Where to eat, stay and play in Hanoi, Vietnam's gritty yet graceful capital city

"For many, the city of Hanoi is a gateway to northern Vietnam 's great adventures-the emerald islets of Ha Long Bay, the terraced hills of Sapa, the karst valleys of Ninh Bình-but it's well worth pausing here before venturing on. Over more than a thousand years, the country's capital has seen imperial dynasties raising Confucian temples, French colonists carving out tamarind-shaded boulevards and yellow-walled villas, and revolutionaries leaving behind slogans, statues, and scars of self-determination-resulting in a gritty yet graceful second city."

"Though there are currently no direct flights from US cities to Hanoi (though there have been rumors of new routes to come), growing numbers of visitors are discovering why Hanoi deserves more than just a quick stop, whether for misty dawns at Hoan Kiem Lake, the clatter of spoons in pho stalls at sunrise, or the narrow, nerve-tingling thrill of Train Street, where locomotives pass close enough to ruffle your shirt."

"Travelers come, too, for the craft-the centuries-old silk, pottery, and lacquer traditions still alive in the villages just beyond the city limits-and for a street food-driven culinary scene that remains defiantly local yet endlessly inventive thanks to the city's mix of French flair and Vietnamese ingenuity. From classic culture beneath the Opera House's striking domed ceiling and cutting-edge art at Manzi, to boutique hotels and speakeasy-style cocktail bars lighting up the backstreets, here's where to begin to eat, stay, and play in Hanoi, Vietnam."

Hanoi presents a thousand-year urban tapestry of Confucian temples, French-colonial boulevards, and revolutionary monuments that shape a gritty yet graceful capital. The city acts as both a gateway to northern destinations like Ha Long Bay, Sapa, and Ninh Binh and a destination in its own right with misty lakeside mornings, energetic pho stalls, and the adrenaline of Train Street. Nearby villages preserve centuries-old silk, pottery, and lacquer traditions, while a dynamic street-food scene fuses French influence with Vietnamese creativity. Cultural offerings span the Opera House to contemporary galleries, supported by boutique hotels and lively backstreet bars.

Read at Conde Nast Traveler