Namsan (South Mountain) and Seoul Tower, Seoul

You can take a taxi to the cable car platform house and then ride the cable car to the top and enjoy the spectacular views. They say at night, they are even more dramatic, however I think during the day they are pretty breathtaking. We had spent almost all day shopping and trying to find someplace to get more cash, so by the afternoon when we arrived at the platform - we were ready for a little rest and easy sightseeing - - this was just the ticket.

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Namsan is a great place to get some exercise, breath some fresh air and get great views of seoul... and it's right downtown. The Tower itself is at the top of the mountain. It is accesible by cablecar or by walking up. It has recently been renovated and has some yummy food and interesting souveniers to buy. If you are fortunate to grab a table on the terrace overlooking the south of the city, you can see the Han river and other attractions like the never ending apartments that continue for as far as the eye can see.

There are many "famous" donkass (port cutlet) restaurants around the entrance to the cable car... if you are looking for a nice way to walk down, choose one of the alleys around the donkass restaurants and follow the zigzags down to myungDong area.........

It's well worth spending the 7,000 KRW to go up and pay a visit to the observation deck. However, if you are short on budget, you can simply enjoy an almost as stunning view from the tower's first floor as well as from the new viewing platform or the restaurant on the second floor.

However, if you decide to go up and catch a glimpse of Seoul from high above, the impressions will surely last a lifetime. Beware of the "Shocking Edge", the near free-fall experience... ;-)

The Observatory Gallery consists of 5 floors:
1/F : Hancook Restaurant
2/F : Sky Cafe
3/F : Observatory platform
4/F : Observatory platform
5/F : N Grill by Vips (revolving restaurant)

The picture shows the view towards South from the tower's first floor.
The huge black building in the middle is the Grand Hyatt Hotel, one of the best but also most expensive places to stay in Seoul.

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What's the first thing you see when entering Seoul?
Right, the city's landmark - Seoul Tower.

Located on top of Namsan, Seoul's little, 262 meter high inner city mountain, Seoul Tower is visible from almost everywhere... even or especially during night time.
Opened to the public in 1980, it thrones at an overvall height of 480m above sea level and includes an observation platform at 370 meters above nn as well as a revolving restaurant.

Namsan Tower underwent a major renovation and re-opened to the public on December 9, 2005 as N Seoul Tower. The place looks really great now and includes several levels with various places to drink, eat, shop or simply look around:

1st Floor
- Olive Young (supermarket / convenience store)
- Coffee Shop
- Eatery with indoor and outdoor seating
- Food Court
- Gift Shop
- Ticket Counter

2nd Floor
- Viewing Platform
- Restaurant (relatively inexpensive with great view)

Basement
- Elevator Entrance
- Tous Les Jour (bakery)
- Ticket Counter
- Exhibition Area

Observatory Gallery
(360m altitude, reached by express elevator)
1/F : Hancook Restaurant
2/F : Sky Cafe
3/F : Observatory platform
4/F : Observatory platform
5/F : N Grill by Vips (revolving restaurant)

Be sure to have a splendid view all across Seoul... provided the weather is not too misty.

Operating Hours
The observatory opens from 10.00am to 11.00pm (midnight on Fridays and Saturdays)!
The shops close at around 10.00pm.

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Namsan (남산) is a must-see in Seoul because of its convenient location near city center as well as its scenic vistas. At the top of Namsan, Seoul Tower (서울타워) sits perched over Seoul. Take the elevator to the top of the tower for breathtaking views of Seoul and dinner at the revolving restaurant. Also at the base of the tower are a few restaurants & souvenir stands & replicas of the Chosun-era signal fire posts that were used for long-distance signaling (called Bongsoodae). There is also a huge octagonal pavilion called Palgakjeong, built in the traditional style.

Besides the attractions at the peak, several areas around the base of the mountain have other historic sites and entertainment venues. The Hwehyun District of Namsan is near Seoul Station & contains numerous monuments, a library, a small zoo, & an observatory. The Hannam District near Yongsan & the Itaewon Hyatt have some small sports areas & botanical gardens. Namsan's Yedang District is next to Myeongdong and is the base of the cable car, as well as the village of traditional houses. The Jangchoong District, to the northeast of the peak has the National Theater & numerous large sporting venues.

Namsan's peak is 262 meters above sea level, and the Seoul Tower stands 237 meters tall from base to tip. Namsan has been a historically significant location in Korea from 1394 when the Korean capital was moved to Seoul. For centuries the mountain had a religious shine, but it was destroyed by the Japanese in 1925. They also built the Namsan road and developed the mountain with various administrative buildings. From 1991 to 1998 the Korean government restored the Namsan by removing these buildings.

For a good view of the city center, take the Namsan Cable Car up or down the mountain. The lower end of the cable car sits near Myeongdong and the entrance to the 3rd Namsan Tunnel.

Read about Seoul Tower's Recent Renovations (8 December 2005)

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Going to Namsan & Seoul Tower, it is better to take cable car up & take the bus down. Buses are a lot cheaper than the cable car. There's nothing special about the cable car with plenty of people jampack inside standing for a very short ride costing 7500 won roundtrip. Not really worth it. Taking the bus will get you direct to Myeongdong or Itaewon which is perfect after dark. If taking the cable car down, you will still have to take a cab to Myeongdong coz it's a far walk. It's very cold at the tower base so better take a jacket with you. You can still see the city without going up the tower coz there's an observation deck at the base. Plenty of food shops selling ice cream, coffee, snacks etc...
Cable Car 10AM-9PM
Tower 9AM-11:30PM

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Namsan/ seoul tower can only be reached by public transport - there is a ban on private cars going up this hill.

Try to go in the evening / night where the seoul tower is lighted up. The view is beautiful and there's a sense of romanticism. Why? First off, there is the fence, where couples clicked a padlock onto it, and then throw away the key to declare their love for each other (like they are 'chained' to each other kind of concept). The gift shop there even sells the padlocks.

There's a teddy bear shop for cute presents, and the outdoor screen accepts requests by phone sms, where your message is broadcasted on the screen (how nice for a proposal!). There is also a pavilion and also quirky sculptures on wires in the air. And all these at the base of the seoul tower. Of course, you can also pay the admission fee to enter the tower and go up to its observatory.

I went in the early spring at night, it was really beautiful and had a wistful feel.

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Fabulous views of Seoul. I didn't ascend it until my last day but I am sorry I didn't do it first. I think it is the best thing in Seoul. There is a cable car to the top of the mountain. There are great views before you even go to the top of the tower.

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It took me a while to eventually get here... Wanted to go on a clear day, and those don't happen too often.
Wait for a sunny day to go, after it rains good. Otherwise you won't see anything except smog...

Namsan mountain is 'Korean Historic Site #10'. The fortress wall was built in 1396, to surround 'Hanyang' (original name of Seoul). It was added to in 1422 and 1704. the fortress wall was about 18km in circumference and 12m in height. Each part of the fortress wall built successively differ from one another in building methods and stone shapes, showing how the technical procedures used in their construction changed with the times.
With the modern urbanization that came with the Japanese colonization, the fortress wall and gates were badly damaged. However, efforts to recover their original forms have continued since the liberation in 1945.

The observation tower offers a good 360° view of Seoul on a clear day.
Admition to the observation deck is 7,000 won, cheaper for kids. There is also a rotating restaurant at the top of the tower, that you can eat an overpriced meal at.

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Go to the viewing terrace at seoul tower .what they do here is.. yo u come here with your darling.. buy two locks. write your name on it.. lock the locks together and throw away the keys.Cannot under stand the Significance.