1 day

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About this activity

After morning pickup from your hotel, travel by comfortable coach to your first stop of the day, Jogyesa Temple, the chief Buddhist temple in Korea and a calm sanctuary from the busy streets of Seoul.

Next, drive by the Blue House (Cheongwadae), home to the South Korean president. Located at the foot of Mt Bugaksan, the presidential complex exemplifies traditional Korean architecture.

Continue to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the primary residence of the royal family during the Joseon Dynasty. Constructed in the 14th century and the largest of the Five Grand Palaces, Gyeongbokgung is considered the most beautiful palace in Seoul. Walk around the compound with your guide to see traditional Joseon architecture, and keep your camera handy for the changing of the guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate.

Within the compound, visit the National Folk Museum to learn about how people have lived in Korea from ancient times to today. Your guide shows you displays that demonstrate daily life for members of the aristocracy and ordinary citizens, including traditional farming and hunting techniques, weaving, cooking and other tasks.

Stop at the ginseng center to learn about the reputed medicinal uses of the sought-after plant, and then take a break for lunch in Insadong, a neighborhood known for its traditional tea houses and antique galleries. Relax over a nutritious plate of bibimbap (rice with vegetables and meat) or bulgogi (grilled marinated beef) at a restaurant, and then enjoy some time to shop for authentic Korean souvenirs at the array of small stores.

After lunch, head over to N Seoul Tower, which stands on Mt Namsan in central Seoul, and take the elevator up to the observation deck to enjoy panoramic views over the city. Then visit Namsangol Hanok Village, where your guide leads you on a walk around this model village that features five hanok (traditional Korean homes) from the Joseon Dynasty. The restored houses illustrate various social classes, from peasants to royalty. You can also admire the site's traditional Korean-style garden with an elegant pavilion and stream.

Finally, stop at an amethyst factory before your day tour ends with hotel drop-off.

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Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Professional guide
Lunch
Air-conditioned vehicle
Entry/Admission - Gyeongbokgung Palace
Entry/Admission - The National Folk Museum of Korea
Entry/Admission - N Seoul Tower

Not included

Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
A moderate amount of walking is involved; it is recommended that you wear good walking shoes
Please note: On Tuesdays, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum and Namsangol Hanok Village may be closed; if this is the case, you will visit Deoksu Palace, the History Museum and Myeongdong instead
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate

Features

Tourism

95%

Cultural

95%

Reviews

4.1

57

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Harry T

4 | 2018-12-10

The tour guide chloe was very patient with my family especially my father who cant walk very fast. She also helped us took many photos and acceded to our request for hanbok rental at namsan tower. Overall a satisfactory tour on very cold days in December!

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pdcemtbh

5 | 2018-09-04

Yoon is a great tour guide same as the first tour guide that we had. We visited different places and had time to take some photos and check the different places. They explained everything clearly and Yoon even snapped some photos for us as well as explaining everything in detail. It is a highly recommended tour.

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jcmoore3

4 | 2018-03-12

Our guide Sonia did a very good job familiarizing us with Se

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Calvin F

5 | 2018-03-04

It was a great tour. Sonya our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history and current events of Korea. I enjoyed her fun personality and she does a great job with keeping her guests engaged and interactive. She even offered to help take photos which was very nice. The palace and changing guards ceremony was good to see, although would be better in warmer months of blooming season for better photo opportunities. Seoul Tower offered amazing in the sky views of the city and a martial arts performance show. Was lucky enough that the weather was clear. The Buddhist temple was our first stop, but unfortunately you cannot take photos inside out of respect as it is an active place of worship. You will like to walk around the village and folk museum to see how they lived in the past. And of course the food and lunch at Insadong was another highlight of the tour. So much to see and do, I ended up with a colored caricature portrait from a sweet street artist that cost about 18 USD. I think Insadong tends to be one of the more expensive markets, but that's not complaining. Enjoy the moment and make the most of your trip with this great sightseeing tour.

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phxmarnie

1 | 2018-02-15

There was a lot of wasted time on this tour. They could have shown us all of the sights in less than 4 hours but stretched it out until 4:30. At each stop, they would give us 30-45 minutes of free time. However, there wasn't anything to do other than a quick photo opportunity and it was FREEZING. They took us to this Ginseng high pressured sales talk. It wasn't on the schedule and I don't like feeling pressured to buy things. DO NOT USE SEOUL CITY TOURS.

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