Hue served as Vietnam's capital under the
emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to
1945 and the city’s regal past can still be
seen inside the walls of the Citadel and the
Imperial City. Both were heavily damaged
during the Tet Offensive of 1968 when the
Communists took the city from the South and
held it for 3 weeks. Now thanks to UNESCO
funding, much of the City is being
faithfully restored to its former glory. The
Imperial City, created in the 19th century
and modeled on the Forbidden City in
Beijing, has many palaces and temples
inside.
Our tour begins at the Citadel and then
moves in to the rolling hills of the
surrounding countryside where we find the
Royal Tombs to the Nguyen Emperors. After
having viewed the splendid landscaped
gardens and ornate architecture of the
kings' final resting places we return to
Hue. In the evening we have a boat cruise on
the trnquil waters of the Perfume River.