Seoul Small-Group Day Tour Including Royal Palaces and City Highlights with Hotel Pickup
by Seoul N Tour Day Tours
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$136Overview
This full-day, small-group bus tour covers key cultural and historical sites in Seoul over about 8 hours, with hotel pickup in central Seoul included. The tour starts at Jogyesa Temple, a central site for Zen Buddhism noted for its 500-year-old locust and baeksong trees. Next, participants watch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate, a traditional event marking the change of palace guards. The tour continues to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty, where visitors have about an hour to explore. If the tour falls on a Tuesday when Gyeongbokgung is closed, the itinerary switches to Changdeokgung Palace, including its Secret Garden. Within the palace grounds, the National Folk Museum of Korea is visited to see exhibits on Korean daily life, including farming, hunting, weaving, and cooking. The Blue House (Cheongwadae), formerly the official presidential residence built on royal garden grounds with traditional architecture, is viewed from outside. Then, the group visits the Korean Ginseng Center for about 30 minutes to sample ginseng tea and learn about its health benefits and products. Afterward, about 80 minutes are spent in Insadong, a neighborhood known for traditional tea houses, antique shops, and handcraft stores, where guests have free time for lunch. The tour then proceeds to Changdeokgung Palace (or Bukchon Hanok Village on Mondays), a well-preserved Joseon royal palace and UNESCO World Heritage site. The final stop is Namdaemun Market and Gate, a historic fortress gate rebuilt after a 2008 fire and now Korea’s national treasure number 1, where the tour spends about 30 minutes. The tour includes all entrance fees, English-speaking local guide, bottled water, and hotel pickup in central Seoul. It excludes gratuities and lunch, and hotel drop-off is only available at City Hall or Myeongdong. The itinerary may change due to weather or palace closures.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Jogyesa Temple
Jogyesa Temple is the central site for Zen Buddhism in Seoul, located near Anguk Subway Station. In front of the main temple building, Daeungjeon, stand locust and baeksong trees estimated to be about 500 years old. The visit lasts around 30 minutes.
30 min
Gwanghwamun Gate
At Gwanghwamun Gate, visitors watch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, a traditional event that marks the shift of the royal guards. The stop here is approximately 20 minutes.
20 min
Gyeongbokgung Palace
After the ceremony, the tour moves to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main Joseon Dynasty palace known for its historical significance and beauty. Visitors spend about one hour here. On Tuesdays when Gyeongbokgung is closed, the tour visits Changdeokgung Palace instead, including its Secret Garden.
60 min
National Folk Museum of Korea
Inside the palace compound, the National Folk Museum of Korea showcases exhibits on how Koreans lived from ancient times to the present day. Displays include traditional farming, hunting, weaving, and cooking methods. The visit takes about 20 minutes.
20 min
Blue House (Cheongwadae)
The Blue House, built on royal garden grounds with traditional Korean architecture, served as the official residence of South Korea’s president until May 2022. The tour includes a viewing but no entry.
Korean Ginseng Center
This stop lasts about 30 minutes and includes tasting Korean ginseng tea and learning about various ginseng products. The guide explains the health benefits of ginseng, which is harvested from roots over six years old and valued for boosting immunity and reducing fatigue.
30 min
Insadong
Insadong is a neighborhood known for traditional tea houses, antique shops, and handcraft stores. Visitors spend around 80 minutes here with free time for lunch to explore local restaurants and shops.
80 min
Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung Palace, built as the second royal villa after Gyeongbokgung in 1405, is the best-preserved royal palace from the Joseon era and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The grounds include public palace areas, royal residences, and a rear garden. Visits last about one hour. On Mondays when closed, the tour visits Bukchon Hanok Village instead.
60 min
Namdaemun Market
Namdaemun Market is located near Soongryemun (Namdaemun), the main gate of the former Seoul fortress built in 1396 and reconstructed several times, most recently in 2013 after a 2008 fire. The gate is Korea’s national treasure number 1. The tour spends about 30 minutes here.
30 min
Meeting point
If you don't want us to pick you up, you can meet us at 9 am at the front gate of Jogyesa temple where is the first attractive to visit.
