Hue today is the provincial capital of Thua Thien. In 1993, Hue has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Served as Vietnam's capital under the emperors of Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945 and thus contains many elegant architectural relics of the past, Hue is considered to be the most beautiful city in Viet Nam. Traditionally, the city has been one of Vietnam's cultural, religious and educational centers.

A long time ago, the city was called Phu Xuan. In 1744, Phu Xuan became the capital of the southern part of Vietnam, which was under the rule of the Nguyen Lords. Later, it was renamed Hue by Nguyen Anh who crowned himself Emperor Gia Long, thus founding the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled the country, at least in name, until 1945. Immediately upon his accession, Gia Long began the decades-long construction of the Citadel.

Hue is bisected by the Perfume River (Huong Giang). Inside the Citadel, which is on the left bank of the river, is the Imperial Enclosure, which surrounds the Forbidden Purple City, former residence of the royal family. Dong Ba Market is near the eastern corner of the Citadel. Nearby, a commercial district stretches along the Dong Ba Canal. Across the Dong Ba Canal from Dong Ba Market are the sub-districts of Phu Cat and Phu Hiep, known for their Chinese Pagodas. On the right bank of the Perfume River is the New City, once known as the European Quarter. The Imperial Tombs are spread out over a large area to the south of the New City.

A cycling tour around the 'Imperial City' and a cruise on the Perfume river in a dragon boat will help to make your visit to Hue an unforgettable experience.