Day 3: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Square, and Namsan Tower.
Day three is when we found out we could use our T-Money card for taxis and we had wifi! So it was a great day to run wild Seoul! Our first stop, where we taxied, was the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Additional note the place is closed on TUESDAYS. There are two entrances into the palace. This place was huge, get ready for a lot of walking! First, we went into an area where the National Folk Museum of Korea is located. The Museum sat under a large palace-like structure where there was a little “old village” on the outside. If you are very interested in the history of countries, I recommend going into the museum or at least touring the outside. The cost to the museum, inside and out, is free. The second portion of the place had an additional cost. When you get into the palace, there are guided tour in several languages. There were tons of information signs throughout the palace, so if self-guided tours are your thing, you will be just fine! This area of the palace was where the famous garden (Hyangwonjeong Pavilion), the structure surrounded by a pond (Gyeonghoeru Pavilion), Gyeongbokgung place, and the changing of the guards were. (Just a little FYI, the changing of the guards is located on the outside of the place gates on each hour. Only on special occasions do they do a changing of the guards on the inside of the palace.)
After walking through the palace gates, we then made our way to the Gwanghwamun Square. The square had a couple of statues and structures. The U.S. embassy also sits on the outside of the Gwanghwamun Square. To see the American flag outside of the United States was a cool experience! There are several visitor information centers located throughout Seoul. There was a great info center located on the Gwanghwamun square that we popped into. The locals were super friendly and helpful. If you find yourself close to one, I recommend going in to speak with them and to get a large map of Seoul!
Before heading to the N. Seoul Tower, we decided to take the subway to the world famous shopping street of Seoul, Myeongdong, for an early dinner. The street is full of shopping and street food. International stores make up a lot of the stores in the neighborhood, but there are several local shops. Street food in Seoul is so deep fried and amazing. It reminds me of home.
The last stop of the day was the Namsan Seoul Tower. Since we were walking around all day and did not want to make the trek up the mountain, we decided to talk the cable car to the top. For a two-way ticket, the cable car was decently priced, but the line was super long.
Depending on which one of us you asked, the trip up the mountain in the cable car was not bad. But they do pack you in with a lot of people. When you get to the top of the mountain, there is a little court to buy food and drinks. At the top of the mountain, the world famous love locks of Seoul are in abundance. There are two places on the mountain where you can find these love locks, at the bottom of the tower and getting off the cable car. This mountain gives you an amazing view of the city. To get an even better view, you can go to the top level of the N Seoul Tower. The observation tower was the most expensive attraction we paid for in Seoul. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't expensive either. To see what anything costs that we did check out my other blog called "Top Touristy Things to do in SEOUL, South Korea!" Before going to the top of the tower, they take your picture with a green screen to see to you when you get to the top. It is a cute little souvenir, but I do remember it being a little expensive. On the observation level, there are also gift shops. The items in the shops are overpriced. I recommend going to Insadong that I will later write about for any souvenir items you want to buy. There are several other things to do in the tower, such as restaurants, Hello Kitty Island, and a museum. Overall, the tower is a unique experience, and I recommend at least going to the top!
If you are planning a trip and have not used Airbnb yet, here is a link to use to get a great discount (up to $55) on your stay! https://www.airbnb.com/c/shelbybreek?currency=USD. This gives me a $30 credit towards my next stay! So if you use it THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Thank Y’all, for taking the time out of your day to read this post! I hope you have an amazing day!
Love, Shelby ♡