This is the second palace visited on a Saturday (after Gyeongbokgung Palace) and is the only World Heritage Site of the 4 palaces. Arrived around 1pm and spent about an hour here following the numbering of the buildings in the provided brochure. Ticket costs KRW3000 (~USD2.70) with an additional fee to visit Huwon. If one is keen to see this "Secret Garden" then advanced booking is best. It seems the regular ticket will allow one to see many structures in this palace complex, but cover less than half of the area (Huwon is rather large).
The brochure which came with the ticket is an excellent one and quite sufficient for navigating through the complex, with rather substantial information for identifying unique features of the buildings and understanding the architecture. Changdeokgung minus Huwon seems much smaller than Gyeongbokgung and takes a shorter time to visit. However after seeing much in Gyeongbokgung, this required a bit more effort to appreciate. Also, worth noting is that the crowds seemed unavoidable here, probably due to the small size of Changdeokgung, the fact that it was visited later in the day and on a weekend.
Thought the blue tiled roof of Seonjeongjeon was rather unique, but personally found the Nakseonjae Complex stood out the most because of its simplicity, reflecting the character of the King who lived here.
Overall, a very good visit to Changdeokgung, and a worthy inclusion to exploring Seoul. Note that this palace is closed on Mondays. Also there is a month-valid combination ticket to visit the other three palaces and Jongmyo shrine nearby. These are all within walking distance but would be rather difficult to properly appreciate in one full day.
