Seoul history, culture and Kimchi cooking tour

Highlights

• We visit the beautiful Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, Gyeongbok Palace and Cheongwadae Sarangchae
• Watch the Changing of the Guards Ceremony
• Enjoy a traditional Korean lunch
• Learn how to wear 'Hanbok' (Traditional Korean Costume)
• We also play some traditional Korean Folk games and learn proper greeting techniques
• Learn how to cook Kimchi in the traditional way - one of Korea's most famous delicacies
• Hotel collection and English-speaking tour-guide included
• Family friendly tour

All about the trip

Join us for an unforgettable day trip around Seoul to learn all about its fascinating history and culture!

We will explore Korean temples and palaces, enjoy a traditional lunch together, wear traditional Korean costumes, learn proper greeting techniques and how to cook Kimchi in the traditional way!

Our day begins by collecting you from your hotel in Seoul. Your English-speaking guide will then take you to the first stop of the day, the fascinatingly beautiful Jogyesa Buddhist Temple.

The Jogyesa Buddhist Temple is the centre of Zen Buddhism in Korea, and is famous for being located in the city. The first things you will notice at the temple are its lovely trees. These locust trees and baeksong trees in front of the Daeungjeon, the main temple building, are said to be over 500 years old! Cameras at the ready for this incredible sight!

Next up we will travel to Gyeongbok Palace. Built in 1395, Gyeongbok Palace is also commonly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is located more toward the north, compared to the neighbouring palaces of Changdeok (Eastern Palace) and Gyeonghee (Western Palace). Gyeongbok Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the grandest of all the five palaces.

Here we will also witness the 'Changing of the Guard Ceremony' which has fascinated visitors to Gyeongbok palace for years. The reenactment of the “Changing of the Royal Guards” ceremony takes place at the Gwanghwamun and Heungnyemun plazas. The original royal guards of the Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910) were in charge of protecting the gates of the capital city and the royal palace. These days you can relive the fascinating history by watching this incredibly colourful ceremony.

Afterwards we will drive by the Presidential Blue House to admire its prestige and beauty. Known as the symbol of Cheongwadae (known to westerners as the Blue House or the presidential residence), the first thing that catches your eye when you arrive at Cheongwadae is the blue tiles of the main building. The blue tiles and the smooth roof are in beautiful harmony with Mt. Bugaksan behind it. No surprises that this is a great location to take some quick photos.

Following on from the impressive Blue House we will visit Cheongwadae Sarangchae history centre. The newly opened Cheongwadae Sarangchae is a history centre that gives visitors a chance to follow in the footsteps of the past presidents of Korea and to gain insight into the history of Seoul. It encompasses the past, present and even the future of Seoul as well as the entire nation. It serves as a tourist information centre that offers detailed information on World Cultural Heritage sites and assets.

We will then stop for a delicious, traditional Korean lunch followed by a brief trip to the Ginseng Centre.

For the afternoon we will begin by learning all about the 'Hanbok' traditional garments. The Hanbok is a traditional Korean dress. It is often characterized by vibrant colours and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means “Korean clothing”, Hanboks today often refers specifically to Hanbok of Joseon Dynasty and is worn as semi-formal or formal wear during traditional festivals and celebrations.

Modern Hanboks do not exactly follow the actual style as worn in Joseon dynasty since it went through some major changes during the 20th century for practical reasons. Throughout history, Korea had a dual clothing tradition, in which rulers and aristocrats adopted different kinds of foreign styles, while the commoners continued to use a distinct style of indigenous clothing that today is known as Hanbok. We will also learn about some traditional Korean greetings and play a few fun games before we move onto the main event of the day, Kimchi cooking.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made from pickled vegetables with varied seasonings. A common manifestation is the spicy baechu (cabbage) variety. Kimchi is the most common banchan, or side dish, in South Korea. Kimchi is also a common ingredient and combined with other ingredients to make dishes such as Kimchi stew and Kimchi fried rice. So now you will learn how to make it in the traditional way!

After the Kimchi cooking lesson, there will be a quick trip to a shopping centre before we return you to your hotel Seoul.

What is included in the price

• Traditional Korean lunch
• English-speaking tour-guide
• Hotel transportation
• Entrance fees
• Hanbok class
• Kimchi cooking lesson

What is not included in the price

• Additional refreshments or extra snacks
• Funds for souvenirs

Instructions

This activity is organised by VIP Travel, Mapodaero 109, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, 04146, South Korea, +82 2 739 3501, vip@vviptravel.com.