Small-Group Royal Palace and Seoul City Tour (hotel pick-up)
Free Cancellation
4.9 (1065)
from
EUR 70.00

8 hours


E-voucher


English

Overview

After morning pickup at your Seoul hotel, travel in a comfortable vehicle to Jogyesa Temple. Despite its location on a crowded street in Jongno district, the Zen Buddhist temple is serene and picturesque with colorful decorations and large golden Buddha statues. 

Continue to the Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae), home to the President of the Republic of Korea. From the outside, view the Blue House along with Mt. Bukak in the background.

Head to Gwanghwamun Gate in time to watch the changing of the royal guards ceremony. Then tour the northern palace, Gyeongbokgung, the main palace during the Joseon dynasty. 

Stop at the Korean Ginseng Center before sitting down for a Korean fare. In the afternoon, tour the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Changdeokgung Palace and explore Insadong Antique Street. Experience traditional culture in Insadong by entering a Korean tea house or browsing in the antique shops.

The final stop on your tour takes you to Namdaemun (aka Soongryemun), which was built in 1396 and is listed as Korea's most important National Treasure. Have time to check out the traditional Namdaemun Market before your tour ends.

Operated by

Seoul N Tour

Ratings & Reviews

Average Rating

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The itinerary posted is a...

Steve_N, Mar 2025

The itinerary posted is a bit fluid depending on the day of the week. That said, it’s a good introduction to Seoul and some of it’s highlights.

Awesome Tour with Junie

G8266KSandreal, Mar 2025

We had an amazing time with Junie on our tour! She was super kind and accommodating. She made sure that our family was well taken care of during our tour. Highly recommend!

Touring the palace

Grace M, Mar 2025

Ms Junie was absolutely wonderful. My teens don’t normally like history but thoroughly enjoyed the info as we walked through. She also positioned us before the crowds on where to stand to get best view of the changing of the guards and take best pictures. She also took all the family pics. So thoughtful in helping the tour by explaining different food items during our ride to lunch. Children felt welcomed and she even let a child become a stand in guide. It was a wonderful experience. My second time touring the palace but it was well worth having a guided tour with so much historical background info vs my first time just walking the grounds. I will do a lot more tours from now on. Thank you Ms. Junie and the wonderful families from Japan, New Jersey and India that were on the tour with us folks from San Diego!

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Great overview of Seoul

Cindy H, Mar 2025

This was a great introduction to Seoul for people who do not have a lot of time here. Visited key historic sites and markets. Guide and driver were both very good. Small group of about 10 people made it much more pleasant

Itinerary

  • Jogyesa Temple

    Jogyesa Buddhist Temple is the center of Zen Buddhism in Korea, and is famous for being located in the city.

    From the busy streets of Jongno, follow the road towards Anguk Subway Station, and you will see Jogyesa Temple.

    The first things you will notice at the temple are the lovely trees. These locust trees and baeksong trees in front of the Daeungjeon, the main temple building, are about 500 years old.

    30 minutes
  • Gwanghwamun Gate

    Keep your camera handy for the changing of the guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate.

    20 minutes
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace

    After visiting Jogyesa Temple, you will move on to the next place called Gwanghwamun to watch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony. It is a ceremony to announce the changing of the royal guards, as well as to clarify the guards' identities. Then, you will head toward Gyeongbokgung, which was the main palace and the most beautiful palace during the Joseon Dynasty.

    Please note:

    - On Tuesdays, the Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed, so you will go to Changdeokgung(including secret garden) instead.

    1 hour
    Admission Included
  • National Folk Museum of Korea

    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.

    20 minutes
    Admission Included
  • Changdeokgung Palace

    The Blue House (Cheongwadae) was built on the grounds of the royal garden from the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) using traditional Korean architectural styles. Until May 2022, it served as the official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea.

