Which one to choose in Seoul
Jogyesa Temple vs Jongmyo Shrine
Two temples in Seoul. Jogyesa Temple has 1 ticket or tour to book; Jongmyo Shrine has 1 ticket or tour to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Seoul, South Korea
Jogyesa is free to enter and open around the clock, so there is no ticket to buy: you walk in from the street at the edge of Insadong, look around the courtyard and step into the main hall if you wish. There is nothing to book for a simple visit.
Two kinds of experience are worth considering. The first is a guided walking tour of central Seoul that pairs the temple with Gyeongbokgung Palace and the traditional houses of Bukchon. These tours usually run half a day and include a guide and sometimes palace entry, while transport and meals are extra.
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Seoul, South Korea
Jongmyo has an unusual entry system that shapes how you visit. On most weekdays the shrine can only be seen on a guided tour that leaves the main gate at fixed times, with several departures a day in English as well as in Korean, Japanese and Chinese. On Saturdays, on the last Wednesday of each month and on some public holidays visitors may wander freely. The shrine is closed on Tuesdays. The entry ticket is cheap and is bought at the gate; the guided tour is included in the price, so on weekdays there is no reason to pay extra just to get in.
What is sold online is a longer walking tour that pairs Jongmyo with Changdeokgung Palace, the royal residence immediately to the north, now joined to the shrine again by a restored path over the road tunnel.
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