Hanoi French Quarter: Coffee and Stories

based on 137 reviews

Duration:2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Location: Hanoi, Northern Vietnam

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Our Hanoi French Quarter Walking Tour will take you to discover one of the most beautiful parts of the city. The historical area is located in the southern part of Hanoi and is full of culture and history that sets it apart from the rest of the city.

We will start with an explanation of Vietnamese general history in a French villa coffee shop, accompanied by a cup of authentic Vietnamese Coffee. We will then give a brief overview of French influences in Hanoi, as well as the famous Vietnam War. Our tour will feature St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi Opera House, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Post Office, Trang Tien Street, Hanoi Metropole Hotel, and the very first university in French Indochina, among many other places.

You will learn about how Vietnamese society changed under French rule and explore the good and bad of this period. We will provide in-depth information (history buffs welcome!) but in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. Think of it as a conversation, rather than a lecture!

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1.
Address: 40 Nha Chung street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi St Joseph Cathedral Hanoi is considered to be one of the symbols of Hanoi. It’s a late 19th-century Gothic Revival (Neo-Gothic style) church that serves as the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi to nearly 4 million Catholics in the country. The architecture of St Joseph Cathedral Hanoi is designed in the style of medieval Gothic Europe. The church and colonization are inseparable and the church has played an outsize role in Vietnam’s modern history. It is not only a regular place of worship activities of the Archdiocese of Hanoi, but St Joseph cathedral Hanoi is also a popular tourist destination in Hanoi, attracting a large number of tourists inside and outside to visit.
2.
There is nothing better to learn about the history by trying the iconic "Ca phe sua da"- Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk in a hidden French villa. There are so many interesting stories to tell you.
3.
A very hidden pogoda at one of the busiest streets in Hanoi
4.
Address: 15 Ngo Quyen street Standing the test of time and being considered the most beautiful colonial era hotel, Hotel Sofitel Legend Metropole is recognized as Hanoi’s legendary landmark for its contribution to the city’s heritage. The hotel has been a prominent fixture in the heart of Hanoi since 1901 when it opened as the first official luxury residence and hotel in the city during the French colonial period. It boasts a rich history, was constructed with a French Colonial architectural style by two talented designers.
5.
Address: no 1 Trang Tien, Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Hanoi Opera House was a historical evidence of Vietnamese social and cultural development under French rule, a vestige for an architectural development stage dating back to the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries in Vietnam. The theatre has seen many significant historical events associated to the August Revolution and the early years of Vietnam Hanoi Opera House embraces the European architectural style under the Renaissance period with the Italian-made marble floor, copper chandeliers and exquisite French murals on the ceiling, thus making the place one of Hanoi’s singular architectural landmarks. For a long time, Hanoi Opera House has been a rendezvous for those who love theatrical performance and traditional songs and music, symphonies, opera and classical opera. It is also a tourist attraction for local and foreign visitors.
6.
Trang Tien street are familiar to most of Hanoian, which was known as a beautiful street and has the development from the early days of Hanoi through the French period to the present time. Trang Tien is a busy shopping area, featuring bookshops, galleries and boutiques. On this street, Trang Tien Plaza, which was elaborated in elegant French style of architecture, is the first high-end luxury shopping center in Hanoi with various popular international authentic brands under one roof. Located on 35 Trang Tien street, Trang Tien ice cream can be seen as the most popular ice cream brands in Hanoi, which is a great treat for everyone to enjoy, especially in hot summer days in tropical countries like Vietnam. Ice cream was introduced by the French during the First Indochina War, and this brand was opened in 1958, not long after the French left Vietnam.
7.
Turtle Tower is one of Hanoi’s most iconic attractions, symbolizing the patriotic pride of the local population. The tower is a combination of European and Asian architecture – with gothic arches at its first two storeys combined with the hip roof of Vietnam architecture. During the French colonial period, on the top of the Turtle Tower, a version of the Statue of Liberty (1890-1896), was placed by the French. However, it was removed when the Tran Trong Kim regime gained control of the city in 1945. During the French rule, the local people would often hang Vietnam’s revolutionary flag from the tower in order to show their defiant spirit.
8.
The very first modern university built by the French

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Posted By : dominicw860
Mina was the best guide I've had in a long time. Knowledgeable and fun and organised and good to chat with all at once. Strongly recommend this tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-25 00:56:42

Posted By : jennamP7274DD
Mina was a wonderful guide! I had a fantastic morning with her learning about Vietnam’s coffee culture, history and the architecture of the Old Quarter. I highly recommend this tour if you enjoy coffee and want to learn about the different influences that have shaped Vietnam's culture!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-14 06:11:08

Posted By : Quest31038262273
Mina is a cheerful and eloquent guide with great knowledge and good stories. Interesting and insightful. Recommend it!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-12 21:33:15

Posted By : Jeremy B
Had a great tour with Mina. She was very knowledgeable, candid and did a great job of weaving a narrative about the architecture, political history and changes in Vietnam. Would highly recommend.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-09 08:54:16

Posted By : Rgav12
I really enjoyed my tour with Mina. Her English was fantastic and she shared her extensive knowledge of coffee and Vietnamese history with an infectious enthusiasm. My basic knowledge both was limited and I felt she gauged this well so as not to overwhelm us with too much detail. The tour was topped off with a lovely coffee and tasty ice cream! 10/10 recommend.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-23 00:35:39

Posted By : 2pinkm
Our host Mina, was splendid in sharing the history of Vietnam while sprinkling her own personal stories. She’s fantastic as a guide, keeping us all engaged and recommending really yummy coffee and coconut milk ice cream. I tried the yogurt coffee for my sensitive tummy while my friends tried the coconut coffee and lime coffee!:)

I would recommend this tour to anyone interested in having a fuller experience of Hanoi and how they are such resilient people.
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Posted On : 2024-05-17 09:41:11

Posted By : Elisa_K
This was a great first tour to do in Hanoi. We learned a lot and had great coffee along the way. Mina was a great guide and shared a lot of interesting facts with us. Would recommend this!
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Posted On : 2024-05-14 09:02:42

Posted By : audreytY294BE
We started our tour with a delicious egg-coffee and Mina, our guide, gave us a lot of background information about the café and coffee bean cultivation in Vietnam. After this boost we were ready to explore the French Quarter on foot. Mina has many stories to tell with a good sense of humour and a cheerful manner. I learned about history, architecture and tried two Vietnamese specialities - I really appreciated the tour:)
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-06 10:38:01

Posted By : Astridhaznam23
The Coffee history & French quarter tour was amazing! Fast response on the booking side. Our tour guide (Mina) was very friendly and has a very good English. I and my friends had an impressive experience. Very recommended!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-03 09:35:01

Posted By : SUGANE_B
Being with Dung and Quon, my two wonderful and knowledgeable guides. I'm a former French teacher and was interested in exploring French colonial influences past and present. I gained insights that I would not have otherwise discovered on my own.
One thing I pointed out to them is how the Vietnamese write their numerals is in the French manner with 1s that look like 7s and 9s that look like the letter "g". Also 7s have the crossbar.

Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-21 20:41:52