South Korea · PALACE TOURS

The 15 Best Palace Tours in South Korea

31 tours  ·  from $6

Seoul keeps five royal palaces inside the old city walls and each charges its own small entry. These 15 compare the guard change at Gyeongbokgung, the garden at Changdeokgung and the hanbok route that gets you in free, with prices and start times.

Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour - Bukchon Hanok Village, where homes still shape the visit
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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

1.Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,321 reviews · 4 - 9 hours · from $32Our pick

See Gyeongbokgung Palace and its royal guard ceremony, walk Bukchon Hanok Village, visit Bugak Pavilion, and finish at Gwangjang Market. English-speaking guides such as Sunny, Sophie, Chloe, Grace, and Shin bring history and local tips to life. Choose a half-day, Tuesday, or full-day version, with hotel pickup available on selected options.

“Henry was an excellent guide, the tour was super informative, I learned a lot and the tour moved at an excellent pace, never rushed.”

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Best Seoul City Tour (Gyeongbokgung Palace,Insadong,Namsan Tower) - Jogyesa Temple brings a quiet opening
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Best Seoul City Tour (Gyeongbokgung Palace,Insadong,Namsan Tower)

2.Best Seoul City Tour (Gyeongbokgung Palace,Insadong,Namsan Tower)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,647 reviews · from $58Top rated

This 7.5-hour Seoul tour links Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insadong, Gwangjang Market, Namsan Hanok Village, and N Seoul Tower. English and Chinese guides, central hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, and round-trip Namsan Cable Car tickets are included. Tuesday follows a different palace route.

“Nice tour covering various places including palace. Guide Joo-Ee is very good. Very considerate to the guests and their needs (like food choices etc). Overall enjoyed the trip. However, ginseng "museum" is just a shop selling their expensive products. Going upto the top of the tower (instead of spending half hour at the foot of the tower) would have been a better experience. And the markets could have been reduced. Mondays the village visit is not possible so one should be aware of it.”

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Small-Group Royal Palace and Seoul City Tour (hotel pick-up) - The guard ceremony adds movement at Gwanghwamun
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Small-Group Royal Palace and Seoul City Tour (hotel pick-up)

3.Small-Group Royal Palace and Seoul City Tour (hotel pick-up)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,474 reviews · from $56

Spend a full day exploring Seoul with an English-speaking guide such as Young, BK, Sookee, or Lua. Visit Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Insadong, and Namdaemun Market, with palace fees and central Seoul pickup included. Expect history, shopping, photo stops, and a flexible lunch break in Insadong.

“A great highlights tour of Seoul! Many thanks to our guide (Mr. Young) and driver (Mr. Roven) for taking good care of us. We enjoyed the heritage sites and learning more about ginseng. We appreciate that you had nice alternatives to the sites that are closed on Mondays. Bukchon Hanoi Village was a special treat!”

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Seoul City Sightseeing Tour Including Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village - A Drive Past the Blue House
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Seoul City Sightseeing Tour Including Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village

4.Seoul City Sightseeing Tour Including Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,423 reviews · from $80

Spend a full day seeing Seoul’s key cultural sights with a local guide such as AJ, BK, Lizzy, or Charles. Visit Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum, Insadong, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village. Transport and most admissions are covered, but lunch and the tower observation deck cost extra.

“Everything was well organized and on time and the city is big and beautiful + the food really good and we lucky with the weather too”

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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour - Bukchon Hanok Village, where homes still shape the visit
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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

5.Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,044 reviews · from $32

Meet your guide near Myeongdong for a four-hour introduction to Seoul. Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Bugak Skyway, a Korean ginseng museum, and Gwangjang Market. Guides such as Chloe, Grace, Sunny, Sophie, Shin, and Stella are praised for clear history talks, good photos, and useful food tips. The tour ends at the market.

“We had a very fun and exciting tour with Sophie, she is very friendly, kind, knowledgeble being our tour guide,,she really explains well about the culture and history of Korea.,We would highly recommend her for future travellers!!Thanks so much Sophie,👏🏻”

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Seoul Highlights: Gyeongbok Palace, Insadong & N Seoul Tower - Starting the day with Jogyesa Temple
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Seoul Highlights: Gyeongbok Palace, Insadong & N Seoul Tower

6.Seoul Highlights: Gyeongbok Palace, Insadong & N Seoul Tower

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 726 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $26

Visit Jogyesa Temple, watch the royal guard ceremony, tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, browse Insadong, sample Gwangjang Market, and ride the Namsan cable car. Choose a four-hour morning tour or an eight-hour full day. English-speaking guides such as Kelly, Moon, and Yuna are praised for clear history, good timing, and helping with photos.

“I think that Crystal from VIP Travel is very excellent …She's really passionate, cute and engaging. I had a great time.❤️🌻”

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Seoul: Hanbok Rental with Gyeongbokgung Palace Entry - Choosing between traditional and premium hanbok
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Seoul: Hanbok Rental with Gyeongbokgung Palace Entry

7.Hanbok Rental with Gyeongbokgung Palace Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 611 reviews · 1 hour · from $6Best value

Pick up a traditional or premium hanbok at Daehan Hanbok, one minute from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 4. Staff help with fitting, and you can add hairstyling, accessories, or a petticoat. Wearing a hanbok gives you free entry to Seoul’s five major palaces, including Gyeongbokgung, and makes a walk through Bukchon Hanok Village especially memorable.

“There were a variety of beautiful and premium hanboks for tall and plus size women. We got dressed with the help of the friendly staff and spent several hours exploring the Palace. Very good value for the money.”

