Hanoi enjoys a rich Imperial history dating back over a millennium, and a surprising diversity of local ethnic groups weave the fabric of the city’s rich tapestry. Start your day on the outskirts of the city with your private driver and English-speaking guide by visiting the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Monday). The museum provides an insightful glimpse into the country’s lengthy history, with more than 15,000 photos and 10,000 objects and artefacts depicting a historical perspective of the lives, activities, customs and habits of the 54 recognized ethnic groups of Vietnam.

Drive back into central Hanoi to the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. From here, continue to Bun Cha Huong Lien, the famous local spot where President Barack Obama dined with Anthony Bourdain.

After lunch, visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex (closed on Monday & Friday and from Jun to Aug for innovation) and Ba Dinh Square, an important point of pilgrimage for many Vietnamese. The area surrounding the complex is a traffic-free zone filled with botanical gardens, monuments, memorials and pagodas, and includes the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside), Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Museum and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Travel back in time to the nearby simple cottage on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked during his humble beginnings as a revolutionary. Walk a few blocks out of the Ho Chi Minh Complex to the 11th century Buddhist One Pillar Pagoda, an elegant construction rising from the center of a square shaped lotus pond on a solitary pillar. Continue to Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda situated on a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake accessible by a classically painted wooden bridge. The view of the city from the pagoda is particularly popular.

End your day at a by walking through the iconic Old Quarter. The streets of this district are bustling with scooters, bicycles, cyclos and cars zipping around pedestrians. The best way to enjoy the charming colonial architecture is to wander with your guide at a leisurely pace, and be sure to stop for a cup of Vietnamese egg coffee or a local snack from one of the many tantalizing street vendors. Your guide and private driver will accompany you back to your hotel, or if you prefer to enjoy your own dinner at your pace in the Old Quarter and soak up the atmosphere, you can make your own way back to your hotel at your leisure.