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Half-day Traditional Seoul Walking-Tour
Joined 2022
This tour is a fascinating orientation & overview of the older, more traditional parts of central downtown Seoul, with further/deeper introduction to who the Koreans are, and the key points of their history and religions/customs. There is a standard itinerary for this tour, but it is completely flexible on the number and nature of the sites visited. It is essentially the 2nd-half of my Full-day Intro Tour. We can move faster or slower, as you wish. I will be telling colorful stories!
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Anguk Metro-Subway Station, your Hotel lobby, or other. "your hotel" may involve extra cost for transport.
Bukchon Hanok Village
A quick look through the traditional-houses alleyways, with many quirk cafes, artisanal workshops, teahouses and small museums, and visit inside one old mansion from 1900. I will explain all the function of this aristocratic neighborhood and the hanok architecture.
Jogye-sa Buddhist Temple
Visiting the national headquarters temple of all Korean Buddhism, with fascinating artworks & tales, and a historic 630-year old unique tree. Jogye-sa also features a Arts Museum and the TempleStay Center, optional for us to visit.
Insa-dong traditional-culture street
Very colorful historic neighborhood to walk through, check-out some twisting alleyways with great offerings -- perhaps a bit of souvenir-shopping or herbal/green-tea-drinking if desired. OPTIONAL visits to Unhyeong-gung Grand Prince's Palace and Cheondo-gyo Cathedral (native religion, very important 1880-1930), if there is time and you are interested.
Tap-gol Park
Korea's first "public park", a really interesting place with shrines for the early-20th-century Independence Movement, very important to Koreans until today, and a big medieval stone pagoda!
Old Jonggak Bell-Pavilion
Last stop, the Old City Bell in a traditional pavilion, with hyper-modern buildings all-around! We're finished here, at the busy Jongno-2-ga "Main Street" area -- I will get you transport to where you want to go next, or show you the many restaurant options there.
Ending Point
Your hotel, or any place downtown, as you wish. "your hotel" may involve extra cost for transport.
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
guiding only. this tour has no expenses, except the transportation if we start at your hotel.
transport (taxi, subway), meal, snack, drinks
Tour Important Information
All by walking. I will be telling colorful stories from academic sources all along the way, about pre-modern kings & heroes, and recent presidents and activists, and socio-cultural issues. You will learn so much, and in context!!
Important message from the supplier
I do this full-time now, any day -- but only in Spring & Autumn.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2022
About Tour Guide David a. M.
I have been a Professor of Korean Cultural Tourism in Seoul, and a Tour-guide, Lecturer and Author on Traditional Cultural Sites, especially religious ones, on the high-end, for 25 years. Wrote the 1996-7 edition of Lonely Planet's KOREA guidebook!
Reviews
“Amazing day of Korean Buddhism and Shamanism tour”
Went to another tour with David to explore Korean Buddhism and Shamanism. Being a researcher on both subjects for many years, David has a wealth of knowledge and he was able to explain them in layman terms so it is understandable for everyone. As a fellow history/religious buff myself, I was very happy by this and gained a better understanding/appreciation on both Korean Buddhism and Shamanism. We have since become good friends and I look forward to do more tours with him next time I'm in Korea.
David a. M.
(6 reviews)I was so glad to do this tour with you, and glad that you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for the positive review.... I also look forward to our next tours together!! David
“Wonderful exploration of Korean history with David”
I had a wonderful time exploring Korea's historical past with David. We visited several museums, parks, a Catholic Martyr shrine and Deoksugung Palace. I am impressed by his wealth of knowledge about Korean history and he has the ability to explain the subject in a way that it is understandable for everyone. I'll certainly learned a lot from his tour and will definitely use his service again in future.
David a. M.
(6 reviews)I was so glad to do this tour with you, and glad that you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for the positive review.... I also look forward to our next tours together!! David
“Great Tour, highly recommended”
David is knowledgeable about Seoul, Korea and korean culture. We had a private walking tour with our own itinerary and David created an enjoyful experience for all, especially as we were a group of mixed ages (28 to over 65 years).
David a. M.
(6 reviews)It was my pleasure, Daniel... you were a great group, it was fun! Return to visit us again someday.... David
$395/ per group
Reserve
