Warning: Don't do this on a Tuesday as the palace is closed and your day will be RUINED.
Hello,
So you are heading to Seoul, or already live there and are looking to explore. This trip will cover four or five hours and will take you to some pretty places, some tasty places and maybe even some 'we are so lost' places depending on your sense of direction (it won't be that difficult, really, maybe).
1 - Gwanghwamun Square
Directions: Gwanghwamun station, exit #2 and go straight.
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The man (statue, not my sister) you can see there is King Sejong who you can see on your 1000 won note. He is a pretty big deal, so don't get defacing them notes, unless you are gonna do that funny thing where you fold the note and make it look like the face is smiling or frowning. That is okay.
There is a museum underneath the statue too, if you have the time. Sometimes, they have events going on here, such as taekwondo performances and live music.
Next stop, you will be walking past that statue right up to the front bloody gate of the King's bloomin' palace, you cheeky thing you!
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Walk away from the golden King Sejong statue (with his back facing you, how cold). It is right in front of you.
This palace was the King's working palace, as he didn't fancy working from home (a palace down the road). It's really nice to walk around in every season and you can either take yourself around or join one of the tours.
Here is a schedule for the free tours around the palace:
English
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11:00, 13:30, 15:30
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Japanese
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10:00, 12:30, 14:30
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Chinese
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10:30, 13:00, 15:00
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I would really recommend doing the tour. You get to learn a lot of cool and sometimes funny things, like the man that had two giant bronze dragons made for decoration as a surprise, only to find out nobody wanted them and then burying them in the night before anyone found out (how he managed to hide the expense of that I don't know). You can also hear some pretty gruesome stories, if that's what you are into.
Lunch time! at Tosokchon
Directions: Go left out of the palace main gate and turn right. Keep walking until you reach Gyeongbokgung station. For ease, go down into the station and exit again from exit 2. Go straight for 170m and turn left at the GS25 on the corner. Tada!
Tosokchon is a restaurant that specialises in Samgyetang 삼계탕 which is a soup. In it comes a whole small chicken which is stuffed with rice, ginseng and a jujube, as well as some other seeds. The prospect of a whole chicken to yourself might be a bit daunting, but it's super soft and delicious so it is worth it. It's viewed as a good food to eat on a hot day. I personally think it is a good food to eat any day of the year. There's nothing vegetarian on the menu, though.
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| The outside. The inside is also impressive, but you can wait until you visit to see that! |
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| My chicken was upside down, or if you think of the bowl as being a bath, then the right way up. |
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| The ginseng root. |
Insadong
Go back to the train station and take the train one stop to Anguk Station, leave from exit 6. Walk 100m then turn left. Ta Da!
If you're not looking for souvenirs, it's still a nice place to explore.
Bukchon
Turn back from Insadong and walk back to Anguk Station. Find your way to exit 2 and from there walk straight for 200m until you arrive at the village.
Bukchon is a hanok (traditional Korean house) village which has lots of great photo opportunities and is a nice walk around old Seoul. You might be able to find some artsy things going on like live performances and caricature artists, but maybe not. It really depends on the day.
After Bukchon, you can find your way to a restaurant or head to another area of Seoul.
Enjoy,
Gamsahapnida for reading,
After Bukchon, you can find your way to a restaurant or head to another area of Seoul.
Enjoy,
Gamsahapnida for reading,
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