  • Cheongha Korea Ginseng Museum

    Before reaching Insadong, you will have the opportunity to visit the Government-Approved Korean Ginseng Center, where you can taste Korean ginseng tea and a variety of products. You will also learn about the benefits of Korean ginseng and gain valuable information about its qualities.

    Korean ginseng is globally recognized for its exceptional quality, particularly for its effectiveness in boosting immunity, combating fatigue, and preventing aging. Extracted from roots that are over six years old, it contains a high concentration of saponins, offering various health benefits. In Korea, it is a highly popular gift exchanged to improve health.

    A visit to the Korean Ginseng Center is included in the itinerary, providing a chance to explore and purchase ginseng products. Discover one of nature’s finest plants and find a special, precious traditional Korean gift.

    30 minutes
  • Insadong

    Insadong is a place of traditional culture near Gyeongbok palace. Insadong was famous since the Joseon dynasty for having lots of antique shops. Today Insadong is popular among tourists for having lots of traditional tea houses, antique shops, traditional handcraft shops, and lots of other shops.

    Insa-dong is especially popular with foreign tourists. This is where they can experience and see traditional Korean culture firsthand, and also purchase pieces of fine art. On the street you can see many foreigners lost in all the joyous festivities of the street. Insadong is a place of traditional culture.

    We will provide time for lunch there.

    1 hour
  • Changdeokgung Palace

    Changdeokgung Palace was the second royal villa built following the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1405.

    It was the principal palace for many of the Joseon kings and is the most well-preserved of the five remaining royal Joseon palaces.

    It is recorded as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1997 for having its beautiful appearance of that time.

    The palace grounds are comprised of a public palace area, a royal family residence building, and the rear garden.

    - On Mondays, Changdeokgung Palace is closed, so we will visit Bukchon Hanok Village instead.

    1 hour
    Admission Included
  • Namdaemun Market

    Soongryemun (Namdaemun) is a main gate of former Seoul fortress in Joseon dynasty. It is commonly called as Namdaemun.

    The gate was built in 1396, in King Taejo's reign. And it was reconstructed in 1447 by king Sejong and in 1479 by king Seongjong.

    In 2006 the Seoul city opened the passage to the gate to public. The gate is now listed as Korea's national treasure #1. But in February 10th 2008, the gate was all burnt away by arsonist and the wooden gate was all burnt away by that accident.

    The Cultural Heritage Administration has announced to rebuild the gate similarly to its original appearance. The rebuilding was done by early in 2013.

    30 minutes
Meeting Point Map

Location

Address

55 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Open Google Map

Experience

Highlights

  • Full-day Seoul tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace
  • View traditional shops and goods at Insadong Antique Street and Namdaemun Market
  • Learn about Korean dynasties when visiting two royal palaces
  • Includes all entrance fees, guide, and hotel pickup
  • Inclusions

    • Bottled water
    • Hotel pickup in Central Seoul (Meeting time can be changed depends on each locations)
    • Local guide(English speaking)
    • Driver/Guide

    Exclusions

    • Gratuities
    • Hotel drop-off (drop-off at the City Hall or Myeongdong only)
    • Lunch

    Additional Information

    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
    • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
    • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
    • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
    • Royal guard changing ceremony might be cancelled due to weather conditions
    • On Mondays, Changdeokgung Palace is closed and you will go to Bukchon traditional Hanok Village instead
    • On Tuesdays, the Gyeongbokgung Palace and National Folk Museum of Korea is closed, so you will go to Changdeokgung(including secret garden) and in the afternoon you will visit Bukchon Hanok Village instead.
    • This tour is proceeding with minimum 2 people
    • Starting from September 1, 2024, lunch will no longer be included. Due to the difficulty in providing a variety of lunch options, we have reluctantly made this change. Please understand that you will have free time for lunch in Insadong, where you can choose your own dining options.

    Guide Languages

    • English

    Cancellation Policy

    • A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.

    • No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.

    from
    EUR 70.00