Wander the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake

The beating heart of Hanoi is its Old Quarter, a thousand-year-old maze of narrow streets each historically devoted to a single trade, now packed with shops, street kitchens, and endless life. At its edge sits Hoan Kiem Lake, a tranquil green oasis with a pretty temple on an islet, where locals practise tai chi at dawn and stroll in the evenings. Wandering both is completely free and the best introduction to the city. At weekends the streets around the lake close to traffic and fill with games and performers. We'll map out a walking route through the Old Quarter's best corners.