N Seoul Tower and Bukchon Hanok Village
- Heike Panagoulias
- Jan 25
- 3 min read
Seoul offers so many incredible sights and experiences. My absolute highlights include the Namsan Tower and Buckchon Hanok Village.
These are two very beautiful sights in Seoul that can be wonderfully combined in one visit. We went here straight after Gyeongbokgung Palace.
The N Seoul Tower is located on Mount Namsan in Seoul, which is also the reason why Koreans often simply call it Namsan Tower. You can take the cable car to the top or use public transportation.
When I was there with Leon, we took the cable car. The “Namsan Cable Car N Seoul Tower Station” is also very easy to reach by public transport and the ride to the top only takes a few minutes. It was great as you have a great view and can enjoy it wonderfully on the ride to the top.
The view from Namsan is breathtaking. The mountain is surrounded by the 3 km² Namsan Park and is a popular excursion destination. The following year, I took the bus up there with Nicole. The view was great too.
The tower itself is 236 meters high. It is definitely worth going to the top! There is a viewing platform and a restaurant that rotates. On the way to the elevator, you also pass through a room with a great show. And even the wait in front of the elevator is very entertaining thanks to the show. The elevator ride to the top is also an absolute experience! The Koreans know how to ride an elevator! Hahaaaaa
The view of the whole of Seoul is incredible. You can't get enough of it. I was very impressed.
It is interesting to know that the lighting in the evening is not just any old color. It shows the fine dust pollution and thus warns the city's citizens when the limit values are exceeded. Blue is good, green ok, yellow bad and red very bad.
The N Seoul Tower is also a popular destination for couples who have just fallen in love. Many come here because they attach love locks to the railings on the viewing platform next to the entrance. In doing so, they symbolically seal their eternal love for each other.
Bukchon Hanok Village is located “right” next to Gyeonbokgung Palace. It makes sense to combine these sights.
It is a residential area in the Jongno district of Seoul. There are many restored traditional Korean houses here, called Hanok. Despite the rapid development of Seoul, every effort has been made to preserve the area. However, from 2025, visitors will only be allowed to walk through the area between 10 am and 5 pm in order to protect local residents.
Bukchon means “northern village” as it is located north of the Cheonggyecheon and Jongno rivers. During the Joseon period, high-ranking government officials and nobles lived here.
This district has grown in popularity in recent years. There are small, winding alleyways that you walk through. You will find a number of restaurants, small stores, teahouses, guesthouses and cultural centers. You will also find a large number of hanbok rentals here. Therefore, you will see a lot of domestic and foreign tourists in traditional costumes.
While you're here, visit Café Onion! It is one of the most popular cafés in Seoul at the moment. They have a huge selection of cakes, cupcakes and other treats as well as delicious coffee and much more! You usually have to queue for quite a while to get a seat, but I can tell you it's definitely worth it!
You sit traditionally on cushions on the floor or at tables. Of course, you take your shoes off first.
Of course, this was just one of many trendy cafés. We were also in a 2D café. Everything there looked like a drawing. But I'll come to this café in another blog post
Love reading about your experience...hoping to go one day to S. Korea