When the Joseon dynasty ruled Korea for five centuries from Seoul, it built and rebuilt a cluster of royal palaces across the heart of the city. Five of them survive today as the "Five Grand Palaces" (오대궁, odaegung) — and the wonderful thing for visitors is that they're all packed into a small, very walkable patch of downtown Seoul, mostly within a stroll or one short subway hop of each other.
Each palace has its own character: one is grand and ceremonial, one is a UNESCO garden, one is quiet and green, one mixes East and West and opens at night, and one is the forgotten fifth that almost disappeared. You don't need to see all five — but knowing what each is for makes it easy to pick the right one (or two) for your day. Here's the complete guide.
If you plan to see more than two, buy the Integrated Palace Ticket (통합관람권, around ₩10,000). It covers four of the five palaces — Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung (including the Secret Garden), Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung — plus Jongmyo Shrine, and works out far cheaper than paying separately. Even better: wear hanbok and you get into the palaces free, ticket or not. Prices and inclusions can change, so confirm on the official site before you go.
The five palaces at a glance
Here they are in the order most visitors tackle them — grandest first, quietest last. Tap through to the full guide for any that catch your eye.
Which palace should you pick?
Most visitors don't have time for all five, and you really don't need to. Here's the quick way to choose:
- Only have time for one? → Gyeongbokgung. It's the grandest, the most iconic, and has the big guard-changing ceremony.
- Love gardens and greenery? → Changdeokgung for the UNESCO Secret Garden, or Changgyeonggung for the pond, greenhouse and blossoms. They're next-door neighbours, so do both.
- Want something different — or an evening? → Deoksugung, with its East-meets-West stone halls and after-dark opening.
- Want quiet, history and no crowds (and no cost)? → Gyeonghuigung, the free, forgotten fifth.
A great low-stress plan: start at Gyeongbokgung in the morning (catch the guard-changing ceremony), wander out the back into Bukchon Hanok Village and Samcheong-dong for lunch, then walk over to Changdeokgung and stroll straight through into Changgyeonggung in the afternoon. Three palaces, one neighbourhood, barely any travel.
Know before you go
A few things that apply across all the palaces:
- Closed days differ. Gyeongbokgung is closed Tuesdays; the other four are closed Mondays. So there's no single day when everything shuts — plan around whichever you're visiting, and double-check on the official site.
- Hanbok = free entry. Rent a hanbok (widely available near Gyeongbokgung) and you walk into the palaces free — plus you get lovely photos. It's the single best palace-day tip.
- The integrated ticket saves money. Around ₩10,000 for four palaces plus Jongmyo Shrine, valid for three months — worth it if you'll see three or more.
- Guard-changing ceremonies run several times a day at Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung — colourful, free and worth timing your visit around.
- Go early or late to dodge the midday crowds and tour groups, especially at Gyeongbokgung.
Round off the history with the National Museum of Korea — Korea's flagship museum, also free, and the perfect companion to a palace day.
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Five palaces, one compact city centre, centuries of royal history — and most of it walkable in a day or two. However many you see, you're walking the same courtyards Joseon kings did. There's much more of Seoul still to come in our Seoul series. Subscribe below and you won't miss it.
Getting around? See our Seoul subway guide and Naver Maps guide, and read up on what Hallyu is before you go.