4.8
Highlights & Hidden Gems of Seoul
- 3 hours
- City Highlight Tours
- Seoul
Choose one of 6 locals available
Experience hosted by Ho Jin, Hailey & other locals
- Private Tour
- Carbon Neutral
- Destination
- Seoul, South Korea
- Category
- City Highlight Tours
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Transport mode
- Walking tour
- Available languages
- English, Korean, Français, Español, Deutsch
- Included
-
- Private Guide
- 1 Local Snack or Drink
- Tickets for Gyeongbokgung Palace
- All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
- Excluded
-
- Entrance for other attractions than mentioned
6 reasons to book this tour
- Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours
- Spot classics like Gwangjang Market & Jogyesa Temple
- Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
- Experience the city from a local’s perspective
- Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
- Privately guided by a local expert
What you can expect
Seoul is a magical place! And with the local host of your choice, you are going to experience it all. So get ready; culture, history, and local lifestyle await!
Dive into the origin of Seoul as you see the city’s main landmarks like Gwangjang Market, Jogyesa Temple, and Bukchon Hanok Village. And how about the hidden gems? Oh, you’re in for a surprise! Every host has its own story to tell, so pick your favorite, and you’ll discover the city through their eyes. Experience their Seoul to the max based on their passions and expertise. They’ll make sure you have fun enjoying a unique and local perspective of Seoul.
Want to take a break? Leave it up to your host! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that special eatery where only the locals come and your chance to enjoy a local treat hand-picked by your host. Feel free to ask your host more about their life in their city or get recommendations about the top things to do in Seoul. Remember, the locals know best.
The best part of any city tour is definitely the unique stories. Everybody has a story to tell, especially your host. Each one of the local hosts has a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share their knowledge with you and exchange ideas and perspectives! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Seoul, your Seoul!
Choose your local
Get to know these 6 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
-
Ho Jin
The Swimming Traveler
4.9237 reviewsEnglish・Español・Korean -
Hailey
A licensed tour guide
5.06 reviewsEnglish・Korean -
Jason
K-Culture Ambassador
4.88 reviewsEnglish・Korean -
Sarah
Passion Palais
5.013 reviewsEnglish・Français・Korean -
Cristina
Exhuberant Multilingual
4.557 reviewsEnglish・Français・Deutsch・Español・Korean -
Sanghee Priscilla
Truly a Seoulite
4.8236 reviewsKorean・English
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
-
Meeting point
Meet at In front of GODIVA Chocolate Cafe - Seoul to start your journey
-
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
-
City Highlights
See from Gwangjang Market, Jogyesa Temple, Bukchon Hanok village, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Seoul so unique -
Hidden Gems
Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience -
Magical Storytelling
Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know! -
Special Treat
Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions -
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
-
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
-
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
-
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
mrdreese
(About local )
1 March 2025
My group really enjoyed our time Priscilla. She was very fun, charismatic, and knowledgeable about the history of South Korea. She was very familiar with the many shrines, statues, temples and artifacts, and she was able to tell the stories of each. Priscilla answered all of our questions and she made great recommendations outside of our tour. I would recommend Priscilla as a guide if you are visiting South Korea.Very Informative
Unknown
(About local )
1 March 2025
We loved our time with Priscilla. She is a perfect combination of guide and friendliness! Super Friendly
bc9r9rx42s
(About local )
26 February 2025
We had a great time with Sanghee. She was really enthusiastic and showed us a great time. Everything about the tour was great!Highlights with Sanghee
Unknown
(About local )
23 February 2025
Ho Jin is a wonderful guide. So personable and knowledgeable about Korean history and culture. I highly recommend him. Terrific!!!
Melissa
(About local )
18 February 2025
Masias.restis
(About local )
11 February 2025
Ho Jin was an absolute gem as a guide! He was incredibly knowledgeable about Korean culture and life, and he made the whole experience so enjoyable. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to learn more about Korea. Korean Atlas
Felipe🇲🇽 Mexico
(About local )
4 February 2025
Hi Jin, fue excelente guía, conocedor, flexible y nos llevó a todos lados que le pedimos. Sumamente gentil y profesional
Most excellent guide in Korea
Stephany
(About local )
14 January 2025
Ho Jin was an awesome tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and cultured. Even though it was probably the coldest day of the year we had a great time and had a lot of fun. Highly recommend! Great tour on a cold day
Simon🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
8 January 2025
Ho Jin gave us a great tour of Seoul, was very kind and talked perfectly English. Would highly recommend! 😊Great tour!
