Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395 by the Joseon Dynasty. This impressive complex served as the Joseon Dynasty's main palace and is the largest of the Five Grand Palaces.

It was destroyed by fire during the Imjin War in 1592 and sat abandoned for over two centuries. In 1867, the palace was reconstructed with 330 buildings and 5,792 rooms. In 1895, Japanese agents assassinated Empress Myeongseong. Emperor Gojong, her husband, left the palace and never returned.

In the early 20th century, Japan's colonial government destroyed palace buildings and constructed the enormous Japanese General Government Building outside the throne hall.

Only a few 19th-century buildings survived the Japanese government and the Korean War. These buildings include Geunjeongjeon (the Imperial Throne Hall), Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, Sujeongjeon Hall, Jagyeongjeon Hall, Sajeongjeon Hall, and Jibokjae Hall.

In 1989, reconstruction began to restore the palace to its former glory. About 40 percent of the building have since been reconstructed or restored.

Geunjeongjeon, the Imperial Throne Hall, is truly impressive. Its constructed mainly of wood and sits in a courtyard lined with stones. Known as rank stones, they indicated where officials of different ranks could stand during ceremonies. The entire courtyard is cloistered.

Gyeongbokgung Palace features dozens of architecturally interesting buildings. Hyangwonjeong, a beautiful hexagonal pavilion, sits attractively on an island.

Why You Should Visit:
Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest and grandest of the Five Grand Palaces. Visit the National Folk Museum of Korea on the palace grounds to learn about the history of the Korean people. The National Palace Museum of Korea is also located on the palace grounds and houses priceless 14th century Joseon dynasty treasures.

Tips:
You can rent traditional costumes to immerse yourself in 14th-century royal Korea.

For a memorable experience, sign up for a night tour and see the palace lit up. Gyeonghoeru looks spectacular as its warm lights are reflected in the pond.

For a once in a lifetime experience, take part in a Gyeongbokgung Royal Dining event. Sample royal food and watch a traditional performance.

The Bukchon Hanbok Village represents construction methods over 600 years old. The location is on a hilltop, with Changdeok Palace Gyeongbok Palace, and the Jongmyo Royal Shrine surrounding the site. In addition to the hanok-style houses, the village also boasts a network of alleys.

One of the attractions in the village is the Baek In-je's House Museum. This house museum allows you to easily see how these hanok houses are designed and appreciate the traditional features. The museum is easy to tour in 15 to 20 minutes, leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the village, filled with exciting photo opportunities.

These houses feature an architectural style not seen in modern homes. Many of these buildings house businesses that are important to the cultural life of the village. Some of these buildings serve as restaurants where you can sample traditional foods, including dishes with ingredients fresh from nearby farms.

Tea houses are also an essential part of local life that you will not want to miss. When you visit a tea house, you can witness tea served in a traditional style. These locations are an essential part of local social life and provide another exciting glimpse into local culture.

Why You Should Visit:
See the centuries-old, unique architecture and take part in unique cultural experiences, a definition of a living history exhibit.

Tips:
Remember that Bukchon Hanok Village is an inhabited residential area today and that not all of the buildings are open to the public. But since many hanoks have been converted to restaurants and tea houses, you can pop-in to order a tea or a meal while enjoy the traditional architecture.

Changdeokgung Palace, also known as Prospering Virtue Palace, has a beautiful setting in one of Seoul's parks. The palace enjoys status as one of the Joseon Dynasty's Five Grand Palaces. One of the noteworthy things about this 15th-century palace is that it blends into the natural topography in a way not commonly seen in other buildings.

The Donhwamun Gate and Geumcheongyo Bridge are two of the oldest structures on the property built in the 15th century. Injeongjeon Hall served as an area for coronations, as well as the reception of envoys. Seonjeongjeon Hall was the location for daily meetings with the king and government ministers, while Juhamnu Pavilion was once the royal library.

Huijeongdang Hall, a residence for the king, and Daejojeon Hall, the queen's residence, are also noteworthy. Yeon-gyeongdang Residence is an 1827 audience hall. Huwon is a garden consisting of 78 acres in the back of the palace.

Changdeokgung Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Why You Should Visit:
Although sometimes referred as a 'backup' palace to Gyeongbokgung, the interior is actually more complete. As such, you will be able to have a better understanding of how life in a palace is like. The "Secret Garden" is a must-see.

Tip:
Those wearing 'hanbok' can enter the palace free. You can also buy the Royal Palace Pass that gives you free entrance to 5 palaces (including the 'Secret Garden', which is a highlight of this palace visit).

