Hanoi
Peel back the layers of noise emanating from those iconic Hanoi streets heaving with scooters, and you’ll find layer after layer of French and Chinese colonialism blended with traditional and modern Vietnamese touches, where art galleries and stylish cafes are stirred with street food stalls, stately houses, and ornate pagodas. Journey to the Old Quarter for remnants of the original city wall, its slender streets concealing old workshops, Buddhist temples and shrines, and the French Quarter to walk along leafy boulevards lined with stately mansions, the striking gothic facade of St Joseph Cathedral, and the Neoclassical Hanoi Opera House.