If you visit one palace in Seoul, make it Gyeongbokgung. It's the grandest of the city's royal palaces, it sits right in the historic heart of downtown, and, as a local, it's still the first place I take visiting friends. Here's how to do it properly, including a couple of things most tourists miss.
What it is, in one minute
Gyeongbokgung was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, first built in 1395. What you see today is a vast walled complex of throne halls, courtyards, and a beautiful pavilion set over a pond, with mountains on one side and Seoul's skyline on the other. You could rush it in an hour, but give it two to really wander.
Hours, tickets, and the day to avoid
Admission is 3,000 won for adults and 1,500 won for ages 7 to 18, and it's free if you're under 7 or over 64. Opening hours shift with the season: roughly 9am to 5pm in winter, to 6pm in spring and autumn, and to 6:30pm in summer, with last entry an hour before closing. The one rule to remember: the palace is closed on Tuesdays, so don't plan your visit then.
The free-hanbok trick locals know
Here's the tip worth planning around: if you wear hanbok (traditional Korean dress), you get in for free. Rental shops cluster around the palace and near Gyeongbokgung and Anguk stations, and for a small fee you can dress up, skip the ticket, and take genuinely lovely photos in the courtyards. It's touristy, sure, but it's fun, and half the palace shots on Instagram are exactly this.
Time it for the changing of the guard
Try to arrive for the changing of the guard ceremony, held at Gwanghwamun Gate twice a day, at 10am and 2pm, lasting about 20 minutes. It's colorful, free, and you can watch it without even buying a palace ticket. It's the best photo moment here.
Take the free guided tour
English guided tours are free and leave from the information center at Heungnyemun Gate, running about an hour to an hour and a half, with no reservation needed. A guide turns a pretty walk into an actual story, and it costs nothing extra. Worth building your visit around one.
Getting there
It's easy by subway. Take Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station and leave from Exit 5, which puts you almost at the gate, or Line 5 to Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 2, and walk a few minutes. Both drop you in the historic center, so a visit pairs naturally with Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong right next door.
Hours, prices, and ceremony times here are checked against the Cultural Heritage Administration and KTO VisitKorea, last verified July 2026.