Ssamziegil - A Shopping Street That Climbs

A stop on Seoul Palaces, Bukchon and Insadong, a free self-guided tour.

Halfway down Insadong-gil, the open courtyard of Ssamziegil invites you in. Opened in December 2004, this four-level complex took the idea of a neighborhood street and wound it upward. Instead of stairs, one gentle ramp spirals around the courtyard from the ground floor to the rooftop, with small shops on both sides. Gil, the last part of the name, means road or street.

Around 70 shops sell things you may not find elsewhere - stationery, ceramics, accessories and handmade crafts - and many are run by independent makers rather than chains. Some spaces also offer hands-on craft workshops, if you want to make your own souvenir.

It is an easy stop for families: no traffic, plenty to look at, and a rooftop garden at the top where you can sit down and look out over the tiled roofs of Insadong. Take the ramp slowly and see if you notice the moment you pass from one floor to the next.

Getting here: Walk south down Insadong-gil for about two minutes; the entrance to Ssamziegil opens off the street on your right.

Did you know?: You can walk from the courtyard all the way to the fourth-floor rooftop without climbing a single step, because the main walkway is one continuous ramp.

Photo op: From the rooftop, look down into the courtyard to catch the spiral of walkways and shop fronts winding below you.

Ssamziegil - A Shopping Street That Climbs

Stops on this tour