Hue is undoubtedly a city where life feels pleasant: human-sized, it is crossed by the Perfume River and lies just a few kilometers from both the South China Sea and the Tam Giang Lagoon.

The city is steeped in history, as it was the capital of the Nguyen Lords of the South in the 16th century, before becoming the capital of unified Vietnam in the early 19th century under Emperor Gia Long. He founded the illustrious Nguyen dynasty and built their Imperial City. The dynasty flourished for more than a century, renowned for its artistic and intellectual achievements, until the arrival of French troops in the 1880s.

Hue’s Imperial City was then partially destroyed, with many invaluable treasures — including furniture and manuscripts — looted or burned. The city would later endure the wars of independence, against both the French and the Americans, events that forever marked its memory.

Today, Hue has regained its former glory and invites you to enjoy extraordinary strolls through the Imperial City or along its ancient fortifications, beyond which you’ll discover charming, authentic Vietnamese neighborhoods full of surprises.

But Hue is much more than its Imperial City: here you will also find other restored monuments from the dynastic era, countless temples and pagodas, and, of course, the refined dishes that have made the city famous as a culinary capital.

Our 2-day program in Hue will immerse you in the city’s tumultuous past and the fascinating legacy of the Nguyen dynasty.