South Korea is full of mountains and trees so it’s no wonder why Seoul is absolutely stunning in the autumn. Apart from spring, this season is the best time to visit the capital because it’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. September, October, November, in particular, are the best months to visit the city as well as the rest of the country. If you’re looking for gorgeous sites to see in Seoul during the autumn months then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a list of 11 places you absolutely need to see if you’re in Seoul in the autumn.
Table of Contents
1. Bukhansan National Park and Mountain
Visiting Bukhansan during the autumn is a must because the mountain peak offers great views of the city. Even if you’re not a fan of hiking, you can still enjoy the beautiful scenery the mountain’s National Park has to offer.
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| Closed: March 2 – April 30 / November 15 – December 15 during the Annual Forest Fire Prevention Period. |
| Cost: Free. |
| How to get there: Gupabal Station (Line 3) exit 1 then take Bus no. 704 or 34 to Bukhansanseong Fortress. |
2. Namsan Tower
Namsan Tower is great to visit all-year-round (even in the winter), so it should definitely be on your list of places to see when you’re in Seoul in the autumn. The panoramic views of the city will leave you in awe. Even the sight of the tower from below is gorgeous. There’ll definitely be plenty of excellent photo opportunities for you.
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| Closed: Open all year round. |
| Cost: The tower itself is free, but the Observatory and Hello Kitty Island Island require a fee. Hello Kitty Island: Adults, 8000 won/ Children 7000 won Combo Admission Ticket: (Observatory + Hello Kitty Island): Adults 13,500 won / Children 11,500 won |
| How to get there: Bus – Take Namsan Circular Shuttle Bus 1 or 2 from Chungmuro Station (Seoul Subway Line 3, 4), Exit 2 (in front of Daehan Cinema). Alternatively, you can take the buses from Dongguk University Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6. 2) Take Namsan Circular Shuttle Bus 3 or 4 from Seoul Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 4), Exit 9, Itaewon Station (Seoul Subway Line 6), Exit 4 or Hangangjin Station (Seoul Subway Line 6), Exit 2. 3) Take Namsan Circular Shuttle Bus 5 from Myeongdong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 3 or Chungmuro Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2 (in front of Daehan Cinema). Cable Car* – Get off at Myeongdong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 3. Walk for about 15 minutes following the street on the right side of the Pacific Hotel. You’ll get to some steps at the end of the path. Once you climb those, you’ll see the cable car boarding place to your right. By foot – Get off at Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4) and Exit 3. Once you get to the cable car place continue walking until you get close to Namsam Baekbom Square. There are several routes up to Namsan tower from there. *Note: The queues for buying tickets and entering the cable car tend to be quite long, so if you’re strapped for time or hate waiting in queues then it’s best to catch one of the shuttle buses up to Namsan Seoul Tower or even walk up the mountain. |
3. Gyeongbukgung Palace
Opened in 1395, Gyeongbukgung Palace, the largest of Seoul’s palaces, is gorgeous in all-year-round, so it’s definitely a sight to see in the autumn. You’ll be spoilt for choice on beautiful autumnal sceneries at this palace due to its vastness. However, the best place to visit in Gyeonbukgung Palace during this season is Hyangwonjeong Pavilion. You can find it on a small island in the middle of a lake on the northern grounds of the palace.
More info
| Closed: Tuesdays |
| Cost: Adults 3000 won / Children 1500 won/ Free if you rent a hanbok. |
| How to get there: Subway – Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), Exit 5. Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 1. Bus – Take 1020, 7025,109, 171, 172, 601 or 606 and get off at the Gyeongbokgung Palace stop. Alternatively, you can take bus 11 and get off at the National Folk Museum of Korea stop. |
4. Changdeokgung Palace and Secret Garden (Huwon)
Changdeokgung Palace was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, so it’s unsurprising that the palace looks wonderful during autumn. I especially recommend visiting the palace’s Secret Garden (Huwon) as it looks wonderful during this season. In all honesty, it’s worth visiting the Secret Garden during each season, as the scenery changes are worth seeing, even in the winter.
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| Closed: Mondays |
| Cost: Adults (ages 25-64) – 8,000 won/ Young adults (ages 19-24) / 5,000 won/ Children and Teenagers (ages 7-18) – 2500 won/ Free for those who wear a hanbok. |
| How to get there: Subway – Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 3. Walk straight from the exit for about 5-min to arrive at the palace entrance. Bus – Take any of the following buses and get off at Changgyeonggung Palace Bus Stop: Blue Bus 100, 102, 104, 106, 107, 108, 140, 143, 150, 151, 160, 162, 301, 710, Airport Bus 6011. |
5. Changgyeonggung Palace
Changgyeonggung Palace is right next to Changdeokgung Palace, so it’s worth visiting them on the same day. It may be smaller than the latter palace but it’s worth visiting as it has a lot of trees and greenery that will all turn a variety of earthy hues in the autumn. It’s also unique because it contains a greenhouse which none of the other palaces has.
More info
| Closed: Mondays |
| Cost: Adults – 1000 won / Teens and kids/ 500 won / Free for those who enter the palace with hanbok. |
| How to get there: One of the entrances to Changyeonggung Palace is right next to the entrance and ticket booth of Changdeokgung Palace’s Secret Garden. If you’re travelling to the palace from outside of Changdeokgung then here are some ways to get there. Subway – Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 3. Walk straight from exit 3 and continue along Yulgok-ro for about 1 km. Then turn left onto Changgyeonggung-ro. Walk down the road until you find the palace entrance on the left. Bus –Take bus 100, 102, 104, 151, 171, 272, 301, 601, 710 or Airport bus 6011 and then get off at Changgyeonggung (Palace) / Seoul National University Hospital bus stop. |
6. Deoksugung Palace
This palace is smaller than the rest but it’s still pleasant to see and visit. There are also European influences on the palace’s architecture, which are mainly represented in Seokjojeon Hall. It’ll definitely be interesting to see the juxtaposition between Korean and European architecture against the backdrop of autumn.
