Korean Heritage Tour: Palaces and Villages of Seoul Including Gyeongbokgung Palace
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8 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup from select hotels
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
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Overview
This full-day tour of Seoul offers an in-depth look at Korea’s rich cultural heritage. With your guide, tour the gates and pavilions of Gyeongbokgung Palace; browse historical exhibits at the National Folklore Museum; and visit the Korean Folk Village and Jogyesa Buddhist Temple. Enjoy a Korean lunch and comfortable round-trip coach transport from your hotel.
- Guided Korean heritage tour in Seoul
- Marvel at Korean architecture as you explore grand palaces by foot
- Browse museum exhibits displaying the fascinating history of Korea, from ancient times to today
- Immerse yourself in traditional Korean culture and at the Korean Folk Village
- Enjoy a traditional Korean lunch
- Round-trip hotel transport by air-conditioned coach included
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Start your heritage tour of Seoul with hotel pickup and meet your guide aboard the coach. Listen to informative narration as you journey past the stately Blue House — the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state and the President of the Republic of Korea.
Disembark to tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, the first royal palace built by the Joseon Dynasty and the largest of the Five Grand Palaces. Marvel at the grandeur of the gates, pavilions and royal halls as you stroll the grounds on a guided tour. At the on-site National Folklore Museum, learn about Korean life from ancient times to the 20th century via exhibitions of artifacts and model replicas.
Re-board the coach for Jogyesa Buddhist Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, which depicts an enlightened Buddha inside its main hall dating back 500 years.
Around midday, you will stop by a Korean Ginseng Center prior to siting down for a Korean lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you’re accompanied to the Korean Folk Village, a living showcase for traditional Korean life and folk culture. Walk around here to witness pottery making, basket weaving and the hand-making of winnows, musical instruments, embroidery and bamboo, wood and brass wares.
After this immersive experience, you’re transported back to your Seoul hotel by coach.
Please note: Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays, in which case you’ll visit Deoksugung Palace. This walled palace compound is home to the Seoul Museum of History, which you’ll also tour with your guide.
Disembark to tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, the first royal palace built by the Joseon Dynasty and the largest of the Five Grand Palaces. Marvel at the grandeur of the gates, pavilions and royal halls as you stroll the grounds on a guided tour. At the on-site National Folklore Museum, learn about Korean life from ancient times to the 20th century via exhibitions of artifacts and model replicas.
Re-board the coach for Jogyesa Buddhist Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, which depicts an enlightened Buddha inside its main hall dating back 500 years.
Around midday, you will stop by a Korean Ginseng Center prior to siting down for a Korean lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you’re accompanied to the Korean Folk Village, a living showcase for traditional Korean life and folk culture. Walk around here to witness pottery making, basket weaving and the hand-making of winnows, musical instruments, embroidery and bamboo, wood and brass wares.
After this immersive experience, you’re transported back to your Seoul hotel by coach.
Please note: Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays, in which case you’ll visit Deoksugung Palace. This walled palace compound is home to the Seoul Museum of History, which you’ll also tour with your guide.
Itinerary
Your first stop is Gyeongbokgung Palace, a royal palace constructed in 1395. Because much of it was destroyed during the Japanese occupation, there has been a large effort to restore it to its original condition. With your guide, marvel at the grandeur of the preserved portions and the restorations.
(Please note that Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays, in which case you’ll visit Deoksugung Palace instead. This walled compound with traditional palace buildings, forested gardens and a statue of King Sejong the Great is home to the Seoul Museum of History, where you'll discover Seoul's traditional culture as you navigate the exhibits with your guide.)
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Included
Visit the National Folklore Museum, which uses replicas to illustrate the history of traditional life of Korean people. Browse the numerous exhibitions’ more than 90,000 artifacts conveying what life has been like for Koreans from ancient times to the 20th century. You’ll also learn about the deep roots of Confucianism in Korean culture.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
, tour Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Outside, admire the lovely locust and baeksong trees lining the entrance. Enter the Daeungjeon, the main temple building dating back 500 years, and see the statue of Seokgamoni, the historic Buddha at the moment of enlightenment.
Duration: 2 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
You’ll then spend your afternoon exploring the Korean Folk Village, a living museum that displays elements of traditional Korean life and folk culture. You'll get the unique opportunity to watch well-preserved customs such as pottery making, basket weaving and the hand-making of winnows, musical instruments, embroidery and bamboo, wood and brass wares.
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
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Korean Heritage Tour: Palaces and Villages of Seoul Including Gyeongbokgung Palace
8 hours 30 minutes
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USD101.35