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The cool breeze that touches the cheeks and the autumn scent passing by the nose is refreshing. The high blue skies and the crumbling sounds of fallen leaves add romance to the season. Everything we can feel with our five senses seems like signposts pointing out that this is a perfect time to enjoy fall.

One of the best ways to enjoy autumn is to relish the fall foliage. Promenade amidst the colorful autumn foliage, and it will feel as if you are falling into the heart of autumn. If deep-diving into the leave-changing season sounds appealing, a visit to Seoul’s traditional palaces is for you. Capture the splendid autumn views with your eyes and heart at the traditional palaces, where the red-and-blue dancheong resemble the colors of autumn.

Gyeongbokgung Palace is also one of the most popular leaf-peeping sites for tourists and Seoul citizens. The yellow ginkgo leaves dancing over the palace walls seem to be whispering that autumn has arrived. In the fall, the entire palace – from Gwanghwamun Gate, the entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace, to Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, the furthest point into the Palace – is painted with vibrant autumn colors. The scene of people dressed in beautiful-colored hanbok walking in the streets lined up with golden ginkgo trees brings peace.

People enjoying the season with vivid autumn colors along the pathway from Geunjeongjeon Hall to Gyeonghoeru Pavilion craft a cordial scene. Gyeonghoeru Pavilion creates a vibrant landscape painting with evergreen pine trees that blend into the multi-colored autumn foliage, making the trail from Gyeonghoeru Pavilion to Sinmumun Gate, one of the must-walk courses at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

The vista at the final stop of the Gyeongbokgung Palace autumn walk, Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, presents the peak of autumn. The reflection of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, along with the beautifully-colored fall foliage, brings awe to visitors. The scenery from Hyangwonjeong Pavilion is the pinnacle and masterpiece of autumn. The operating hours of Gyeongbokgung Palace differ by season, so check in advance on the official website. Appreciate the fall foliage at Gyeongbokgung Palace before the season is over.

• Address 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Operation Hours 09:00-17:00 KST (Closed on Tuesdays)
• Admission fee 3,000 KRW for adults and foreigners (excluding children, students, and groups fees)
• Website http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/
• TIP Free admission for those wearing hanbok and on ‘Culture Day,’ the last Wednesday of every month

When you step into Deoksugung Palace, central Seoul, its seemingly secluded stillness will calm your heart. The concord between the vivid colors of the palace’s dancheong and colorful autumn colors has grown more vibrant with the autumn sunlight. Deoksugung Palace embodies the traditional beauty of a long-standing palace and the old trees that embrace the virtues of time, making visitors marvel at the well-balanced autumn landscape.

Seokjojeon Hall, a modern European-style stone building, currently serves as the Deoksugung gallery for the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Information on exhibitions is available on the website. At Deoksugung Palace, you can enjoy the taste of fall and recharge your cultural sensibility.

Café Sarang, the coffee shop visible to your front upon entering Deoksugung Palace, offers refreshing beverages and souvenirs. Here you can restfully enjoy stunning autumn scenery that embraces the Lotus Pond and autumn foliage over a warm cup of tea. Admissions for Deoksugung Palace are open until 8 pm. Enjoying the striking autumn nightscape at Deoksugung Palace can be another delight of a leaf-peeping outing.

On weekend evenings, Deoksugung Stonewall Walkway is a busy place for busking. Enjoy the fall foliage at Deoksugung Palace and the promenade along the Deoksugung Stonewall Walkway with your loved ones. Whether it be your valentine, friends, or family, autumn is a wonderful season to love each other.

• Address 99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours 09:00-21:00 KST (Closed on Mondays)
• Admission fee 1,000 KRW for adults and foreigners (excluding children, students, and groups fees)
• Website http://www.deoksugung.go.kr/
• TIP Free admission for those wearing hanbok and on ‘Culture Day,’ the last Wednesday of every month

At Changgyunggung Palace, the fallen leaves add elegance to the autumn scene, creating a beautiful landscape of the royal palace and autumn colors throughout the entire Palace. The quintessence of fall at this royal palace can be found at the Chundangji Pond, where the vibrant fall foliage is reflected. The scene of the carp and ducks swimming in the fall-tinted pond seems like a picturesque painting.

Changgyunggung Palace, part of Changdeokgung Palace at large, also served as a living space for Joseon’s royal family, and within Changgyunggung Palace is the western-style Changgyunggung Greenhouse. If you’re feeling chilly in the autumn breeze, this place can be a nice place to stop by. As a structure built in relatively modern times, the Greenhouse will offer a different look and feel compared to the other royal palaces of Joseon.

Changgyunggung Palace offers free admission for visitors wearing hanbok, so check out the details on the official website. The Secret Garden of Changdeokgung Palace, which is in touch with Changgyunggung Palace with no visible border and connects via Donggwol, is also one of the best spots for leaf-peeping in Seoul. Don’t miss out on the fall foliage at Changgyunggung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace this fall.

Changgyunggung Palace is also a historic site where the stories of the film The Throne and drama The Red Sleeve took place. Why not try writing your own story at Changgyunggung Palace, which has many hidden tales combined with autumn foliage? It’s about time to begin your fall story.

• Address 185, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours 09:00-21:00 KST (Closed on Mondays)
• Admission fee 1,000 KRW for adults and foreigners (excluding children, students, and groups fees)
• Website http://cgg.cha.go.kr/
• TIP Free admission for those wearing hanbok and on ‘Culture Day,’ the last Wednesday of every month

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History is a museum documenting Korea's modern and contemporary history, ranging from the end of the 19th century to the times when the country opened its ports to the external world, all the way up to Korea we know today. The eight-story building consisting of a Children’s Museum, History Gallery, Donation Gallery, Special Exhibition Gallery, and an Interactive Gallery, offers plenty to learn and experience Korea’s history. The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History also organizes a plethora of cultural performances. You can check out the news and details on registering for the events on the official website.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History is open until 9 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Visitors can keep their luggage in the lockers on the 1st and 2nd floors for a convenient tour. Regular and sign-language tour guides are also available, so check the website for more information.

One of the most popular places at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History is the Rooftop garden. Head up to the eighth floor after taking a deep dive into the history of Korea, and you can enjoy a complete panorama of the Gwanghwamun neighborhood. The stunning view of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bugaksan Mountain will stretch out under the clear blue autumn skies.

If you want to watch exhibitions and engage in experiences on the history of Korea and enjoy the whole of Gwanghwamun avenue, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History is the perfect place for your autumn excursion. A visit to the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and Gyeongbokgung Palace together can also be a great itinerary since it can offer two different views of autumn in Gyeongbokgung Palace: a view up close and a birds-eye view from above.

• Address 198, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun 10:00-21:00 KST / Wed, Sat 10:00-18:00 KST
• Websitse https://www.much.go.kr/