The abundance of wooden tea houses (nearly 40), boutique galleries and street vendors offering traditional Korean snacks makes Insa-dong street in Seoul a true magnet for visitors of the Korean capital. Alongside the free entertainment the area is famous for, Insa-dong is also one of the key destinations in the city for buying traditional Korean art, products and souvenirs, such as hanbok (traditional clothing), hanji (traditional paper), traditional teas, pottery, and folk crafts.

There is a plethora of antique shops (more than 50), art galleries (80+), traditional stationery shops, handicraft shops, pottery and porcelain shops, bookstores, and art supply stores. On top of that, there are almost 100 restaurants specialized in traditional Korean cuisine. With such a variety on offer, one is really bound to be spoilt for choice here.

On Sundays the street turns pedestrian-only and is flooded with street performers, buskers and the lively crowds of young and old rushing to enjoy one of Seoul’s most exiting and creative neighborhoods. The tastefully decorated traditional teashops invite passers-by to relax in a calm zen-like atmosphere. For those interested in Korean traditional culture and crafts, Insa-dong is undoubtedly a must-see attraction which will leave imprint of Seoul in one's memory for the years to come.

Cheonggyecheon Stream flows through downtown Seoul. The stream was covered up with concrete for many decades. In 2003, work to remove the elevated highway and restore the stream began. The stream was officially re-opened in 2005.

The stream runs under 22 bridges and flows into the Hangang River. Gwangtonggyo Bridge was one of the busiest and most important bridges of the Joseon Dynasty. It was also buried for 100 years during Seoul's economic boom. Now restored, it's one of the most scenic places on the Cheonggyecheon Stream.

Cheonggye Plaza is located at the head of Cheonggyecheon Stream. The plaza celebrates the re-opening of the stream. The vibrant red and blue Spring Sculpture dominates the plaza. The sculpture's design is reminiscent of a shell rising like a pagoda. The colorful ribbons represent traditional Korean wrapping cloth known as a bojagi.

The Candlelight Fountain at the plaza is a stunning two-tiered, four-meter (13-foot) tall waterfall. It's stunning at night when the lights of Seoul are reflected in the water.

Myeongdong is Korea's best-known shopping district. You will find mid-priced malls, high-end flagship stores, Korean brands, and international designer brands. Add in a smorgasbord of street food, cafes, restaurants, and night-life, and you have an exciting destination that will leave you dazzled.

During the Joseon Dynasty, this was a residential area. It became more commercial during the Japanese era. As the economy boomed after the Korean War, this area became the extensive shopping center that it is today. It's consistently named as one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world.

Myeongdong Shopping Street has every brand and item you could want. Shop international brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton. Popular Korean cosmetic brands include Missha and The Face Shop. There are hotels, restaurants, cinemas, and theaters to keep you entertained.

Lotte Department Store, a Korean brand, is an impressive 14 stories tall. It features western styles as well as traditional Korean goods and has a food court.

If the weather is getting you down, keep going down to the Myeongdong Underground Shopping Center. The prices go down too--you'll find discount brands, cosmetics, and salons.

The Myeongdong Festival is held twice a year, in spring and autumn. Parades, live music, dance performances, and fashion shows are sure to impress.

Myeongdong Cathedral is a Catholic church that was dedicated in 1898. This beautiful church features a 45-meter steeple and ornate stained-glass windows.

Why You Should Visit:
Myeongdong is the shopping mecca of Seoul. Come during the day for retail therapy. At night, enjoy the city night-life and street food.

Tips:
Visit in the evening and try as much street food as you can devour. You'll find savory chicken, spicy options, and an array of desserts.

Namsan Tower, also called the Seoul Tower, is a symbol of the city. Many visitors ride the Namsan cable car up the Mt. Namsan to walk to the tower and enjoy the cityscape views. The 236.7 m (777 ft) tower attracts thousands of tourists and locals every year, especially during nighttime when the tower lights up. Photographers enjoy the panoramic view the tower offers. Each year, approximately 8.4 million visit the N Seoul Tower, which is surrounded by many other attractions, including Namsan Park and Namsangol Hanok Village. Visitors may go up the tower for a fee that differs for the following groups: children, elderly and teenagers, and adults. Rates differ for each package and group size.

In 2012, surveys conducted by Seoul City revealed foreign tourists ranked the N Seoul Tower as the number one tourist attraction.

Tip:
If you plan on visiting during the day, come early in the morning to avoid the long lines for the cable car.
If you come in summer, best have some insect repellent sprays for the evening as you could be bitten quite a bit by bugs or mosquitoes.

