Treasures of Seoul: Tea ceremony Tour

• Private Experience
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

You’ve probably heard that Seoul is well-known for its Tea ceremony, but do you know the stories and origin behind it? Or how much influence it has on the locals daily life? On this private city tour, you are in for a cultural treat!

Destination

Seoul, South Korea

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Korean, Français, Deutsch, Español

Included

• Private Guide
• Songpyeon (Korean traditional rice snack)
• Tea selection from Korean Green Tea
• Pu-erh Enzyme Tea
• Oolong Tea
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Food and drinks not listed as inclusion

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 3 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

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.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3) Exit 1 (In front of Police Station) - Seoul to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. 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.

3. Culture of the City

   On this private tour, you’ll experience and discover Seoul through its culture. Whether it’s focused on a tradition, a special part of town with a story to tell, cultural beliefs, or around a cultural activity that shaped the city into what it is - this tour will be a cultural awakening you can’t miss!

4. Tea ceremony in Seoul

   Your tour will focus on Tea ceremony, a very important cultural subject in Seoul. Thanks to your local host, you’ll learn and see how Tea ceremony made an impact in Seoul, making you experience the city from a different perspective.

5. Cultural Highlights

   As you deep dive into the subject of your tour, you’ll make stops to visit unique spots that will give you a full picture of the city. Visit Bukchon Hanok Village, Traditional Tea House, Jongmyo Shrine, and more and see how these cultural highlights are part of the local life but have so much history behind them!

6. Storytelling Journey

   As you discover the cultural side of Seoul, you’ll be able to embrace it thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time.

7. 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

Kendra

(About local Jason)

5 February 2025

With so much to explore in even just the city of Seoul, I didn't know where to start! I had a lot of last minute questions and Jason made sure to clarify what I was in search of and what would make my experience most enjoyable. I really appreciated how thorough he was and how he handled all of my vague inquiries patiently. We fit quite a variety of tailored experiences in a short amount of time and I was thankful for his help and expertise. He even went above and beyond helping me with tourist information I really should have had figured out before I got here 😅 To anyone on the fence about getting a guide, I would say "It's definitely worth it! Just book it!" This was one of the biggest highlights of my trip. Can't express enough how grateful I am! "Seoul" nice to meet you!

Nicole

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

25 May 2024

1

We had a wonderful afternoon tasting and learning more about tea from a presentation by an expert. Sanghee picked up on our interests and helped guide the conversation and the activity around that. We did this tour on our second day in the city, so it was a great way to learn and have fun.Fun afternoon

Miriam🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

5 May 2024

We started our trip through Korea with this tea tasting and it was the perfect start. We learned a lot about the Korean and Chinese tea tradition and had a great time with Sanghee. Thank you for the great time, we still think back fondly on it!Perfect start in Korea!

Ben🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

4 January 2024

We went to two tea shops (no traditional tea ceremony!) to drink tea and afterwards we went to the Hanoi village to walk up a hill on our own to take pictures. Sanghee mainly asked us about our lifestyles and didn't share much about tea ceremonies, South Korea, Seoul or the history. The tour felt unorganized and unstructured.Chaotic and Unstructured

Fernando🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

2 January 2024

Priscilla was great in explaining the back stories not normally available in books. She was flexible in adjusting the pace and content based on our interests. Lots of recommendations too for places to go after the tour. Highly recommended!Great Intro to Korean Culture

Hemant🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cristina)

26 November 2023

Cristina was fun, knowledgeable and authentic. Her local anecdotes and personal flavor made the tour more personal and personable. Had this tour combined with the tea tasting back to back. Appreciated her accommodating that and tailoring the combined tour to my preferences and adapting as we went along. Appreciated her guidance through the local stores in my search for curios and keepsakes.Seoul the local way

David

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

28 September 2023

Sanghee was very friendly and easy to get on with and knowledge with useful information about the teas and food. I would highly recommend both her and the tour.Really great tour

Emile🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

2 September 2023

Samghee was a lovely, sweet and friendly guide who provided us with a very nice tour, experiencing 3 tea houses and different teas. We had a great, relaxing time. Don't expect a traditional, 'solemn' ceremony. We were explained that the traditional tea ceremony takes one or two hours, which would be a lot, which is why this was a more informal introduction into different teas, of which some were made by a tea master and not for sale. We visited two locations at which the tea was prepared for us and one where we could prepare the tea ourselves, in a relaxed informal manner, all the while enjoying a nice conversation with our guide. We enjoyed it and came out calm and relaxed. Only would have liked to have a bit more in-depth explanation about the origins of the teas and the place of the tea in Korean life and society. We decided to take it as it came and enjoyed it thoroughly as such. We paid € 85,- p.p. jncluding booking costs, which, given the 3 hour duration of the tour and the inclusion of all the teas, seems reasonable to me.Great time!

