Korea: Seoul (Day 4)

Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을) is home to hundreds of traditional houses called 'hanok' that date back to the Joseon Dynasty. Today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants and tea houses, providing an opportunity to experience, learn and immerse in Korean traditional culture. Bukchon is beautiful, absolutely stunning! Every corner is a photograph opportunity.

Admissions: FREE (activities are not)
Directions: Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2. Go straight for about 300m to arrive at Bukchon Hanok Village.








Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) is closed on Tuesdays, a fact that I recorded down in my planner BUT we had a change of plans on the day itself and I forgot about this important fact. So no palace for us. :( Instead, we headed off to Insadong (인사동), a fancy street where you can feel a cultured air with an artistic flair. You can buy very well made (= expensive) souvenirs here.

Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁)
Admissions:
Adults (ages 19-64): 3,000 won / Group (over 10): 2,400 won
Children (ages 7-18): 1,500 won / Group (over 10): 1,200 won
Opening hours:
January-February, November-December: 09:00-17:00
March-May, September-October: 09:00-18:00
June-Auguest: 09:00-18:30
Closed on Tuesdays
Directions: Gyeongbokgung Palace Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 5.

Insadong(인사동)
Directions: Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6. Go 100m straight, then turn left.






Dinner was a love affair with all the Korean food I love most! Okay, almost every meal in Korea is a love affair. Authentic Korean food is right down my alley.








Namsan Tower/N Seoul Tower (N서울타워) is 236.7m tall and sits atop Namsan Mountain (243m). It offers panoramic views of Seoul and the surrounding areas. The view is so stunning that many consider Seoul Tower the best tower in Asia. You have to pay to go up the tower in which there's a teddy bear museum and an observatory. But we decided to just enjoy the equally beautiful view at the base of the tower as we ate ice cream and watched the sun set.

Directions: We walked from our guesthouse (near Myeongdong station) to the cable car station and took a cable car up to the tower.
For more details about cable car prices, admission to teddy bear museums and such, click here.