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What makes this experience even better is combining it with a hanbok rental. Around Gyeongbokgung Station, you’ll find many shops offering all kinds of styles. And yes - the trickiest part is actually choosing which one you like the most and want to wear.

But once you are ready, get your hair done and walk over to the palace, you will quickly realize why so many people are doing it. First of all, it just makes you fit right in with the palace vibes like you belong there. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that entry to the palace is free if you’re wearing a hanbok, which makes for another good reason to try it for yourself. But most importantly, everyone just looks stunning in hanbok and the pictures turn out so well. I still have pictures from my first time wearing a hanbok in Korea and they’re one of the sweetest memories from my trip.

Inside the palace, don’t expect a quick visit. It’s huge and you’ll naturally spend time just walking through the courtyards, exploring the different buildings and stopping for photos along the way.

And one more tip for your visit to Gyeongbokgung: I highly recommend stopping at Gwanghwamun Gate to watch the changing of the royal guard ceremony at 10:00 or 14:00. Guards in traditional uniforms perform a reenactment that gives you a glimpse into how things used to work back then.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

 09:00 - 18:00 (Closed Tuesdays, varies by season)

 Subway Line 3, Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5, 216m

After leaving the palace and returning my hanbok, I didn’t actually have to go far for my next stop. The area west of Gyeongbokgung is Seochon Village, a cute little neighborhood with hanok houses and so many hidden gems.

And in the middle of it you’ll find Tongin Market - a busy, loud and very local traditional market. People are shopping, eating and moving through the narrow aisles, and it immediately feels like everyday Seoul.

Inside the market, around the center area, you’ll find the Lunchbox Café (도시락 카페) on the second floor. This is where the fun starts. You exchange money for traditional brass coins called Yeopjeon (엽전), grab a tray and then walk through the market picking small dishes from different stalls that accept those coins.

It was honestly one of my favorite parts of the day. If you’re like me and you can never decide what to eat, this is a perfect place to fill your stomach, because it is possible to take small helpings of everything for a very filling meal. I went for the Oil Tteokbokki (기름 떡볶이), which is less saucy than the usual version but really rich in flavor. I also tried some kimchi dumplings (김치만두), kimbap (김밥), Gujeolpan (구절판) - a traditional dish with thin pancakes and assorted fillings that you wrap yourself or you get the small set they are selling like I did and finally yeonipbap (연잎밥) - rice steamed in lotus leaves.

After collecting everything, you head back upstairs to the Lunchbox Café, where there’s a small seating area and they give you chopsticks and drinks. It’s lively and a bit hectic - but isn’t that exactly what makes a traditional Korean market experience so fun?

Tongin Market & Dosirak Café

 18 Jahamun-ro 15-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

 Market 07:00 - 21:00 / Lunchbox Café 11:00 - 16:00 (Closed Tuesdays)

 Subway Line 3 Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2, 515m

Short Break at Café Haven

After that late lunch at Tongin Market, I was honestly so full. I definitely needed a coffee.

So just across the street, I stopped at Café Haven, which from the outside doesn’t really look like a traditional hanok. But once you’re inside and look up, you can immediately notice the wooden beams of a hanok, which gives it that unique mix of traditional and modern design.

I grabbed a typical Korean iced Americano and - because the weather was so perfect - went up to the rooftop. From there, you can look out over the surrounding hanok rooftops, seeing them from a completely different perspective. It’s one of those places where you just sit for a bit longer than planned, especially after walking around all day, and just take a break

Café Haven

 52-1 Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

 11:00 - 22:00

 Subway Line 3 Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2, 562m

To end the day, I walked to Daeo Bookstore, tucked away in a small alley. It’s the oldest bookstore in Seoul, and you can already tell from the outside. But the moment you step inside, it feels like a trip back in time. The old hanok has been kept just as it was, with books stacked everywhere, small hidden corners and details like family photos, guitars and handwritten notes. Now it also works as a small café, so you can order a drink when you arrive and take your time looking around.

You’ll also notice small notes left behind by visitors, especially from fans of BTS who’ve popped by hearing that RM loves to visit often. It has also been used as a K-drama filming location and visited by IU, which adds another layer to the space without taking away from its original feeling.

You’ll probably notice the owner right away when you walk in - she just adds that last special touch to the whole atmosphere. Because this place doesn’t feel like something created for visitors, it feels like something that has simply been there for a long time. And after moving through palaces, streets and markets, it felt like the right place to end the day.

What I like about this route is how naturally everything fits together. You don’t have to overthink it, you just keep walking and one place leads into the next.

You start with Korea’s royal history, move into smaller streets and traditional neighborhoods, experience everyday life in a market and end somewhere that feels like it hasn’t really changed.

If it’s your first time in Korea and you want to get a real feeling for its past, traditions and culture: this is a really good place to start!