Kyanna🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

20 August 2023

Sanghee went above and beyond what we expected! We went to multiple cafes and got some of the most delicious treats on my trip so far! Ending the night with the tea class with something that I know not many get the experience and the atmosphere was so nice and light hearted I would go back in a heartbeat!A unforgettable experience

Selina🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

19 September 2022

I had a wonderful time with Sanghee Priscilla, who shared the Korean tea experience with me in the Bukchon neighbourhood. We visited the new Hansik Space to enjoy traditional Korean tea and snacks. We also visited the Tea Therapy Café, where we enjoyed a foot bath along with our traditional tea. Sanghee shared many insights about her city – it was fascinating to learn about Seoul from a local’s perspective. I would highly recommend Sanghee as a guide – she will help you make the most of your visit to Seoul. An Unforgettable Tea Experience in Seoul

Taylor🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

1 August 2022

Sanghee shares not only a wonderful tea experience, but her vast history and knowledge as well. She has a great taste in music and is a fabulous picture taker. Your pictures will definitely be Instagram ready!

Brenda🇰🇷 Korea, Republic of

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

17 June 2022

It was great meeting Sanghee and having her walk us through a nice tea ceremony. We visited a local place in Bukchon village, told us information about the traditional tea, and had lots to share about the history of Korea. Afterwards, we enjoyed walk through Bukchon village followed by a tour at a loca shrine. We definitely packed a lot in the small amount of time we had! Tea Ceremony & Walking Tour

Mo🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

5 March 2025

My mother and I did a walking tour with Sanghee that started off at Gyeongbokgung Palace and in and around Bukchon. Since my mother is older, I asked Sanghee to pace us slowly and she did a great job of showing us around the sights while checking in with my mom on how she was doing. Sanghee was knowledgeable and kind, giving us insights into the Korean life whilst also helping satisfy the "tourist" side. Highly recommend!Great tour with Sanghee!

Richard🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

2 March 2025

I met Priscilla at a Metro station near Namdaemun Market and sampled a wide variety of foods from restaurants, small cafes and street stalls. I tasted many things which I would have been wary about, without her telling me about them. She was knowledgeable, funny, informative and very easy to understand. I would highly recommend her - just make sure you haven’t eaten for a few days beforehand! Her insight into Korean food was very useful in my further travels around Korea and I will definitely be cooking some of the dishes when I get home. Thanks Priscilla, hope to see you on my next trip to Seoul. A must do if in Seoul.

mrdreese

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

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 Sanghee Priscilla)

1 March 2025

We loved our time with Priscilla. She is a perfect combination of guide and friendliness! Super Friendly

bc9r9rx42s

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

26 February 2025

Sanghee was a great guide to different foods in Seoul. We went to places we never would have found ourselves and we had a really great time.Street food

bc9r9rx42s

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

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

Catherine🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

24 February 2025

We are a Canadian family with a 10 years old kid. We had a very go experience with Shanghee Pricilla. She is dynamic, interesting and very generous! She is a very good storyteller. We had a wonderfull journey with her!Wonderfull experience!

Don

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

21 February 2025

From the start, Priscilla led us on a culinary adventure that was varied and delicious despite being somewhat restricted by my wife’s adversity to overly spicy foods. Priscilla was informative, engaging and very personable. We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Highly recommend! Top-notch Guide & Tour

Melissa

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

18 February 2025

1

Natalie

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

4 February 2025

1

I went on a food tour with my family of 5 and Priscilla took us to hidden gems, explained food history and traditions, ordered for us and made the whole experience utterly memorable and so much fun. We ate kimchee, noodles, sweet delicacies and travelled to secret local eateries. Totally recommend Priscilla who is charismatic, knowledgeable and good humoured!Brilliant tour

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cristina)

19 January 2025

Cristina was friendly and clearly knew her stuff. She answered all our questions on culture and history. There were some parts of the tour though that she could have helped us make more efficient. We didn't know we were going to a market so we didn't have cash on us. Also, it would have been good if she had mentioned the palace was going to stop admitting people at 8PM since we could have chosen to prioritize that rather than get there a minute late. Most of all, we were disappointed in the lack of restaurant and specific food suggestions. Overall, we're glad we did the tour as a way to make the most of our long layover time in Seoul and Cristina was a friendly local to walk around with and provide some interesting information.Friendly/knowledgeable but can improve