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Seoul City Half Day Tour-Gyeongbok Palace Guard Changing Ceremony - Cheongwadae Sarangchae explains modern Korea
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Seoul City Half Day Tour-Gyeongbok Palace Guard Changing Ceremony

8.Seoul City Half Day Tour-Gyeongbok Palace Guard Changing Ceremony

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 357 reviews · from $38

Start with hotel pickup and ride by air-conditioned coach to Jogyesa Temple, Cheongwadae Sarangchae, and Gyeongbokgung Palace. Your English- or Chinese-speaking guide explains Seoul’s past, then positions you for the colorful guard-changing ceremony. The tour ends at a ginseng shop and drops you near City Hall or Myeongdong.

“I had a great time. Alex & Crystal did a great job with us. They were very accommodating and knowledgeable about the different places we went to.”

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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace with Gigibebe Hanbok Rental - Dressing, hairstyling, and the useful extras
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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace with Gigibebe Hanbok Rental

9.Gyeongbok Palace with Gigibebe Hanbok Rental

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 289 reviews · 1 day · from $9

Choose a traditional or royal hanbok at Gigibebe Hanbok, three minutes from Gyeongbokgung Station. Staff help with dressing and hair styling, then you can explore Gyeongbokgung and four other Seoul palaces at your own pace. Rentals last two hours, four hours, or all day, with return required by 7:00 PM.

“Staff are friendly and helpful. Lots of options to choose from.”

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Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace - Starting at the hanbok shop near Exit 4
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Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace

10.Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · from $60

Dress in hanbok, have your hair styled, then tour Gyeongbokgung Palace with guide James and photographer Jacob. Expect palace history, K-drama-style posing, more than 100 edited photos, and quieter photo spots. On Tuesdays, the route switches to Changdeokgung Palace and Ikseondong Hanok Street.

“Absolutely amazing experience. Photos are fantastic, both guys are very friendly and there to make sure that all goes top tier.”

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Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle - Changgyeonggung Palace after sunset
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Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle

11.Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · from $79

Start at Hyehwa Station with a walk to Changgyeonggung Palace, then visit Gwangjang Market for Korean pancakes, makgeolli, raw beef, live octopus, and a twisted donut. Guides such as Mia, Janice, Ron, and Katie add history and food customs before the evening ends at Jogyesa Temple. Expect walking, shared dining, and vehicle transfers between sites.

“This a relatively inexpensive to see some of the more interesting places on this part of the country .”

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Best Things to Do - Half Day Seoul Trip (Seoul Palace & Temple) - Jogyesa Temple: a calm first look at Korean Buddhism
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Best Things to Do – Half Day Seoul Trip (Seoul Palace & Temple)

12.Best Things to Do – Half Day Seoul Trip (Seoul Palace & Temple)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 190 reviews · from $38

Spend about three hours touring central Seoul by air-conditioned coach, with hotel pickup, an English or Chinese-speaking guide, Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Changing of the Guard, and Cheongwadae Sarangchae. Guides such as Judy, Henry, Lynn, and Sunny have been praised for clear explanations. Expect a commercial ginseng stop, and no hotel drop-off.

“Great brief tour. Our guide knows her stuff and helped us to quickly get perspective about the temple and palace.”

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Korean Palace and Market Tour in Seoul Including Insadong and Gyeongbokgung Palace - Jogyesa Temple and a quieter side of Seoul
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Korean Palace and Market Tour in Seoul Including Insadong and Gyeongbokgung Palace

13.Korean Palace and Market Tour in Seoul Including Insadong and Gyeongbokgung Palace

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 174 reviews · from $89

Spend about 8.5 hours touring Seoul’s royal palaces, Jogyesa Temple, Insadong, and Namdaemun Market. Your guide leads the way through Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and the National Folk Museum, with Korean lunch, hotel pickup, and time for shopping included. Guides such as Lizzy, BK, Miel, and Yujeong have earned especially warm praise.

“What a great introduction to the History and Culture that Seoul has to offer! Bonnie, our guide, was excellent as she kept us moving along the tour of the palaces and the markets. Throughout the trip, Bonnie encouraged us to take photos or have her take photos of us and had a great level of energy and enthusiasm. This was a full day of sightseeing and she kept us on time and gave us historical comments throughout entire trip. I was so impressed with the palaces and the markets and was able to do a bit of shopping as well. Excellent itinerary for a full day of touring with an…”

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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace and Bukchon Hanok Walking Tour - The National Folk Museum puts daily life into focus
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Seoul: Gyeongbok Palace and Bukchon Hanok Walking Tour

14.Gyeongbok Palace and Bukchon Hanok Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 157 reviews · 3 hours · from $88

Spend three morning hours with an English-speaking guide exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum, and Bukchon Hanok Village. Guides such as Stella, Joe, Jay Kim, and Jack bring Korean history to life, explain public transport, suggest food and shopping stops, and help you find good photo spots. Expect steady walking and uphill streets in Bukchon.

“It was a wonderful experience, Stella gave me lots of tips and advice for my stay in Seoul. The tour was very well organised and I was able to see a lot. Many thanks to Stella, she was a great tour guide.”

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Full-Day Palace Tour in Seoul - Gyeongbokgung, Seoul’s grand royal gateway
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Full-Day Palace Tour in Seoul

15.Full-Day Palace Tour in Seoul

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 155 reviews · from $79

Spend a full day tracing Seoul’s royal and spiritual past, from Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces to Jogyesa Temple. Your guide, perhaps Katie, Lily, Lizzy, or another Seoul City Tour host, explains the sights in English. Hotel pickup, lunch, admission fees, and coach transport are included, with a ginseng-center stop and market shopping along the way.

“We took this tour on April 2nd, 2025, our 2nd of 7 days in Seoul. The tour is a great way to learn about the interplay between religion and daily life in Korea. The grandeur of the palaces and locations speak for themselves, but when you hRead more”

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