Advertisement
Hue Imperial City (The Citadel)

Hue Imperial City (The Citadel)

Hue Imperial City (The Citadel)
4.5
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
This former site of the old capitol has a moat and ten ornate gates guarding a palace, temples, gardens and tombs. Its most prominent feature is a tall flag tower.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience Hue Imperial City (The Citadel)

See what travelers are saying

  • SandySydneyAus
    769 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must see
    10 years ago when we were here, plane was late and we didn’t make it. So this time we stayed 2 nights in Hue to go inside. August was very hot so we tried to enter as soon as opened. So we got good 3 hours to walk around and take photos. Place was big. Gardens were nice. If you are into history, you can organise guide. We were happy we made this time.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 13, 2023
  • Moore G
    Vienna, Austria2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hue Citaldel
    If it doesn't rain in Hue, it's fine. When it rains, you don't know when it stops. The entire Hue Citadel was soaked, Hue was sadder and more silent. The grass flowers (a delicate flower that is the ambassador of autumn) bloomed late and bowed in the rain. Even the bunches of purple magnolia blooming out of season cannot call back the sunshine.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 16, 2023
  • MizuhoK
    Hino, Japan4,152 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    World heritage
    This is the last royal family, Nguyen’s imperial palace. The structure was influenced by forbidden city in Beijing. It brings you back to 19th century, the time of WW2. A local driver I met during the trip told us that even though the entrance fee is extremely expensive, there’re many spots under restoration so it’s cheating. Well, maybe right since Noi Dien was under restoration when we were there in August but we couldn’t help it because we were tourists from abroad who can’t come here often. It’s vast. You walk a lot in hot weather so bring waters with you.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 21, 2023
  • Kathelyn H
    Rotterdam, The Netherlands10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Magnificent Palace - World Heritage
    The entrance fee is 200,000 VND, and the citadel was worth it! I never went to such a giant palace like this. When I went here, some parts were under restoration. However, in general, the whole structure still maintains its own beauty. The food stalls around are good, too! Although the weather when I visited the citadel was hot and sunny, I still loved the experience!
    Visited September 2023
    Written October 29, 2023
  • GoPlaces51924752933
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Citadel with amazing archaeological finds and exhibitions
    Not many buildings older than 1900, due to remodelling by last Dynasty of Vietnamese rulers. Ist parts least interesting. The exhibitions and explanations of the excavations of palaces on and around the site are very interesting. We'll curated, displayed and put in context, going back to about 900 AD. Some stunning artefacts. Nice gardens, decent cafe and opportunities to dress up.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 10, 2023
  • Robyn B
    Greater Sydney, Australia61 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Read this before using the VR Simulator on site.
    Worth a good half day here. There is an extensive area to explore and a few areas one can sit down in. It can be very hot so umbrellas can be useful. There is a VR Simulator building which promises to recreate how the Citadel would have been. There is no signage to warn you that it operates on a very fast break neck speed motion camera flying you over the palace grounds. Fun for those who are ok with this sort of motion but my husband was really knocked up and it almost ruined our visit here. So be warned if this is not your thing!
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 11, 2023
  • Abdulazeez M
    New York City, New York6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An unforgettable experience
    Its grand scale and intricate embroidery are truly impressive. From the elaborate ceremonies to the intricate gates, the City is a sight to behold. Visiting here will give you a unique insight into the grandeur of Vietnam's imperial past. It's an unforgettable experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 3, 2023
  • FunBoyOne
    London, United Kingdom506 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting insight
    We toured this early on during a hot and humid day, which certainly helped. Interesting insight into the king’s life - I’m not sure I could have coped with so many concubines (700?) even without a eunuch to help me keep track. Interesting to see the bullet holes from the war. It’s a very big site, so we certainly looked forward to the aircon in the car afterwards.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 15, 2023
  • houndy11
    Singapore, Singapore222 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must see site for history lovers
    Went with a guide (recommended), the old city is really interesting if you are into history. Alot of influence from their neighbours, though some palaces are not standing, the remaining ones are pretty interesting. Overall a good walkable site and a must see palce I Hue.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 16, 2023
  • Lev53
    Munich, Germany530 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don't take a private guide, better autoguide
    The complex worths the visit, even if the main building is under work. Our mistake was to book a guide directly there, she explained us basically nothing and after 25 minutes she told us we had to continue on our own. Much better the audioguide that explains you each interesting point.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 26, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles11,228 reviews
Excellent
5,380
Very good
4,068
Average
1,391
Poor
281
Terrible
110

S H
Greater Melbourne, Australia17 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
We took a private car & driver here, arranged by our accommodation.
We paid a lot for an English speaking guide on arrival at Citadel in addition to entry, who ended up being the worst guide I’ve ever experienced. (Do the head phones instead) We also had a Vietnamese man and his two young children in our group so she had to speak Vietnamese and English at the same time. The children misbehaved. The father did nothing. The guide also took on a large group of English speaking people halfway through the tour. She had to repeat everything to them. I could not understand her very well, to be frank. She’s been doing this for too long. Her attitude changed once she realised we had had clothes tailored by her cousin in HoiAn. Give the female guide a miss!