Art

(About local Jason)

7 January 2025

My partner and I booked a private 2 person tour to experience the taste of Seoul. We initially booked on a Sunday, but Jason advised another day as most shops closed Sunday. We enjoyed our tour of the market and had a wonderful experience. The food was excellent and Jason carried the conversation through the experience. We highly recomend using Jason and will use him in the future.Winter Food Tour

bigpetebrown

(About local Jason)

7 January 2025

We had a really interesting tour with Jason but sadly (?) Jason's tour wasn't for us. It was nice to start with a coffee and chat but we have good coffee in Australia and the chat was a little long. Jason was super knowledgable about Korea in general, and the market we visited, but we thought Jason was thrown by us not being the slightest bit interested in shopping. For a food and drinks tour the food was good but drinks didn't happen apart from the free drinks everyone had with lunch. The sit down lunch was excellent and would have been a great opportunity to be offered a beer. To be honest we'd missed that we were going to the palace and this ended up being a real highlight as the changing of the guard happened while we were there. Overall we enjoyed our time with Jason but for us the value for money wasn't there. Good food but where were the drinks?

Stephen🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

6 January 2025

1

Enjoyed our tour with Priscilla, went into multiple places to sample lovely tasty Korean food, simple yet full of flavour. A culinary wander to multiple different types and styles of food. Completely stuffed by its completion. Would recommend for all.Great food, local knowledge

Lisa

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

5 January 2025

1

Sanghee was not only knowledgable about all things Seoul, but she was also flexible and fun to be with. We tasked her with touring food markets, cultural landmarks and scheduling beauty treatments for our family and we all had a fabulous time. I would absolutely recommend contacting her and planning your own adventure!A terrific guide for your trip to Seoul

Niv

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

5 January 2025

1

We had a wonderful time with Sanghee on our tour of local markets in Seoul. The tour was both educational, fun, and tasty! Would definitely recommendGreat tour around Seoul

Michelle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jason)

3 January 2025

What can I say except Book with Jason! He truly created a custom experience for me! Worth every penny and more. Hes a licensed tour guide with a fabulous sense for what will make for memorable experiences. Fluency in English made conversation fun and easy. Just fabulous, I will definitely book again!Fun and huge value for money!

Michelle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cristina)

3 January 2025

Cristina was so patient with me! She explained everything, was an engaging and fun tour guide. Fluent in English, conversation was easy and fun. I will book again when I come back to Seoul!Absolutely fabulous

Stephanie

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

2 January 2025

1

Sanghee was a great tour guide! We were able to try new foods and learn about the area around us. She catered to everyone’s food preferences and the tour was flexible when it came to trying other foods we saw along the tour. Great sense of humor too! Definitely recommend! Great tour guide and experience

Louise🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Jason)

1 January 2025

Jason was a true super host when exploring Seoul He took the time to find out what we liked to see and explore and was very accurate with his suggestions He was knowledgeable on the history of Seoul past and present And lastly Jason was all around amazing his personality shone through his words and his passion truly amazed us We would absolutely recommend Jason as your next guide True host

Psalm

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

1 January 2025

1

My family and I recently joined Priscilla’s street food tour in Seoul, and it was fantastic! We explored local markets, tasting authentic dishes like bibimbap and noodle soup. We had been enjoying Seoul’s food scenes too much the days, so don’t make the same mistake and forget to starve yourselves the night before 😁. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to experience Seoul’s culinary delights.Bring an empty stomach!

Psalm

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

1 January 2025

1

This tour was amazing! Priscilla is full of energy, knowledgeable, and made the history of the DMZ easy to understand. Visiting the Third Infiltration Tunnel and Dora Observatory was fascinating and educational. Seeing North Korea from the observatory was a unique experience, and Priscilla kept everything streamlined to provide us the best views and opportunities of the entire day.Must do activity whilst in Seoul!