Kerry🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
7 January 2025
Personable, friendly and knowledgeable! Look forward to our second booking with him tomorrow. Excellent guide
Leah🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
25 December 2024
Our guide was super knowledgeable and friendly . Perfect English .
The walk was well paced and didn’t feel overwhelming. It was honestly a great start to our holiday and I highly recommend Ho Jin . Definitely book him you won’t regret it
Amazing guide
Carlos
(About local )
22 December 2024
Muy serio y conocedorEXCELENTE
Jeffrey🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
15 December 2024
Jin offered to meet us at our hotel. Accommodated our request of going slow, and at times had to stand in the wind and freezing temperature 🥶. Offered interesting in-depth knowledge during the tour. Had great conversations, not only related to the tour but also our individual experiences. Great experience overall. 👍 Great experience
Ian
(About local )
29 November 2024
Omer🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
22 November 2024
The Person who you looking for in Seoul.. The Greatest The Greatest
CARLOS🇲🇽 Mexico
(About local )
21 November 2024
Planear un viaje es abrumador. Muchas opciones. Muchos guías. No sabes qué elegir. Te voy a resolver la vida. Contrata a Ho Jin. Es flexible, educado, alegre; hace el tour a tu medida. Te lleva en su auto. Se preocupa por que conozcas lo mejor. Su inglés es perfecto (estudió en EU) Su español es nativo (creció en Sudamérica) El día con él se pasa volando. En nuestro viaje de 20 días en Asia, el mejor día, sin duda fue con Hi Jun en Seúl. No te equivoques de guía y ya no pierdas tiempo buscando. No busques más
Ofelia
(About local )
18 November 2024
Mañana agradable conociendo pequeños recovecos de esa maravillosa ciudad!
Ho Jin fue el guia perfecto adaptandose a lo que buscabamos y a lo que ya habiamos visitado!
Muchas graciasMañana genial conociendo los rincones
Almudena
(About local )
14 November 2024
Nos gustó mucho la visita con Ho Jin, habla perfectamente español y fue muy interesante lo que nos contó. Aguantó todas nuestras preguntas, que fueron muchas, con una sonrisa. :-)
Jeff🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
14 November 2024
Excellent tour with Camille. We loved the old neighborhoods, shopping district, and temple. Camille catered the tour to our interests and pace. Be sure to try the salt bread! Excellent tour
Molly🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 November 2024
Priscilla was great! Super knowledgeable about Korea and its history, the tour of the palace was fabulous! We also booked a food tour with Priscilla and it was great! Lots of food, varied and delicious!History and Food
Shane🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 November 2024
Ho Jin is a professional tour guide! I had fun getting to know Seoul and the hidden gems. Ho Jin knows the are very well and is very accommodating. He knows where all the bathrooms are. I would recommend! Best intro to Seoul!
Howard 🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
8 November 2024
We spent our first two days in Seoul with Songhee. By the time we were done with our food tour we were already planning a return trip ( and we still had 5 more days here!) . When we said good bye she felt like a friend if not family member. Songhee has a lovely casual air about her and lets you set the pace. You don’t feel rushed or limited in any questions or advice. She was also very helpful pre - trip with advice. Simply put because of her we will be back and will want to reconnect ..Kam Sa Hamida!Our new BFF in Korea!
Laura🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
7 November 2024
Camille is a delightful person who is ever so dedicated to what she is doing, she has a wealth of stories and information to share.
Very attentive and flexible on what was my demands.
Her bubbly and enthusiastic personality makes for a very interesting time, I would highly recommend Camille.The joy of meeting a passionate host
Christopher🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
5 November 2024
We had been so looking forward to our first trip to South Korea for many months. Having done lots of research of what we wanted to see and do in our time in the city we shared our list with Sanghee. She came up with a great itinerary and we saw soooo much of the city.
THANK YOU!
