Seoul sightseeing full-day tour and evening Nanta show

Highlights

• We will visit the beautiful Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, the Presidential Blue House, Cheongwadae Sarangchae and Changdeok Palace!
• Witness the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Gyeongbok Palace
• Enjoy a traditional Korean lunch
• Find some bargains and antique Insadong Arts and Crafts Market and the Namdaemun Traditional Market
• Discover the Nanta theatre show for an incredible non-vocal performance art show!
• Morning hotel collection and English-speaking tour-guide included
• Family friendly tour

All about the trip

Do you want to explore Seoul's beautiful history and culture? This bustling capital city has so much to offer visitors.

Our first stop will be the beautiful Jogyesa Buddhist Temple. The Jogyesa Temple is now the centre of Zen Buddhism in Korea and is famous for being located in the city of Seoul. One of the first things you will notice about the temple are its lovely surrounding trees. These locust and baeksong trees are located in front of the Daeungjeon (the main temple building) are said to be about 500 years old! They give a great backdrop to an already incredible location, which is just perfect for some photographs.

Next we will watch the 'Changing of the Guard Ceremony' at Gyeongbok Palace. Every day visitors to Gyeongbok Palace can watch a reenactment of the “Changing of the Royal Guards” ceremony, which takes place at the Gwanghwamun and Heungnyemun plazas. The royal guards of the Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910) were in charge of protecting the gates of the capital city and the royal palace.

Gyeongbok Palace itself was built in 1395, and 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.

After watching the Guards Ceremony at Gyeongbok, we will visit the Presidential Blue House. A true symbol of Cheongwadae (known to westerners as the Blue House or the presidential residence), is the blue tiles. 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. As the Blue House represents Korea, the blue tiles and the smooth curve of the roof represents the beauty of Korea.

Following the Blue House we will visit Cheongwadae Sarangchae. The newly opened Cheongwadae Sarangchae, which opened to the public on January 5th, 2010, is a historical centre that gives visitors a chance to follow in the footsteps of presidents of Korea and 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.

After Cheongwadae Sarangchae we will pay a quick visit to the Ginseng Centre to learn more about this fabulous food, herb, tea and medicine. Following the Ginseng Centre we will stop to enjoy a fabulous Korean lunch.

After lunch we will visit another palace, this time it's Changdeak Palace, which is one of the oldest Royal Palaces in Seoul as it was built in 1405. For the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) it served as the main palace for over 300 years.

After the palace we will visit Insadong Arts and Crafts Market. Insadong has been at the heart of nation’s capital for 600 years and it has been the centre of culture during the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910). This is where the Ministry of Art was once situated. The notable features of Insadong are the countless alleys that branching out from the main street. Insadong has become known as ‘Merry’s Area,’ a favourite shopping spot among foreigners and is the most reliable place to purchase antiques in Seoul. Here we can browse antique shops, art galleries and secondhand book stores.

Continuing on with looking for antiques and bargains, will head over to the Namdaemun Traditional Market. Opened in 1964, Namdaemun Market was the first traditional market in Korea a huge variety of goods available. The site also functions as a wholesale market, so you can be assured of finding a bargain here. Most of the goods here are also produced directly from shopkeepers.

Finally, to round-up this exciting day, we will head over to see the famous show of Nanta. The show is done entirely without words. The cast pounds drums, beating out rhythms with cleavers, juggling plates, reenacts the fun of classic kung fu movies and a variety of other interesting spectacles.

The Nanta Theater itself is the permanent home of the first Korean non-verbal performance called ‘Nanta.’ Nanta is a hybrid artwork, the combination of a traditional Korean folk performance called ‘Samulnori’ and Western forms of performance. On the stage is a giant kitchen, where four cooks appear and start cooking dishes for a wedding reception. In the process, they perform Samulnori using the various cooking utensils, such as pots, pans, and plates, etc. It sounds crazy, but it is very famous in Korea and was a big hit from the moment it opened, due to the power and speed of the performance. Though mainly consisting of rhythm and beats, its clever plot makes it enjoyable for people of all ages and backgrounds.

A theater was built exclusively for Nanta in Gangbuk in 2000, but a second one was built in Gangnam due to the overwhelming number of patrons. The Gangnam Theater was opened in April of 2002. The Gangbuk Theater has a capacity of 291, while the Gangnam Theater has a capacity of 293, so it is an intimate affair.

After the performance you are welcome to enjoy more of Seoul at night by yourself or just make your own way back to your accommodation.

What is included in the price

• Traditional Korean lunch
• English-speaking tour-guide
• Morning hotel collection
• Entrance fees

What is not included in the price

• Additional refreshments or extra snacks
• Funds for souvenirs

Instructions

Please bring ID and your booking reservation

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