Observation towers are a pretty big tourist attraction in any large city around the world, so you might as well get with it (in case you haven’t already) and check out the Seoul Tower perched up on Namsan Mountain, the highest point in Seoul, for some 360° views of the city. Though Seoul doesn’t have as large and recognizable of a cityscape as some other cities (think London, Hong Kong, Toronto..), it is still neat to see the city from 236m up!
Seoul Tower was originally completed in 1971 as Korea’s first radio wave tower to broadcast television and radio throughout Seoul. Ever since the Tower opened to the public in 1980, it has become a landmark of Seoul with many tourists and locals visiting this attraction every year.
You can get to the Seoul Tower via public bus or taxi most of the way, or you can ride the Namsan Cable Car up. Once you get to the top, there is a large area that houses some seating, a temple, restaurants, and a “love locks” section on top of the ticket booth.
Walking up
At the base of the Tower
Temple at the base
After you buy your tickets, head to the 3rd floor of the Tower where you can walk around and see Seoul from all angles. There is a restaurant and a candy shop (think Bulk Barn) up there with some bizarre, yet delicious candies like “Chicken Feet Gummies”.
In case you wanted to send a love letter to someone from the Tower
Seoul Tower is all about preserving memories – magnets you can stick onto the wall in the Observation Area
We made it to the top for around 5pm so that we could see the city during the day and also see the sunset and what the city looks like when it’s all lit up at night. Though we were there for what felt like a painfully long time, I’m glad we were able to see both views of Seoul.
After we had enough of the Observation Deck we went back to the main floor to check out the love locks outside. I guess the love lock idea is becoming increasingly popular around the world because it was insanely busy where the locks were – people taking photos, putting locks on, and/or just getting in the way of everyone else (naturally).
Though this is a big tourist attraction, I do recommend you visit the Seoul Tower to see views of the city that you won’t be able to see otherwise!
Even when I’m thousands of miles away, something always brings me back home..