C+J Thanks for a great introduction to Seoul
Marta🇪🇸 Spain
(About local )
28 October 2024
Muy amable, realmente disfruté la tarde y recorrimos un montón de sitios. Su español es perfecto. Las explicaciones excelentes. Cuando vuelva otra vez solicitaré sus servicios.Fabtastico dia de tour
Leslie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
19 October 2024
Awesome person to show you the sites of Seoul. Awesome
Yahaira🇵🇪 Peru
(About local )
14 October 2024
Cesar🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 October 2024
We signed up for a Kickstart to Seoul. Ho Jin showed how to use the subway along with taking us to various parts of town. Afterwards we were amazed how much we covered. He did an excellent job describing what we were seeing. At the end he dropped us off at a small restaurant for gimbap. It was a great way to start our first day in Seoul. Highly recommend.Great tour guide!
Vivien 🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
11 October 2024
In my short 3hr walking tour,I,a first timer in S Korea, got a glimpse of it's hardworking people, it's tradition, the way they lived, the vibrant economy .A glimpse of Korean culture
Carolyn🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
7 October 2024
A lovely tour through the palace area with lots of good chatting. A stop at Insadong and Ikesedong was a great introduction to the areas. A great timeA lovely morning!
Esther🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
4 October 2024
Cristina was a great guide. Very informative of the history and culture. She is also flexible at changing plans and pivoting to make sure everyone has a good time, which is a God send with jet lagged kids. She asked my kids lots of questions to get to know them and got them talking to her like a buddy. She is also very efficient! We went to a castle on a national holiday so the lines were long, but she knew how to maneuver our family to get us in quicker. Overall I would highly recommend!Informative and efficient
Joshua🇪🇸 Spain
(About local )
4 October 2024
Habla español perfecto, además de varios idiomas. Es un guía que conoce la historia y si tienes dudas te ayuda con lo que necesitas. Es una persona muy cercana y amable. Repetiremos en la vuelta a Corea! Gracias!!El mejor guía que puedes tener
Jane🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
3 October 2024
A wonderful way to kick off our Seoul trip. Myself and my 3 teenage boys enjoyed Ho Jin’s company and commentary. He was patient and generous with his time. A great start to our trip
Yvonne
(About local )
27 September 2024
We appreciate that Ho Jin was very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately ( and perhaps he was tired since we are the 3rd walking tour group that day) , we felt that he didn’t do much explanation of any of the sites we walked through, though we are sure that there is much interesting history to share. So basically we just walked through all the sites non stop and we ended faster than the 3 hour slot allotted. Also in our fare , it included the entrance fee to the palace - the day we went was for free to public. Plus there was suppose to be a free snack/drink included in this tour, but none was offered to us ! So we felt disappointed. Otherwise the route is a good one.Walking tour from Palace and Ikseon
Lori
(About local )
12 September 2024
We enjoyed our time with Cristina, appreciated that she was patient with us when we arrived late. Due to the heat, we could not complete the entire planned tour, at our request. I wish she had been more informed about Seoul/Joseon history. But to be fair, the unexpected heat in September really made it impossible to enjoy the typical stops. Thanks!
Richard
(About local )
10 September 2024
Cristina is a very knowledgable and helpful guide who is great fun to be with while touring SeoulExcellent guide to Seoul
maria🇨🇴 Colombia
(About local )
6 September 2024
Fredrik🇸🇪 Sweden
(About local )
4 September 2024
Cristina took care of us in the best way. She answered all our questions and gave us a personal, fascinating and memorable walking experience.A knowledgable and personal tour
Melanie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 September 2024
We had a great experience with Christina! She Was ver knowledgeable and down to earth. She will.customoze the tour to match your needs and interests. I would definitely recommend her to others. Great Tour with Christina
Jonathan Nicholas
(About local )
21 August 2024
Thank you Sanghee for the tour around Seoul.
Jennifer🇫🇷 France
(About local )
9 August 2024
Cristina est une excellente guide qui maîtrise le français et nous a appris énormément de choses sur la Corée ancestrale et moderne. Elle a pris le temps de s’intéresser à chacun d’entre nous individuellement et nous a fait part des différences existant entre nos pays respectifs.
Elle nous a aussi donné beaucoup d’informations utiles pour la suite de notre voyage. Interressante et intéressée !
