Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁)

4.5Km 2025-10-23

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3700-3900

Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395 as the official palace of the Joseon dynasty by Yi Seong-gye, the future King Taejo and founder of the new regime. Gyeongbokgung Palace is commonly referred to as the Northern Palace because of its location to the north, comparied to Changdeokgung Palace in the east and Gyeonghuigung Palace in the west. Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and is the largest of all five palaces. Many Joseon kings were crowned here. The premises were once destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (1592-1598). However, all of the palace buildings were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondaewongun during the reign of King Gojong. The assassination of Empress Myeongseong, however, resulted in Gyeongbokgung Palace losing its function as a royal palace, eventually witnessing the downfall of the Joseon dynasty. Gyeongbokgung Palace retains the original Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, a prime example of Joseon architecture, and the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion and pond. The sculptures in the Geunjeongjeon Hall exemplify Joseon-era sculpture techniques. The west side of the area outside Heungnyemun Gate is occupied by the National Palace Museum of Korea, while the eastern side of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion within the Gyeongbokgung Palace is occupied by the National Folk Museum of Korea.

K-Royal Culture Festival (궁중문화축전)

4.5Km 2025-07-29

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-1522-2295

The K-Royal Culture Festival is held at the five Royal Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine. The festival first began in 2014 and provides visitors with first-hand knowledge of these important cultural heritages through unique performances, exhibitions, experiences and programs. The festival expanded in 2021 to be hosted twice a year, in spring and in fall.

Kimchigol Well-being Bapsang(김치골웰빙밥상)

4.5Km 2024-10-14

22-5 Insadong-gil, Jongro-gu, Seoul
+82-2-720-6436

A restaurant where you can try kimchi, a Korean traditional dish, and meat. The representative menu is kimchi cabbage wraps with pork. This is a Korean cuisine located in Insa-dong, Seoul.

Insa-dong (인사동)

4.5Km 2024-05-17

62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-734-0222

Insa-dong, located in the heart of the city, is an important place where old but precious traditional goods are on display. There is one main road in Insa-dong with alleys on each side. Within these alleys are galleries, traditional restaurants, teahouses, and cafes.

The galleries are the heartbeat of Insa-dong. There are about 100 galleries in the area offering every example of traditional Korean fine art from paintings to sculptures. The most famous galleries are Hakgojae Gallery, which functions as the center of folk art, Gana Art Gallery, which promotes many promising artists, and Gana Art Center.

The teahouses and restaurants are the perfect complement to the galleries. They are hidden deep within the twisting alleyways, making it feel like a treasure hunt. The shops in Insa-dong are very popular among all age groups, because each one is unique.

Every Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00, the main street is blocked to vehicular traffic and it becomes a cultural space. Stores set up booths outside and Korean candy merchants and fortune teller stalls can easily be found; there are traditional performances and exhibits as well. Insa-dong is especially popular among international tourists. This is where they can experience and see traditional Korean culture first-hand, and also purchase pieces of fine art.

Seodaemun Culture & Sports Center Swimming Pool (서대문 문화체육회관 실내수영장)

4.5Km 2024-03-20

39 Baekryeonsa-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Seodaemun Culture & Sports Center Swimming Pool, covering 973 square meters, features a total of seven lanes with both adult and children's pools. The facility provides regular swimming lessons, survival swimming lessons, aqua aerobics, and more. The water quality is maintained using a natural salt electrolysis system. For free swimming, visitors can purchase tickets from the kiosk on the second floor, receive wristbands from the information desk, and enjoy the facility at an affordable cost.

Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum (이리자 한복전시관)

4.5Km 2022-08-08

20, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-734-9477

The Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum displays the traditional clothing worn in Korea from birth to death. All hanbok displayed at the museum are created by the hanbok designer Lee Ri-Ja herself, who has over 40 years of experience.

Always August Roasters (올웨이즈 어거스트 로스터스)

4.5Km 2025-08-20

19 Mangwon-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
+82-507-1384-1622

Located near Mangwon Market, this cafe is sandwiched between tranquil residential buildings, so it is a good place to enjoy a cup and some desserts in peace. The joint serves great coffee and desserts, which go even better together. Its placement on the first floor means that one can get some sun and feel the tranquil atmosphere of Mangwon-dong, a different side of Seoul as a city. Note that this place also offers alcoholic beverages in the form of wine, so if you are up for a longer stay, you can indulge in the wine card curated by the management.

Neulmajung (늘마중)

4.5Km 2024-01-12

11-5 Insadong 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Makgeolli is a traditional liquor made from rice or wheat as a main ingredient and with yeast and various other ingredients. Its uniqueness lies in the main ingredient or yeast used, thus a variety of makgeolli made with local specialties can be found throughout Korea. Neulmajung is a pub restaurant that serves 34 types of makgeolli from all over the country, as well as many foods that go well with them. In addition, its soft wooden interior creates a comfortable atmosphere. Its representative dish is haemul pajeon (seafood and green onion pancake), made with plenty of ingredients. They also serve crispy pan-fried gamja jeon (potato pancake) and memil jeonbyeong (buckwheat crepe), rich in both flavor and taste as it is made with buckwheat from Bongpyeong, Gangwon-do, all of which are a perfect paring to makgeolli.

Tonymoly - Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (토니모리 을지로3가역점)

4.5Km 2024-06-27

B3-14, 131, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Sangchonjae House (상촌재)

4.5Km 2025-11-06

12-11 , Jahamun-ro 17-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Sangchonjae House, run by the Jongno Cultural Foundation, is a traditional hanok cultural space located in Sejong Village, Ogin-dong, Jongno-gu, and operates various cultural Korean programs such as exhibitions, educational experiences, and events to fully experience Korea's four seasons. The name Sangchonjae was conceived from the old name of Sejong Village, the western part of Gyeongbokgung Palace and the birthplace of King Sejong. The house reflects the lifestyle of an ordinary peasant during the Joseon dynasty. It consists of three buildings: the main building, the guesthouse known as sarangchae, and the annex. There is an experience center indoors offering tea ceremonies and traditional game experiences.

Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) - Area information - Korea travel information