Trip Planner: Asia / Vietnam / Thua Thien - Hue Province / Hue / Imperial City

Imperial City, Hue

4.3

Must see · World heritage site · Historic Site · Tourist Spot

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A listed World Heritage Site, Imperial City (aka the Purple Forbidden City) stands as a testimony to the power and wealth of the last imperial Vietnamese dynasty. Situated on a riverbank, the complex features the remains of an imperial palace, Buddhist temples and pagodas, tombs of Nguyen Kings, courtyards, and gardens. It is encircled by a moat and two rows of fortification walls. Over the years following the demise of Vietnamese monarchy, the site was significantly ruined by cyclones and termites. However, it suffered the severest damage during the Vietnam War--look for the holes in the stone walls made by bullets and grenades. The highlights include a flag tower and 10 lavishly ornamented gates. Using our world travel planner, Hue attractions like Imperial City can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.

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Tours to Imperial City

FROM $73 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue City Full-Day Tour Hue City Full-Day Tour

4.9

Duration: 8 hours

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FROM $30 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue city tour with private english speaking driver: see royal tombs and more Hue city tour with private english speaking driver: see royal tombs and more

5.0

Duration: 5 to 6 hours

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FROM $50 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue Flavor Street Food Tour Hue Flavor Street Food Tour

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Duration: 4 hours

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FROM $95 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue City Private Tour Hue City Private Tour

5.0

Duration: 8 hours

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FROM $56 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue Luxury Group Tour Hue Luxury Group Tour

4.9

Duration: 7 to 8 hours

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FROM $63 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue full day guided tour with 5 must see places in Hue Hue full day guided tour with 5 must see places in Hue

5.0

Duration: 6 to 7 hours

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FROM $45 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue City Tour Half Day - Best Half Day Trips for History Buff Hue City Tour Half Day - Best Half Day Trips for History Buff

5.0

Duration: 3 to 4 hours

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FROM $61 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue City Tour - Deluxe Small Group Tour Hue City Tour - Deluxe Small Group Tour

4.8

Duration: 8 hours

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FROM $69 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue CityTour Daily Small Group to Visit UNESCO SITES Hue CityTour Daily Small Group to Visit UNESCO SITES

5.0

Duration: 6 to 7 hours

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FROM $349 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An 3 days 3 nights private package tour or Vice Versa Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An 3 days 3 nights private package tour or Vice Versa

Duration: 3 days

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Imperial City reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating

10,996 reviews

Google

4.5

By 121leonardoj

I was there for a short visit and the citadel was impressive with the history. But I felt like I could have done it better with a tour guide to explain the history.

I was there for a short visit and the citadel was impressive with the history. But I felt like I could have done it better with a tour guide to explain the history. more »
By Companion46087856668

Didn't expect much but was rather impressed by the information of history and pictures of past royalty. Was nice to stroll through the well manicured peaceful gardens. Go to the gift shop. The young.... more

Didn't expect much but was rather impressed by the information of history and pictures of past royalty. Was nice to stroll through the well manicured peaceful gardens. Go to the gift shop. The young.... more »
By Billydl

This vast walled compound is best to visit with a local guide who can give more insights to the history and different uses of the buildings, temples, etc. located inside it. Expect to spend at least..... more

This vast walled compound is best to visit with a local guide who can give more insights to the history and different uses of the buildings, temples, etc. located inside it. Expect to spend at least..... more »

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Google

By Alannah Barry

Would definitely recommend a visit here. Lots of beautiful temples and gardens to see and take pictures of. Lots of history to learn while walking around. The tour offers an audio set before entering as well which is useful when walking around the grounds. You can spend the whole day walking around because it’s so big !

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By Prashant Chaudhary (Travel Diary)

We have visited this on weekdays and there was no rush at all. Weather was too hot and it's become difficult to roam there. Carry umbrella and water. It is nice place to see history. If you are interested to visit historical place then it will require 2 - 3 hours by max to explore this. Ticket price is 200.000 VND per person.

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By Alice Kong

Recommended to buy combo ticket at the counter if you enjoy sightseeing. 420,000 dong for 3 attractions. Need at least 2 hours to walk around the citadel. We only manage to explore about 50% of the citadel by ourselves. A tour guide to explain the history to you would be wonderful. To visit the temple, it is advised that you wear long pants or a long skirt. If you are wearing short pants or a skirt, you are not permitted to enter.

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By Rob Moreno

A nice place to get to know a bit about the ancestry of the local area. One even gets to see the effect of colonialism (not always great) as they have a tennis court on the area. The gardens are very nice and well kept. Def. worthy of a stop.

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By Giulio Lo Porto

Was quite surprised at the entry fee of 200k and first impressions after walking through the main entrance were really disappointing, however! This place got better and better. The more time we spent, the more ground we covered it got more and more interesting. The gardens, the flora, the architecture, absolutely superb. Could have easily spent an entire day there taking photos. Most of the grounds are quite unkept, overgrown and generally not looked after but this really adds to the charm of the area.

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