Hanoi, Vietnam

The city's Old Quarter draws 5 million annual travelers to its 36 labyrinthine streets, each named for historic guilds. Beyond taste, Hanoi offers tangible history: Hoan Kiem Lake's 18th-century bridge and the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university from 1076. The crush of motorbikes may test patience, yet the reward is a culture as rich as its renowned egg coffee.