Route 01 · Seoul, Gyeonggi and Ganghwa
Royalty Route
Seoul's palaces and Jongmyo, the fortresses at Namhansanseong and Suwon, two royal tomb groups and the Ganghwa dolmens. Most of it is within a ninety-minute drive of central Seoul.
Taken in the published order the route covers about 263 km, and its two furthest stops sit 79 km apart. Both are straight-line figures, so real driving is longer.
It passes through four towns: Suwon, Hwaseong, Ganghwa, Gimpo.
The longest single hop is Yungneung and Geolleung Royal Tombs to Dolmen Sites at 79 km. The shortest is Jongmyo Shrine to Changdeokgung Palace, 0.8 km apart.
Grouped so that nearby stops share a day, it works out at roughly three days of driving.
Eight of the nine stops charge admission. The rest are free to enter, though some sit inside parks that charge separately.
On two of the nine stops the stamp sits in a museum or information centre rather than at the heritage site, which matters if you turn up outside opening hours.
Stamp points in order
- Namhansanseong Fortress
World Heritage Center at Namhansanseong Fortress
- Hwaseong FortressSuwon
Information desk at the Suwon Hwaseong Museum
- Jongmyo Shrine
Ticket check at Jongmyo Shrine
- Changdeokgung Palace
Sarang at Donggwolmaru inside the Changdeokgung Palace
- Yungneung and Geolleung Royal TombsHwaseong
Ticket check counter behind Yungneung and Geolleung Royal Tombs Ticket Office
- Dolmen SitesGanghwa
Information Desk (1F) at Ganghwa History Museum, Dolmen Information Center
- Jeondeungsa TempleGanghwa
In front of the Ticket Office near the south gate of Jeondeungsa Temple
- Gyeongbokgung Palace
Sarang Cafe, Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Jangneung Royal TombGimpo
Ticket check adjacent to the ticket office at the main entrance