Blue House, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village at one short
If you are pressed for time and looking for places which can be visited at one time in Seoul, you should consider visiting the Blue House, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village. These three places of interest are located within walking distance from one place to another. As the Blue House is located at the northest point, you can consider starting your journey from the Blue House.
1. The Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae)
You know you have arrived at the Presidential Residence of Cheong Wa Dae when you see a building with blue tiles. The blue tiles and the smooth roof blend beautifully with Mount Bugaksan in the backdrop. Visitors can only gain access to a few areas within the Blue House and photography is also only allowed at certain areas.
There are tours available and the tour duration lasts for approximately 90 minutes. The tour starts at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 15:00. Do note that there is no tour on Monday, Sunday and public holidays.
2. Gyeongbokgung Palace
You can walk from the Blue House to the East Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. With the road in the middle, there is the Gyeongbokgung Palace stone wall on the right side and galleries and old houses on the left side. Noona just loves the feeling of walking through this small lane in the winter morning.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest palace left in South Korea. It represents the left-behind history of South Korean past, the Joseon dynasty. This is one of the main gates of the the Gyeongbokgung Palace.
The lake inside the palace complex is completely frozen due to the chilling weather. We totally could feel the cold. Hahaha. Similar to the Blue House, there is a free tour provided at Gyeongbokgung Palace for the period April to October. The tour starts at 10:00, 14:00 and 16:00 (11:00 session added on weekends). If you are interested to participate, do sign up at the Hamheungmum Gate which is located next to Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. The tour lasts for approximately 40 minutes.
Right at the east side of Gyeongbokgung Palace lies the famous Bukchon Hanok Village. Bukchon Hanok Village is home to hundreds of traditional houses called "hanok" that date back to the Joseon Dynasty. As this area is still considered residential area, quietness is expected here.
However, today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants and tea houses. You can experience Korean traditional culture in Bukchon Hanok Village. There are also a lot of photo-taking points scattered all around Bukchon Hanok Village. This is one of them.
It took us half a day to finish the above Blue House - Gyeongbokgung Palace - Bukchon Hanok Village route. If you are hungry, you can try the famous ginseng chicken soup at the nearby Samcheongdong.
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