Hangang Park is a park in Seoul. It is made up of 12 parks, which is Gwangnaru Park, Jamsil Park, Ttukseom Park, Jamwon Park, Ichon Park, Banpo Park, Mangwon Park, Yeouido Park, Nanji Park, Gangseo Park, Yanghwa Park, and Seonyudo Park.

Hangang Park was built from 1982 to 1986, with the government's launch of the Hangang River Development Project. The main goal of the project was to create an environmently friendly space that the citizens of Seoul, Koreans, foreigners and tourists can enjoy. While building the Hangang Park, a section of Hangang, 41.5 km long and 39.9 km2 large, turned into a river of 2.5m of average depth and 1 km of average width.

In 2007, the Hangang Renaissance Project was launched with the same goal, and will terminate in 2030. The project will transform the Hangang Parks and the areas around Hangang into a place of culture, art, leisure, and riverside cities. The main theme is creation and restoration, and each of the park area is designated a special theme that will be used as a basis to develop the park and surrounding area.

In Hangang Park, there is an abundance of sporting facilities such as soccer fields, skateboarding and in-line skating parks, tennis courts, hiking/biking trails, etc. There are also many swimming pools and many water-related sports such as water-skiing, yachting, boat racing, and fishing are available in the Hangang Park.

The National Museum of Korea is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea and is the cultural organization that represents Korea. Since its establishment in 1945, the museum has been committed to various studies and research activities in the fields of archaeology, history, and art, continuously developing a variety of exhibitions and education programs.

In 2012, it was reported that since its relocation to Yongsan District in 2005, the museum had attracted an attendance of 20 million visitors, or over 3 million annually which makes it one of the most visited museums in the world and Asia and the most visited in South Korea. A poll of nearly 2,000 foreign visitors, conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in November 2011, stated that visiting the museum is one of their favorite activities in Seoul. It is one of the largest museums in Asia.

The War Memorial of Korea opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea. It was built for the purpose of preventing war through lessons from the Korean War and for the hoped-for peaceful reunification of North and South Korea.

13,000 items are displayed in six halls under different themes: Memorial Hall, War History, Korean War, Expeditionary Forces, ROK Armed Forces, and Large Equipment, plus the outside exhibition area. There are weapons and equipment from prehistoric times to the modern period as well as paintings of battlefields and sculptures of notable warriors and of An Jung-geun, who assassinated a former Resident-General in Manchuria in 1909. About 100 large weapons are displayed in the outside exhibition area on the lawns around the building.

Why You Should Visit:
The main attraction here is the tanks & planes exhibit just outside the entrance – great for kids and enthusiastic adults, as it lets you climb up on top of a few of them, take photos in front of them, and marvel at just how huge these things look like close up. There's an overwhelming amount of information inside the memorial itself, but it's all very well laid out and easy to understand.

Tip:
Make full use of the free lockers opposite the information counter so you don't need to carry any bags or jackets and be sure to take the English brochure at the counter which has a map and description of the displays.

Trickeye Museum Seoul is a gallery franchise with big wall paintings or installations, which contain AR (augmented reality) effect and/or 3D illusions. The company owner of the Trickeye Museum has developed special camera application in order to see landed AR effect.

The first Trickeye Museum was open in Seoul, South Korea in 2010. In 2013 Seoul Trickeye Museum was added with Ice museum and Love museum. The same year 3rd Trickeye Museum was open in Jeju. In 2014 at the same year first two franchises were open outside South Korea: Hong Kong and Singapore. In 2016 one more museum with Retro theme was open in Yangpyeong, South Korea.

In 2017 all the existing Trickeye Museums (except Yangpyeong) had implemented AR (augmented reality) technology. To use AR the new application Trickeye app. was released.

The Bukhansan National Park in Seoul and Gyeonggi covers an area of 79.92 km2 (30.86 sq mi) and was established on 2 April 1983. Bukhansan means "mountains north of the Han River."

The park contains forested areas, temples and granite peaks. The three main peaks are Baekundae, 836.5 m (2,744 ft), Insubong, 810.5 m (2,659 ft) and Mangnyeongdae, 799.5 m (2,623 ft). Due to its popularity with hikers and Seoul residents, some trails are closed on a rotation basis to protect the local environment.

The Bukhansanseong Fortress is located in the park, together with its 9.5 km (5.9 mi) long defensive wall. A fortress was first built on this site in 132 AD to protect Seoul from foreign invasions, and it was expanded to its current size in 1711. It was reconstructed after damage sustained in the Korean War. Despite its name, this mountain is in Seoul, South Korea, so this mountain should not be confused with North Korea (also referred to as 북한, bukhan).