Namsan Tower

Namsan Tower or also known as Seoul Tower, is the iconic broadcasting station that lies atop Namsan mountain that is situated in the middle of Seoul city. It has now become a part of Seoul’s landscape and a major tourist attraction. The main feature of the tower are its 360 degree views of the city, so it’s best to go up on clear days.

Getting up to Namsan Tower

You can reach the tower by 3 different methods:

The Seoul N Bus

You can catch this bus at the foot of the mountain in the busy district if Myeongdong. The bus is free as well. The bus stops lie in front of the Shinsegae in Myeongdong and at the station exits by the Migliori.

The Cable Car

I took the cable car the first time I went up. The easiest route to the cable car to exit Myeongdong station at exit 4, 3 or 2, and walk towards the Shinsegae Department building. Right across you will see step leading up to the cable car to go up to the tower. You can use your T-money card to pay for it too.

Walking up to Namsan Tower

I used to live in HBC, an area right at the foot of Namsan mountain. I decided one beautiful Spring day to walk up the mountain to the tower. The walk isn’t a serious hike up, in fact you can do it will just regular sneakers or trainers. The walkways is all paved and there are steps going up. Plenty of place to relax and good bathroom facilities. It offers awesome views too!

At the Top

There’s quite a few things to do once you reach the top. Mind you, the lines are always going to be long. At the base of the tower are a few restaurants and convenient stores to relax in. last time I went up they had a hamburger restaurant and a few Korean ones too. They now also have a teddy bear and Hello Kitty museums.

Love Locks

Behind he restaurant are fences with lots of love lockets on. If that’s your kind of thing, you can also purchase a lock nearby and write your names on.

Up Namsan Tower

I cannot remember if there were stairs to climb, but we used the elevator. Inside the elevator, various multimedia displays will start showcasing the views and advertising the tower’s dynamic role in the city.

On Top of Seoul

Once on top, you can enjoy the views of the city. Me and a friend started out pretty late, and landed up arriving at sunset and it was summer so it was beginning to get overcast. Just our luck. Eventually, night time set in and saw the city alight…amidst the foggy haze! It was still cool though.