For the last three years the Seoul Lantern Festival has been held over the course of several weeks in November. Featuring thousands of lanterns along the Cheonggyecheon Stream in downtown Seoul, the festival is among Seoul’s best festivals.
If you find yourself in South Korea between Friday, November 4 and Sunday, November 20, 2011 you will definitely want to check out the Seoul Lantern Festival. Featuring lanterns that range from traditional to modern, Korean to International, there is something for everyone.
The 2011 Seoul Lantern Festival starts at Cheonggyecheon Plaza, located very close to City Hall, the US embassy, and several tourist sites, including Gyeongbukgung Palace and Insadong Shopping Street.
The lanterns are on display 24-hours a day, but are best seen after dark. Get there on a weeknight if you can, as the crowds get incredibly packed into the space on weekend evenings. You can beat the crowds a bit by viewing the lanterns from above at street level, but you really can’t get the full effect of the Seoul Lantern Festival without taking a stroll along the crowded walking paths along the sunken Cheonggyecheon Stream.
To find out more information about all of South Korea’s awesome festivals, check out the Visit Korea website.
How to Get to the Seoul Lantern Festival by Subway
– Gwanghwamun Sation (Line 5) – Exit 5 Best Option
– Euljiro 1 Station (Line 2) – Exit 2 or 3
– Jonggak Station (Line 1) – Exit 5
Jim Cheney is the creator of Tripologist.com. Having traveled extensively in North America, Europe, and Asia, Jim enjoys sharing his love of travel and some of his favorite places to visit around the world. He lives in Pennsylvania, USA, with his wife and two kids.
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