Hue (pronounced H'way) is one of Vietnams most culturally and historically significant cities. It was once Vietnam's Imperial City and later, under the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), the country's capital. The first citadel and Imperial City was built in 1803 by Gia Long on a former royal site and many of the city walls still stand but are extremely battle scarred from fighting with the French as far back as 1873 and later with the Americans during the notorious Battle of Hue in 1968. Although little of the actual Citadel or Imperial city buildings remain today your guide will talk you through the fascinating history and bring it back to life.
The main reason to visit Hue for most people, is to explore the riverside tombs of the rather ostentatious, megalomaniac past Emperors and the impressive Thien Mu Pagoda.