Day 1 — Hanoi
***OPTIONAL ACTIVITY*** (see extras)
In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to discover the city from a local's perspective, traveling back in time to the 1950s: you will cross the Old Quarter in a trishaw for 45 minutes and explore the lively streets of the "36 Guilds Quarter": a place steeped in charm and history, where tinsmiths, jewelers, calligraphers, carpenters, artisans, and all kinds of traders set up their stalls to sell furniture, leather, rattan, fans, votive objects, lacquerware, silk, carpets, paper, pipes, and much more. Then take a walk around Sword Lake and make a stop at Ngoc Son Temple, which peacefully dozes on an islet in the middle of the lake, reachable by crossing an elegant red wooden bridge. You will then explore the ancient Temple of Literature, known as the first University of Vietnam. Built in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, it was used as a university exclusively for princes, sons of nobles, and mandarins since 1076. In 1802, Emperor Gia Long transferred the National University to Hue, which became the new capital of Vietnam. Take a stroll along the shaded avenues of Van Mieu Park to appreciate the architecture of this historically infused site and admire 82 of the original 116 steles where the names of the graduates were engraved.,