Seoul Royal Palace & Bukchon Hanok Village tour with market feast

The Guard Changing Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace happens in full costume with drum beats and salutes, not a quiet reenactment.

This guided tour of Seoul covers Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwangjang Market in a single morning, with admission and transport included. You watch the colorful Guard Changing Ceremony at the palace gates, walk the narrow alleys of a 600-year-old neighborhood where locals still live in traditional hanok houses, and end at Seoul's oldest market tasting bindaetteok and mayak gimbap from over 400 vendors. On Tuesdays, the itinerary swaps Gyeongbokgung Palace and the ceremony for Changdeokgung Palace and Insadong's craft galleries and tea houses instead. An English-speaking guide leads the group throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Seoul City Hallpass by
2. Bukchon Hanok Village1h
3. Gwanghwamun Gatepass by
4. Gyeongbokgung Palace1h · entry included
5. Blue Housepass by
6. Changdeokgung Palacepass by
7. Insadongpass by
8. Gwangjang Market1h
9. Myeongdong Shopping Streetpass by

Explore Seoul's heritage and cuisine

• Meet at Myeongdong Subway Exit 8
• Board bus at Seoul City Hall Exit 6
• Visit Bukchon Hanok Village alleys
• Pass by Gwanghwa Square (except Tuesday)
• Watch Guard Changing Ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate (except Tuesday)
• Tour Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds (except Tuesday)
• Pass by Blue House (except Tuesday)
• Visit Changdeokgung Palace (Tuesdays only)
• Explore Insadong street (Tuesdays only)
• Stop at Cheongha Korean Ginseng Center
• Enjoy street food at Gwangjang Market
• Option to end tour at Gwangjang Market
• Option to end tour at Myeongdong Shopping Street

The experience

Bukchon Hanok Village sits in the heart of Seoul as a working neighborhood, not a museum. Hundreds of hanok houses from the Joseon Dynasty line its secret alleys. Some are homes, some are cafes or galleries, and the streets themselves are narrow enough that you can wander and get lost without trying. The village was once the exclusive domain of top officials and nobles, and that history shows in the architecture, but what makes it real is that ordinary Seoulites still live here. Your guide walks you through, pointing out the details that survive from centuries ago.

The Guard Changing Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace is the electric part of the day. Guards in full Joseon Dynasty costume (colorful robes, traditional hats, the works) march to drum beats and perform salutes at Gwanghwamun Gate, the palace's main entrance. This was the job of the Wanggung Sumunjang during the dynasty: opening and closing the gates, inspecting visitors to the king. The palace itself sprawls across courtyards and pavilions built over 600 years ago, and you have time to walk its grounds and imagine the royal court moving through these same spaces. On Tuesdays, you visit Changdeokgung Palace instead, a UNESCO World Heritage site that served as the main royal home for over 200 years and 13 kings, with gardens that blend seamlessly into the architecture.

Gwangjang Market is where the tour ends and your appetite takes over. Seoul's oldest market has been running since 1905, and it's packed with over 400 vendors selling street food and textiles. Bindaetteok, crispy mung bean pancakes, and mayak gimbap, seaweed rice rolls with a kick, are the classics, but you'll find tteokbokki, fresh kimbap, and hanbok fabrics too. The market is loud and crowded in the best way, and the guide gives you time to eat and browse. You can finish your tour here or hop off in Myeongdong for shopping and more street food afterward. Before the market, you stop at the Cheongha Korean Ginseng Center to learn about Korea's famous ginseng and taste-test extracts and teas.

What’s included

• Palace admission.
• air-conditioned transport on the tour bus.
• English-speaking guide throughout.
• stop at Cheongha Korean Ginseng Center with tasting samples.
• time to eat and shop at Gwangjang Market.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 13:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (1 to 2 years): free

GroupUp to 45

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by VIP TRAVEL Co.Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Seoul's major palaces and traditional neighborhoods covered in one morning with a guide providing historical context at each stop, rather than navigating and deciding what to see on your own.

Traveler reviews

4.92★★★★★★★★★★

301 verified traveler reviews

5 ★279

4 ★21

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (1 to 2 years): free.

What is the Guard Changing Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace like?

The ceremony is a colorful reenactment of the Joseon Dynasty guard ritual, with performers in traditional costume marching to drum beats and performing salutes at Gwanghwamun Gate, the palace's main entrance. It brings the ancient role of the palace guards (who opened and closed the gates and inspected visitors to the king) back to life in full regalia.

Can I actually eat at Gwangjang Market, or is it just a walk-through?

Gwangjang Market is the final stop of the tour, and you have time to taste local street food like bindaetteok and mayak gimbap from the over 400 vendors there. You can also browse hanbok fabrics and handmade crafts, or spend extra time eating and shopping if you choose to finish your tour at the market instead of heading to Myeongdong.

What's the difference between the regular tour and the Tuesday version?

On Tuesdays, the tour visits Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site with royal gardens, instead of Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Guard Changing Ceremony. You also explore Insadong, a street lined with antique shops, handmade crafts, tea houses and art galleries, instead of passing by the Blue House. Bukchon Hanok Village, the ginseng center and Gwangjang Market remain the same on all days.

Is Bukchon Hanok Village a living neighborhood or a tourist attraction?

Bukchon Hanok Village is a working neighborhood where locals actually live in the traditional hanok houses. While some buildings are now cafes, galleries or shops, it is not a reconstructed site. The houses are centuries old and the alleys are real residential streets. Your guide will point out the historic details, and you're asked to be respectful of people's homes as you wander.

How long is the tour, and where do I meet the guide?

The tour runs for three and a half hours. You can meet your bus and guide at Myeongdong Subway Station Exit 8 or at Seoul City Hall Subway Station Exit 6, depending on which pickup point suits you.

What does the tour include, and what do I need to pay for separately?

Admission to the palaces, the air-conditioned bus, and an English-speaking guide are all included. Meals are not included, though you'll have time and opportunity to buy street food at Gwangjang Market and taste samples at the ginseng center.