Carolyn🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
8 August 2024
Cristina is a very knowledgeable and experienced guide. She showed us the main sites of Seoul and explained to us the history and culture. She also knew all the great food places! Experienced Guide
Marianu🇸🇰 Slovakia
(About local )
8 August 2024
She is very knowledgeable, funny and helpful.
We visited very beautiful places and tried local food at the market.
KamsahamnidaHailey made our day to be very beautiful
Faye🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
5 August 2024
I had a great time with Ho Jin as my guide during my layover in Korea. He perfectly adjusted the tour to fit my schedule, keeping things relaxed while still teaching me a lot. It was so enjoyable that it made me want to see more of Korea. The tour was definitely worth the money. I highly recommend booking with Ho Jin!
Fatoumata🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
30 July 2024
Ho Jin took me to areas that are not tourist destinations, which allowed me to have a feel for Seoul that only locals would know. Even when he took me to tourists destinations, he knew the timing of events, so that I could appreciate them ahead of the crowds. I also felt that I was having a conversation with someone I hadn’t known only mere hours because he spoke English like a native and understood my culture.
I highly recommend Ho Jin for his knowledge and generosity!Very knowledgeable of the hidden gems!
Misael🇪🇸 Spain
(About local )
19 July 2024
Fue una grata sorpresa conocer a Jin, desde el primer momento lo sentimos como de la familia. Fue super cercano y nos llevó a lugares que no habríamos podido ir sin él. Siempre estuvo dispuesto a responder todas nuestras preguntas (que no fueron pocas) y a adaptarse a lo que queríamos con una sonrisa y siendo súper agradable y cercano. Sin duda lo volveríamos a elegir, ¡no nos imaginamos un tour por Seoul sin él! :)¡Mucho más de lo que buscábamos!
Gerd🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
15 July 2024
Good Morning,
We had a very nice experiense with Ho Hin. He is a very friendly and funny guy, well informed and always „elegant in the background“!
We were a couple with two girls: 14 and 24 years old and we all would say that you can be happy to be with him as a guide! Perfect Sightseeing
Natalie 🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
13 July 2024
Christina ist eine ganz liebe Person, die alles gibt, damit man sich wohl fühlt. Sie beantwortet alle Fragen, Anliegen und Wünsche. Sie gibt auch viele hilfreiche Tipps für das alltägliche Leben in Seoul. Christina erklärt während der Tour alles wichtige über die koreanische Geschichte. Sie geht individuell auf Wünsche und Interessen ein und passt die Tour dann dementsprechend an. Weiter hat sie mich gut in die koreanische Küche eingeführt und mir bestimmte Gerichte empfohlen. Das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis ist mehr als angemessen. Ich hatte die Tour auf Deutsch und das war super. Christina sagt, dass ihr Deutsch etwas eingerostet ist. Ist es aber nicht. Christina spricht mehrere Sprachen und hat vielen Ländern gelebt. Ihre Erfahrungen teilt sie gerne.
Die Tour und vor allem Christina sind sehr zu empfehlen. Ich danke für einen tollen und entspannten Tag.Perfekte Tour
David🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
25 June 2024
Excellent private tour service for a short layover.Excellent experience
Jason🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
22 June 2024
We only had few hours in Seoul and wanted to maximise our sightseeing and Sarah took us to lots of fantastic historical sights and pointed out things we could do later in the day - including the Contemporary History Museum which I visited later in the day to learn about the Korean war which was absolutely fascinating. Sarah had an extremely high level of knowledge in terms of Korean history and culture. She spoke excellent English. We were curious what it would be like having someone who wasn't born in Korea lead our tour but I was very impressed with the whole experience.Perfect introduction to Seoul
Withlocals experiencesare always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.
Other City highlight tours in Seoul
-
Enjoy Seoul with a host of your choice
City Kickstart Tour: Seoul
609 reviews • €19.31 pp • 1.5 hourscity highlight tourInstantly Confirmed -
Enjoy Seoul with a host of your choice
The History of Seoul: Beautiful Palaces & Seoul Dynasties Tour
589 reviews • €33.32 pp • 2 hourscity highlight tourInstantly Confirmed -
Enjoy Seoul with a host of your choice
Withlocals Your Way! - Seoul City Tour
265 reviews • €46.69 pp • 3 hourscity highlight tourInstantly Confirmed