Sven

(About local Cristina)

30 December 2024

Wir hatten eine längere Tour geplant, die aber wegen Flugverspätung kürzer ausfallen musste. Cristina war sehr geduldig und hat auf uns gewartet und dann die Tour angepasst. Wir konnten so unseren kurzen Zwischenstopp in Seoul gut nutzen. Vielen Dank!Super nette Kurz-Tour durch Seoul

Ariel🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jason)

29 December 2024

Jason did a phenomenal job on a food tour with 4 fairly picky American kids. He offered us lots of options and followed all of our requests, requested large taxis to take us between places when it got cold, and found a vegan restaurant. His English is fluent and I would highly recommend a tour with him.Very knowledgeable guide

Helen🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

19 December 2024

We were a bit disappointed to spend the entire tour in busy Gwangjang Market. We were expecting more variety. More variety would’ve been better.

Matthew

(About local Jason)

12 December 2024

Private tour with just the guide makes it more personalized. My guide was Jason and he was very friendly and helpful when I needed to find specific items at stores.The 10 tastings of Seoul

Garrick🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

2 December 2024

1

Tour guide Sanghee Priscilla was wonderful. She was excellent in communicating with us. Very prompt and very accommodating to our needs. We appreciated her flexibility very much!!! We had some issues originally with the times and then with the unexpected snow, the palace opened later. She contacted us immediately to let us know the changes and how we could adjust. Sanghee's had a great demeanor and wonderful personality. Very warm and friendly. She was very informative during the palace tour, giving interesting tidbits of information. She walked us through the famous Bukchon Hanok Village and surrounding area, Jogyesu Temple, Insadong and gave us a good recommendation to have kbbq after leaving us before dinner. I would definitely use her again on our next trip to Korea.Gyeongbokgung Palace tour

Quinton🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

29 November 2024

1

With limited time on my layover in Seoul we were able to experience a lot, all during a 100 year snow storm. Sanghee met me at the airport, introduced me to Korean coffee, then had me on and off every mode of public transport to make the most of our time. Photo ops covered in snow at every turn and amazing food to keep us going (all on limited sleep). Sanghee took the time to get to know me and shared about her life along with teaching me some history of Korea along with basic Korean numbers and writing. My only regret is that I didn’t have more time to experience this great city with an amazing guide. Whirlwind of experiences

Jeff🇺🇸 United States

(About local Camille)

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 Sanghee Priscilla)

12 November 2024

1

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

Lukas🇰🇷 Korea, Republic of

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

10 November 2024

1

The food tour was really worth it. Even tough, I have been on the food market before, I learned so many new dishes and stories behind it. Sanghee is a great guide with whom you can have great conversations and learn more about Seoul and South Korea. I gifted this to my girlfriend and would do this definitely again. Amazing food tour with Sanghee

Howard 🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

8 November 2024

1

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 Camille)

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

Sandra 🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Cristina)

5 November 2024

sin duda repetiremos con Cristina. me parecía muy agradable y solicitar. todo un acierto. La amabilidad de Cristina

Kevin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cristina)

5 November 2024

Had a walking tour with Cristina and it was great. She is very friendly and knowledgeable and provided valuable information and answered lots of questions. She made it easy to figure out how to enjoy the rest of our stay in Seoul. Highly recommend her.Great tour in Seoul

Christopher🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

5 November 2024

1

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

Monja🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

1 November 2024

1

We recently had the pleasure of experiencing two tours led by Sanghee, and I can't recommend her highly enough! From the moment we met, she exuded warmth and enthusiasm, making everyone feel welcome and excited for the tour ahead. Sanghee was knowledgeable about the local history and culture, sharing fascinating and funny stories. The tour was well-paced, allowing us to take in the sights. Sanghee was attentive to our needs, checking in regularly to make sure everyone was comfortable and happy. We wanted to visit the DMZ but due to trash ballons from North Korea we weren't allowed to. Sanghee immediately found a solution and showed us a different observatory. We were very lucky to have her by our side. If you're looking for an engaging, informative, and enjoyable tour experience, look no further than Sanghee! Thank you for the two wonderful tours together.Great Experience

Tonya🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

31 October 2024

1

Our group had a wonderful private tour with Sanghee! We explored two contrasting markets and ate delicious food at both, including incredible Michelin * mandu, the best gimbap, tteokbokki, bingsu... and much more! She also helped us purchase T-money cards, and helped us navigate the bus and subway system. She was able to weave in historical context, stories, and cultural relevance while we walked around. She made recommendations for skin care products at an Olive Young pit stop. She helped my mom find local vendors for specific items on her wish list. She was flexible and was able to create the exact day we needed to start off our trip in Korea with the best knowledge, and feeling like we had hit many highlights, making the rest of our days in Seoul more relaxed. We highly recommend Sanghee and would happily sign up for a tour with her again!Perfect day in Seoul!