End point
Drop-off at Myeongdong
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Seoul Small-Group Day Tour Including Royal Palaces and City Highlights with Hotel Pickup
by Seoul N Tour Day Tours
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$136Overview
This full-day, small-group bus tour covers key cultural and historical sites in Seoul over about 8 hours, with hotel pickup in central Seoul included. The tour starts at Jogyesa Temple, a central site for Zen Buddhism noted for its 500-year-old locust and baeksong trees. Next, participants watch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate, a traditional event marking the change of palace guards. The tour continues to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty, where visitors have about an hour to explore. If the tour falls on a Tuesday when Gyeongbokgung is closed, the itinerary switches to Changdeokgung Palace, including its Secret Garden. Within the palace grounds, the National Folk Museum of Korea is visited to see exhibits on Korean daily life, including farming, hunting, weaving, and cooking. The Blue House (Cheongwadae), formerly the official presidential residence built on royal garden grounds with traditional architecture, is viewed from outside. Then, the group visits the Korean Ginseng Center for about 30 minutes to sample ginseng tea and learn about its health benefits and products. Afterward, about 80 minutes are spent in Insadong, a neighborhood known for traditional tea houses, antique shops, and handcraft stores, where guests have free time for lunch. The tour then proceeds to Changdeokgung Palace (or Bukchon Hanok Village on Mondays), a well-preserved Joseon royal palace and UNESCO World Heritage site. The final stop is Namdaemun Market and Gate, a historic fortress gate rebuilt after a 2008 fire and now Korea’s national treasure number 1, where the tour spends about 30 minutes. The tour includes all entrance fees, English-speaking local guide, bottled water, and hotel pickup in central Seoul. It excludes gratuities and lunch, and hotel drop-off is only available at City Hall or Myeongdong. The itinerary may change due to weather or palace closures.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Jogyesa Temple
Jogyesa Temple is the central site for Zen Buddhism in Seoul, located near Anguk Subway Station. In front of the main temple building, Daeungjeon, stand locust and baeksong trees estimated to be about 500 years old. The visit lasts around 30 minutes.
30 min
Gwanghwamun Gate
At Gwanghwamun Gate, visitors watch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, a traditional event that marks the shift of the royal guards. The stop here is approximately 20 minutes.
20 min
Gyeongbokgung Palace
After the ceremony, the tour moves to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main Joseon Dynasty palace known for its historical significance and beauty. Visitors spend about one hour here. On Tuesdays when Gyeongbokgung is closed, the tour visits Changdeokgung Palace instead, including its Secret Garden.
60 min
National Folk Museum of Korea
Inside the palace compound, the National Folk Museum of Korea showcases exhibits on how Koreans lived from ancient times to the present day. Displays include traditional farming, hunting, weaving, and cooking methods. The visit takes about 20 minutes.
20 min
Blue House (Cheongwadae)
The Blue House, built on royal garden grounds with traditional Korean architecture, served as the official residence of South Korea’s president until May 2022. The tour includes a viewing but no entry.
Korean Ginseng Center
This stop lasts about 30 minutes and includes tasting Korean ginseng tea and learning about various ginseng products. The guide explains the health benefits of ginseng, which is harvested from roots over six years old and valued for boosting immunity and reducing fatigue.
30 min
Insadong
Insadong is a neighborhood known for traditional tea houses, antique shops, and handcraft stores. Visitors spend around 80 minutes here with free time for lunch to explore local restaurants and shops.
80 min
Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung Palace, built as the second royal villa after Gyeongbokgung in 1405, is the best-preserved royal palace from the Joseon era and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The grounds include public palace areas, royal residences, and a rear garden. Visits last about one hour. On Mondays when closed, the tour visits Bukchon Hanok Village instead.
60 min
Namdaemun Market
Namdaemun Market is located near Soongryemun (Namdaemun), the main gate of the former Seoul fortress built in 1396 and reconstructed several times, most recently in 2013 after a 2008 fire. The gate is Korea’s national treasure number 1. The tour spends about 30 minutes here.
30 min
Meeting point
If you don't want us to pick you up, you can meet us at 9 am at the front gate of Jogyesa temple where is the first attractive to visit.
End point
Drop-off at Myeongdong
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.