While exploring the massive city of Seoul, you’ll likely notice a conspicuous tower visible in the distance wherever you go. This is the YTN Seoul Tower (a.k.a. Seoul Tower, a.k.a. Namsan Tower), a 236m (775ft) tall communication and observation tower right in the center of the city. The tower is actually the second highest point in town.
Seoul Tower is located on top of a mountain (“Namsan” means “Nam Mountain” in Korean) and is surrounded by a fairly large park, with multiple ways to reach the base. You can drive or take a bus up the mountain, hike up one of several walking trails, or take a cable car:
We decided to take the cable car up, then walk back down.
Nearby the tower base you’ll find an area with seemingly endless “love locks” attached to the railings. You can buy locks at several places around the tower to place them yourself. Seems like this is a longstanding tradition at the tower – the oldest lock we found was from the 1990s!
From this area you also get great views of the city and looking up at the tower:
For just a small entrance fee (about $8 USD) you can also go up to the tower’s observation decks. Here you can see great views of the city sprawling out in all directions. There’s also a restaurant, a coffeeshop, and several places to buy souvenirs while you enjoy the views:
You even get to use a toilet with a view!
N. Seoul Tower is an easy quick trip for anyone visiting Seoul, and is the best way to enjoy panoramic views of this massive city. To get there, just make your way towards the huge tower!
