Gyeongbokgung Palace

One-day
Culture
Experience
Family
Friends
Aidai2025.09.10
review Images
review Images
review Images
review Images
review Images
  • Date of Visit2024.10.11
    Time Spent3 hours
  • AreaSeoul
    ExpensesKRW(₩) 0
Closed
Hours
Things to Prepare

Entry ticket: Buy on-site or online. Or entrance is free if you wear a hanbok (Rental shops are clustered around the palace gates) Bring these from the list above for best experience: Comfortable shoes: You’ll be walking a lot Sun protection: Hat, sunscreen, or umbrella Water: Especially in summer; vendors inside are limited Camera/phone: The photo opportunities are excellent, especially with mountains in the backdrop.

Transportation

BUS, SUBWAY, TRAIN, CAR, WALK, BICYCLE

About your trip

I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace with my friends as part of a cultural event organized by my university. All expenses, including hanbok rentals, were covered, which made the experience seamless and enjoyable. Wearing hanbok not only added to the cultural immersion but also made for stunning photos — and we took plenty during our visit. We spent about three hours exploring the palace grounds, which felt sufficient to appreciate the beauty and history of the site. For anyone planning to go, I’d recommend setting aside around 3.5 hours to avoid feeling rushed. A couple of important tips: the palace is usually closed on Tuesdays, and you shouldn’t miss the Changing of the Royal Guard Ceremony at the main gate, Gwanghwamun, which takes place twice a day and is truly a highlight of the visit.

TIP

* Go early in the morning (9–10 AM) to avoid peak crowds and get clean photo backdrops. * Renting a hanbok gets you free entry — use this perk. * Changing of the Guard Ceremony: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM at Gwanghwamun Gate — grab a front-row spot 10 minutes early. Sometimes they let visitors take photos with the guards afterwards — don’t miss that chance. * Nearby Add-ons (Walking Distance) Bukchon Hanok Village → traditional houses, great for strolling and photos. Insadong Street → tea houses, art shops, calligraphy, and Korean crafts. Gwanghwamun Square → statues of King Sejong & Admiral Yi Sun-sin, plus great night vibes.

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