The five houses
Hanok of different ranks.
Schölla Schwarz — CC BY 3.0 · 최광모 — CC0 · 최광모 — CC0 · Schölla Schwarz — CC BY 3.0
A heritage village on the northern foot of Mount Namsan, with five traditional Joseon-era houses, or hanok, that were moved here from around Seoul, restored and opened in 1998. The houses stand for different ranks of society, from the home of a palace carpenter to those of high officials and royal relatives, and each is furnished to suit its period and its owner's standing. In Joseon times the site was a valley people came to in summer, counted among the loveliest spots in the capital. A traditional garden with a stream, a pond and wooden pavilions brings some of that back. At the far end lies the Seoul Millennium Time Capsule, buried in 1994 on the 600th anniversary of Seoul becoming the capital and due to be opened in 2394. Unlike Bukchon, nobody lives in this village, so you can step into the courtyards and look into the rooms freely. It runs activities that suit families, such as trying on hanbok, folk games and crafts, some for a small fee. Entry is free and the village is closed on Mondays. It is close to Chungmuro Station and combines easily with a trip up to N Seoul Tower.
Hanok of different ranks.
To be opened in 2394.
Stream, pond and pavilions.
28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu; Chungmuro Station (Lines 3 and 4), exit 3 or 4
MyeongdongSeoul's best-known shopping district and its busiest with tourists, a grid of pe11 minutes walk4.4
N Seoul Tower (Namsan Tower)Seoul's best-known landmark, a communications and observation tower on the summi13 minutes walk4.4
Gwangjang MarketOne of the oldest and largest traditional markets in Korea, set up by Korean mer16 minutes walk4.1
Namdaemun MarketThe largest traditional market in Korea and one of the oldest, dating back to 1419 minutes walk4.1
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)Seoul's leading landmark of modern architecture, a silver, curving building with19 minutes walk4.5Bukchon is a real residential quarter with restricted visiting hours. Namsangol is a heritage village where nobody lives, so you can walk into the houses and courtyards freely, which suits children better.