnamese style, was used for troop movements and ceremonies.

  • The Flag Tower - This monument from the Nguyen Dynasty stands at the center of the southern face of Hue citadel within the Nam Chanh fortress and is where the royal court’s flag is displayed.

  • Thai Hoa Palace - Located in the Imperial City of Hue citadel, this palace was the coronation site for 13 Nguyen kings from Gia Long to Bao Dai and was considered the nation’s center during the feudal era.

  • Nine Dynastic Urns - Situated in front of The Mieu Temple in Hue Imperial Citadel, these nine bronze urns were commissioned by Emperor Minh Mang in 1835 and inaugurated in 1837.

  • The Mieu Temple - Also known as The To Mieu, this temple was built in 1821 by King Minh Mang to honor 10 Nguyen Dynasty kings.

  • Hue Historic Citadel - Part of the ancient capital complex, the Forbidden Purple City was the living quarters for the Nguyen Emperors’ families. Initially built by King Gia Long in 1804, it was renamed the Forbidden Purple City by King Minh Mang in 1822.

  • Hue Royal Palace - This area includes the Emperor’s mother’s residence, the Royal Library, Royal Lake, Royal Garden, and Royal Theater.

  • Museum of Royal Antiquities - Located in Hue, this museum showcases Vietnam’s imperial history and arts. Established by royal decree in 1927, it also features a section dedicated to Champa art.

What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • Excellent English-speaking guide
What's Not Included
  • Entrance Fee for all attractions (The Citadel and Museum of Royal Antiquities : 250.000 VND)
  • Personal Expense and Tip
Additional Information

If you’re in Hue city and strapped for time to check out all the sites, the Hue Imperial City Walking Tour has been created to allow you to experience the grand palaces of Hue City.

Spend 3 hours exploring the Hue Imperial Citadel compound (Hue Citadel, Hue Royal City & Forbidden City), where you’ll be transported back to ancient times with our knowledgeable guide narrating the intriguing histories of 13 Emperors, concubines, and eunuchs.

You can opt for either a small group or a private tour for a more personalized experience. Our small group tours provide a leisurely stroll through the primary landmarks, giving you ample opportunity to snap photos and absorb the rich history.

Location
6 Đinh Tiên Hoàng
Đinh Tiên Hoàng
At 9:00 am or 14:00, you will meet our local guide at ” Lac Thien Restaurant” at Thuong Tu Gate- Hue Citadel at 06 Dinh Tien Hoang Street.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(72 Ratings)
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I6938pcgiuseppev
Sep 21, 2024
Breathtaking citadel and amazing guide - We enjoyed this amazing tour of Hue’s breathtaking imperial citadel thanks to our lovely and very knowledgeable guide Thanh. Thanh took good care of us, by guiding us not only through the historical site, but also through very interesting aspects of Vietnamese culture. This is definitely one experience we will remember and cherish. A big thank you to Thanh who made our trip special. Definitely recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
538b_reng_reg
Sep 8, 2024
Go deeper inside Nguyen emperor stories - We book this group tour, but finally we were only my friend and I, with Thanh that was our english guide. The tour was wonderful, Thanh know very well the subject, the different stories, even if you have question. She adapt to what you would like to know and see. Her english is more than fluent. She is always smiling and joking, it was a very nice time. The place is really beautiful and a must seen. For me this is not an option to have a guide, this is mandatory to understand well its story.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lam_d
Aug 29, 2024
Totally recommended! - I was the only person and it became a private tour. Thanh was personable and I totally felt at ease being accompanied by her. She was knowledgable and enthusiastic about Hue’s history. I was captivated by her anecdotes of the emperors and was able to learn a lot. Also don’t hesitate to ask her about the recommendations for the local food places!
Review provided by Viator
Japaholic95
Aug 28, 2024
Totally recommended! - I was the only person and it became a private tour. Thanh was personable and I totally felt at ease being accompanied by her. She was knowledgable and enthusiastic about Hue’s history. I was captivated by her anecdotes of the emperors and was able to learn a lot. Also don’t hesitate to ask her about the recommendations for the local food places!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Departure02950249781
Aug 22, 2024
Personal Tour at its best! Booking recommended! - We had a very interesting, friendly and enlightening tour with Thanh. With lots of beautiful pictures and "filled" with new knowledge about the great history of the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden City we are going to return to Germany. Thanks a lot, Thanh. All the best for you! Falk and Hoa from Weyhe (Germany)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ragnar_bc
Aug 18, 2024
Awesome tour - It was really awesome! I could not imagine a better guide than with Thanh! 🫶🏼 We really loved the tour, we learned a lot of things. Thanks Than for everything Hope to see you again (in Spain doing us for you a tour🙂) the best guide we had in Vietnam, one of the best one we ever had in any place! ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dario
Aug 17, 2024
Visit to the Imperial Citadel - It is a beautiful tour to learn about the history of Vietnam. Our Guide Thanh went to great lengths to give us a lot of information making our experience very interesting and enjoyable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Austin
Aug 15, 2024
Thirteen kings in 3 hours - There are many like it, but this one is Vietnam's. Painstakingly restored as of recent (with ongoing works) this tour provides an insight into the history of the monarchy at a comfortable pace. Ha was excellent at explaining the details behind the architecture while also giving us time to explore.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joosttripper
Aug 14, 2024
A great way to visit the Imperial City! - We had a lovely tour. The guide taught us a lot about the Citadel and the Imperial city, and was also able to answer any and all questions that arose from our group. It’s definitely much-preferred over walking around the Imperial City aimlessly without a guide, even for people like us who felt like we’ve kinda seen all the temples and palaces at this point in our trip. We went on a particularily warm day, so bring an umbrella for shade and plenty of water if you do the same ;)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y3822nfjeffreyf
Aug 10, 2024
Great tour with our guide, Thanh. - Excellent tour with lots of colour and detail provided by our tour guide, Thanh. She was very informative, kind, and thoughtful with the information she shared and questions she answered. She also offered great recommendations for the rest of our time in Hue and Vietnam. The palace complex itself was very interesting. We learned a great deal about a very important and often not taught period in time for Vietnam. Thank you Thanh for a great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 6 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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