Luxury hotels in Seoul

Seoul guide

Gyeongbokgung: Seoul's great palace, in hanbok or not

The Joseon dynasty's main palace is the city's most cited sight, and the hanbok tradition makes it unforgettable.

Built in 1395 as the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung sits at the head of Gwanghwamun Square with Bugaksan mountain behind it. Many of its halls were rebuilt after the twentieth century, and the restoration continues, so each visit shows a little more of the palace as it was.

Visitors wearing hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, enter free, and renting one for a morning has become part of the experience. The changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun gate, Gyeonghoeru pavilion over its pond and the National Folk Museum inside the grounds are the moments to plan around. The palace closes on Tuesdays.

From there, Bukchon's hanok lanes and the galleries of Samcheong-dong are a short walk, and Changdeokgung with its Secret Garden, which is visited by guided tour, makes a quieter second palace. Jongno's hotels put all of this within walking distance.

Bukchon Hanok Village and Changdeokgung

Bukchon, a neighbourhood of hanok, traditional Korean houses with tiled roofs, between the Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces, is one of Seoul's most cited sights. Residents still live there, and visiting hours are now restricted in parts of the village, so quiet and respect are essential.

Changdeokgung, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best preserved of Seoul's palaces, and its Huwon, the Secret Garden, can be visited only on guided tours that sell out, so we book them ahead. Insadong's tea houses and craft shops are a short walk away.

The DMZ and the Joint Security Area

The Demilitarised Zone, the strip of land dividing North and South Korea about an hour north of Seoul, is the most cited excursion from the capital. Official tours visit the Third Infiltration Tunnel, the Dora Observatory with its view into the North and Imjingak Park.

The Joint Security Area at Panmunjom, where the two sides face each other, opens and closes depending on the situation, and every DMZ visit requires a passport and an authorised operator. We confirm the current conditions before booking.