Early Morning Seoul
Places that open early
9 places on this map are tagged for an early start. Bongeunsa Temple is open from 05:00 according to Visit Gangnam, and the Namsan Sky Forest Trail is open 24 hours. Terarosa at POSCO Center opens at 07:30 on weekdays, and Hadongkwan serves its beef soup from 07:00, Monday to Saturday. The palaces open at 09:00, so a coffee in Seochon before Gyeongbokgung is an easy way to start. Most opening hours vary by season, so check each page.
9 places
Year round When
The places
Palace or temple · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Gyeongbokgung Palace The largest of Seoul's five grand palaces, with Gwanghwamun Gate at the south end and the throne hall, Geunjeongjeon, behind it. The National Folk Museum and the National Palace Museum sit inside the grounds.
Cafe · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Tailor Coffee Seochon A roastery cafe by the Gyeongbokgung stone wall in Seochon.
Palace or temple · Jongno and Insadong Jongmyo Shrine The Confucian shrine where Joseon kings and queens are memorialised, set in a long, plain compound. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Cafe · Ikseon-dong Cafe Highwaist Ikseon A dessert cafe where white walls meet hanok buildings, the earliest opener on the alley.
Park · Namsan Namsan Sky Forest Trail A walking path on the western side of Namsan beginning at Sowol Garden next to Namsan Library. It's open 24 hours and free.
Cafe · Euljiro Eulji Dabang A cafe on the second floor of a building on Eulji-ro, open daily.
Palace or temple · Gangnam and Sinsa Bongeunsa Temple A Seon Buddhist temple across the road from COEX, founded under the name Gyeonseongsa in the Silla period and moved to this site in the Joseon era. The grounds include Daeungjeon, the main hall, and a Seon hall.
Cafe · Gangnam and Sinsa Terarosa POSCO Center A coffee shop in the POSCO Center, a renovated space with books and a steel theme, listed on Visit Gangnam.
Cafe · Apgujeong and Cheongdam London Bagel Museum Dosan A bagel shop in Dosan that Visit Gangnam describes as having long queues.