You can also see a bird’s eye view of the palace from Jeongdeong Observatory nearby, which you may prefer to visit instead to see the palace as it’s free. Another free way to bask in the autumnal colours at Deoksugung Place is to walk along the Deoksugung Stone-Wall Road.
More info
| Closed: Mondays |
| Cost: Adults – 1,000 won/ Children – 500 won/ Free for those who enter the palace with hanbok. |
| How to get there: Subway – City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 1, 2 or 3. Bus –Take any of these buses and get off at the Deoksugung Palace bus stop in front of City Hall: Green Bus 1711, 7016, 7022, Blue Bus 103, 150, 401, 402, 406, 604, N16, Airport Bus 6005. You can alternatively take Jongno Bus 09 or 11 and get off at the City Hall Station bus stop. |
7. Ttukseom and Yeouido Hangang Parks
There are 11 Hangang Parks in total: Nanji, Mangwon, Ichon, Ttukseom, Gwangnaru, Jamsil, Jamwon, Banpo, Yeouido , Yanghwa, Gangseo. However, Yeouido and Ttukseom are my favourites, as they offer great views of the city and have a great atmosphere. They also both have excellent facilities. The beautiful fountain at Yeouido Hangang Park, which you can find buskers performing near, particularly stands out. And at Ttukseom Hangang Park, I love the famous J-bug building you can visit, which resembles a centipede.
A great way to enjoy the scenery fully at both river parks is to rent a bicycle, which is just 3,000 won for the first hour and 500 won every 15mins after that.
More info
| Closed: Open all year round |
| Cost: Free |
| How to get there: Ttukseom Subway – Ttukseom Resort Station (Seoul Subway Line 7), Exit 3. Bus – Take bus 2014 and get off at the Noyu Nadeulmok stop. You can also take bus 2221, 2222,2223 or 2415 and get off at the Jayang Yukgammun stop. Yeouido Subway Yeouinaru Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 2 or 3. |
8. Haneul Park
There are five World Cup Parks: Haneul (Sky) Park, Pyeonghwa (Peace) Park, Noeul (Sunset) Park, Nanjicheon Park and Nanji Hangang Park. These parks once used to be landfill area until the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided that to turn the area into a massive ecological park, which opened in May 2002.
Of all five, Haneul Park is the most popular and it’s easy to see why when you visit during autumn. In fact, every October the Pampas Grass Festival is held in the park. Fortunately, you can still enjoy the beautiful golden reeds until late November.
More info
| Closed: Open all year round. |
| Cost: The park is free to visit however there’s an optional shuttle bus you can catch from the park’s entrance to the park itself. Shuttle bus – 1 way 2000 won, return 3000 won. |
| How to get there: Subway World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6, Exit 1). The park is a 10-minute walk from the station. After you leave Exit 1, turn right, go around the stadium and walk towards a big road, which should be World Cup-ro . Follow the road on your right. Cross the road at the first main intersection to reach the park which should be the right of you. Walk past the car park to reach the Haneul Park entrance ahead. After this, you’ll have to walk up 291 stairs to reach the actual park. You can take a provided shuttle bus to reach if you don’t feel like climbing the stairs. Alternatively, you can follow the shuttle bus path by foot. |
9. Seoul Forest
Seoul Forest is quite close to Ttukseom Hangang Park. The forest was created to satisfy people’s wishes to have more green and recreational space in the city. However, in the past, this forest was a hunting ground for the royal family. Like many other places on the list, Seoul Forest is a nice place to visit all-year-round, but it’s absolutely stunning in the autumn. In fact, it’s like a mini Nami Island. You can even see deer in the forest.
More info
| Closed: Open all year round, but some facilities in the forest are closed on Mondays. |
| Cost: The forest itself is free, but it contains some optional facilities you have to pay for. |
| How to get there: Subway – Seoul Forest Station (Bundang Line), Exit 3. Walk straight ahead for about 5 minutes. The park will be on your right. Ttukseom Station (Line 2), Exit 8. The Forest is about 15 minutes away from the station. Bus – Blue bus 141, 145, 148, 410 Green bus 2014, 2412, 2413, 224. |
10. Seokchon Lake Park
Also known as Songpa Naru Park, Seokchon Lake Park is one of the most popular places tourists visit in the spring for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival but it’s equally stunning in the autumn as the auburn leaves completely surround the lake. You’ll get stunning views of Lotte World and Tower. You can pop into Lotte World Mall and Seoul Sky once you’ve finished visiting the lake park as they’re close by and offer more great views of Seoul.
More info
| Closed: Open all year round. |
| Cost: Free. |
| How to get there: Subway – Jamsil Station( Line 2), Exit 2 or 3. Bus – 303, 352, 360. |
11. Seoul Sky
It may be the priciest place on the list but Seoul Sky offers amazing views of the city as it’s the tallest building in the South Korean capital. It also has one of the quickest lifts in the world. It’s best to go there during the day if you want to see the autumnal colours through the glass tower design but the view from the top is just as beautiful at night.
More info
| Closed: Open all year round. |
| Cost: 27000 won. |
| How to get there: Subway – Jamsil Station (Line 2), Exits 1 and 2 or (Line 8), Exits 10 and 11. Bus – Green Bus 3217, 3313, 3314, 3315, 3317, 3411, 3414, 4319. Blue Bus 301, 341, 360, 362. Red Bus 1007-1, 1100, 1700, 2000, 6900, 7007, 8001. Airport Bus 6000, 6006, 6705, 6706A. |
