Huế, formerly Phú Xuân, is a major city of approximately 350,000 inhabitants in central Vietnam, situated on the Hương Giang ("Perfume River" or "River of Fragrances"). It lies not far from the sea, amidst a picturesque landscape of hills and mountains in the surrounding area—this is also where the Bach-Ma Biosphere Reserve is located. Huế was Vietnam’s capital from 1802 to 1945 and is now the capital of Thừa Thiên Huế Province. It has good transport links, including a railway station, an airport and access to the country’s main road artery. The university city is known, among other things, for its medical university. Huế is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Huế, whose cathedral is located in the city centre. Every April, a nationally renowned week-long urban cultural festival is held.

The Citadel with the Forbidden City (actually the palace complex of the Nguyễn dynasty, which provided Vietnam’s emperors from 1802 to 1945), modelled on the one in Beijing, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The complex was severely damaged during the Tet Offensive (Battle of Huế) in 1968 and has since been restored to such an extent that—although it has not yet been completely reconstructed—it is a magnet for tourists from near and far.