Disgusting toilets here & no paper. Overall experience really disappointing at Citadel. Not a lot to see really. Read up on it prior to going. Allow2-3 hours to walk around.
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

silvergeck0
Hervey Bay, Australia139 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
What a magnificent treasure Vietnam has with this immense complex. We explored it for 31/2 hours and really only scrapped the surface. Perhaps a pass that lasts for a few days would enable people to come back a couple of times to really appreciate this important piece of history. Thanks so much for the audio guides. Though the ladies giving them out were more interested in their mobile phones than helping their customers!
The architecture is amazing, we sincerely appreciate the imagination and skill that went into building these temples.
We would like to recommend that some of the plastic rubbish lying around be recycled into benches for people to sit on in the shade?
Visitors to Vietnam please do your research and respect their cultures etiquette of covered knees and shoulders and to remove shoes when entering “solemn” places.
Thankfully we had done our research, I carry a little pashmina or jacket and our trousers have zips to make them long or short as required. (Girls - Wrap around skirts are useful too.) I say this because unfortunately our visit was marred by witnessing rude, unprofessional staff saying with VERY angry tone and aggressive body language; “cover, cover” or “no shoes, no shoes”.
We appreciate the Guards (who would have been hot too) must get frustrated when visitors don’t do the right thing however simply saying ”please remove shoes before entering” is not difficult to say to guests who have paid to come in.

The gardens are clearly a work in progress so we would love to come back in a few years to see how they are flourishing.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Becky1979
Hull, UK262 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
We visited the Citadel with a 3 year old and 7 year old. We took advice from previous recommendations and took the audio guide and like others were pleased we did as we would not have known what we were looking at, as the map given did not appear to direct us correctly.
It was incredibly hot and our youngest struggled to remain interested. Both however enjoyed the extensive ground and freedom to roam around the grounds.
Unfortunately due to low visitor numbers the Art activities which would have captivated the children were not available.
Would recommend to the onsite gift shop located near the exit as it had great range of traditional Vietnamese souvenirs at reasonable prices.
Written July 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChicoRanMan
Chico, CA1,175 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
This is an impressive 500m x 600m walled citadel that made up the Imperial City where for about 150 years the emperors of Vietnam resided.

Ongoing renovations are improving the experience. Those buildings and gardens that have been renovated are beautiful.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate for entry into the Imperial City alone or multiple sites that include emperors’ tombs.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Guy T
London, UK703 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples

Absolutely beautiful. We bought our ticket as a combo with two of the tombs. It was more expensive than what we had paid for other sites in Vietnam but it is the old city and it is beautiful. Do not underestimate how big it is though you can walk for ages. We spent about 2 hours at the old city wandering around and taking lots of photos. You can hire a guide but we went around on our own and there’s plenty of information explaining exactly what each room/ site was and the importance of it. There’s a few food and drink kiosks around the site slightly more expensive but you are in a tourist site. Its a must do whilst in Hue but it is big and it can get a little repetitive with the buildings looking similar so grab a map of the site, set a route and enjoy.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TMOH8
Guildford, UK2,280 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
No visit to Hue is complete without a visit to the Imperial City.

The compound and it's history is fascinating but it's the architecture that is really memorable.

Visiting the Imperial City in the morning will put later visits to tombs into context but I would also recommend returning once it's gone dark as it's really well lit and very peaceful compared to the city centre.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marie K
Gothenburg, Sweden53 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
It is easy to get lost wandring in the maze-like place, it is a huge area but it can be covered in a few hours to half a day. Some building are well kept/restored, some are not so well kept and some are entirely missing, but nevertheless it is an enchanting place. There are sign posts in some places making it possible to visit on your own, but it will probably be more interesing with a guide. The entrance ticket can be bought in combination with the royal tombs to a discounted price, so if you plan to also visit the tombs, this will save you a few dollars.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

amanda5805
Duncan, Canada7,481 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Normally I love stuff like this. This was very boring. It also might have had something to do with how long of a travel day we had which included hiking up Marble Mountain then straight to a 6km walk from the hotel to the Imperial Palace. Seemed like most of us felt that way. Our tour leader mentioned out of all of the guides for the imperial palace that he has had over the years she was the best one and he had hand selected her and booked her for all this tour groups. The guide tried to make it interesting but it came across too serious and repeated herself a lot. I think there is some great stuff to see here but if you can go with out a guide I would take that options. We were only in this town one night and missed out on things that were higher on our list. Which we would have skipped this if we knew this is how it was going to be. If you are here for a short period of time and you have other more important things to see see them first before heading here.

In 1993 this Complex was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It includes many things from the Nguyen Dynasty, such as the Citadel, High Noon Gate, tombs, monuments and much more.

Don't forget to cover up your shoulders & knees or you will be denied entry. It also costs 150,000VND (about $8.90CAD). You are to tip the guide for her services. I believe we tipped her 50,000VND ($3CAD) per couple on our tour.
Written May 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

julia b
60 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
This place has many different aspects of it, not to mention the grounds its self are huge. You could easily spend hours or days wandering around looking. It takes you back to a different time and paints a grandeur picture of the life of a dynasty. We were on a group tour and I felt it went to quick to really look at different artifacts and to admire the details of the carvings. I suggest you do a bit of research and find the things you really want to see, especially if you're on limited time.
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Smaske1
Storrington, UK623 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
The site of the royal palace after the move south from hanoi. Around 1 square metre of inner courtyard where the king would meet his mandarins and hold court and where his 100 wives and 124 lived. Our guide explained the various rooms and what they were used for, you can also get an audio guide which might have been more easy to understand...
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 7,266
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Hue Imperial City (The Citadel) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

All things to do in Hue
Day Trips in Hue
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars