A journey to South Korea will probably start and finish in Seoul, the bustling capital of South Korea. Definitely spend a minimum of 4 days in Seoul to enjoy the different areas of the city. I split my time in Seoul with 2 days at the start and 2 days at the end, making it perfect to also do some last-minute shopping before flying home.
What to do and see in Seoul?
Myeongdong
The heart of Seoul is Myeongdong and the area around it. It’s a good place to pick your hotel here and visit all areas in Seoul from Myeongdong as your base.
Myeongdong especially comes to live at night, when the stalls of the night market fill the streets. It can be crowded but definitely lively.
Bukchon Hanok Village
Situated on a hill is the traditional Bukchon Hanok Village. A residential neighborhood filled with over 900 traditional Korean houses (Hanoks). It’s not only a tourist site, but locals live here too. Hence you’ll see signs to be quiet and respectful. Nonetheless it attracts loads of visitors, especially those wearing the Hanbok outfit, as the streets and houses are a beautiful backdrop for photos.
Palaces
On the East and the West side of Bukchon Hanok Village are two main palaces: Gyeongbokgung palace and Changdeokgung palace. It is totally acceptable to visit only one. I did visit both palaces, but on separate days. Don’t visit both in one go, as the palace grounds are huge and after visiting one, you would have had your fair share.
Gyeongbokgung palace
Built by the Joseon Dynasty in 1395, the Gyeongbokgung palace is the largest royal palace in Seoul. The entrance fee is ₩3000 for an adult, or get in free when wearing a hanbok. The changing of the royal guard ceremony is daily at 10:00 and 14:00 (20 minutes). Or witness the Gwanghwamun gate guard on duty ceremony at 11:00 and 13:00 (10 minutes).
Changdeokgung palace & secret garden
The second, slightly smaller Changdeokgung palace is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. A visit to the Huwon Secret Garden especially can’t be missed when visiting. Entrance to the secret garden is limited with a maximum number of 100 visitors per session. 50 of those tickets are sold at the counter (where I bought them), the other 50 of the tickets are sold online from six days in advance. We joined the Korean language tour, where we were allowed to ditch the group and walk the grounds independently. Entrance fee per adult was ₩3000 for the palace and ₩5000 for the secret garden.
Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천)
Flowing through the heart of Seoul is the Cheonggyecheon Stream, a bit over 10 km between Gwanghwamun and Dongdaemun. The best part is where the stream starts at the East side. Come here after 4PM and enjoy how many people gather, read a book at the outdoor library, walk along the stream and cross along the many bridges and stones and dip your feet in the water.
HiKR GROUND
For the K-fanatics out there. A sort of Instagram museum where multiple sets of famous K-clips and movies are recreated for you to take photos and recreate the scene. Admission is free, I came around closing time when it was very quiet. Although they didn’t allow photos with my camera, only phones.
Gwangjang market
When walking along Cheonggyecheon Stream, you’ll pass Gwangjang market. A large indoor market selling fabrics, groceries, and traditional goods. The most popular section is the food alley where various stalls cater different street foods.
N Seoul Tower + Namsam + Cable Car
On top of Namsam mountain is the N Seoul Tower, an iconic landmark. Visit the observatory on top for a 360° view of Seoul. Tickets easily can be bought at the ticket booth for ₩29.000 (€18). During my visit there was no line, no need for purchasing in advance. On the observatory the view was splendid on a clear day, overlooking how massive Seoul really is. The most interesting part was visiting the restroom. This was no ordinary stall, but a large window with the same views and a full size mirror. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the experience though.
When visiting Namsam, don’t only stop by N Seoul Tower, but a hike through Namsan Park is also a quiet retreat through the forest.
To get there from Myeongdong is only a 5 minute walk to Namsan Cable Car. Don’t wait in line for the elevator but walk the first part up. Tickets can easily be bought on the spot, as the line is not for the tickets, but the entrance itself. One-way cable car ride was ₩12.000. On the way back down we took the bus.
Hongdae
Hongdae is the epicenter of Korean youth culture. The neighborhood is filled with shopping boutiques, cafes and art. The area especially comes to life at night when various popular K-pop artists perform live on the streets.
When visiting Hongdae, include a walk through Gyeongui Line Forest Park, a former railway line which transformed into a green strip with trendy cafes.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza
This futuristic structure consists of more than 40.000 aluminium panels. The complex functions as a multi-cultural center, hosting exhibitions, fashion shows and conferences. Although massive and impressive, it personally didn’t really pique my interest to really stick around.
Gangnam
This neighborhood got famous worldwide because of Psy’s song “Gangnam Style”. The area is posh with expensive brand stores and where status matters. It’s actually a bit outside of Seoul’s main area, but with a few of its own highlights.
K-Star Road: a stretch of road starting from Apgujeong Rodeo Station with 17 GangnamDol statues. A bear type statue dedicated to popular K-pop groups.
Gangnam Style Sculpture: imagine releasing such an iconic Youtube clip, to get a massive bronze sculpture in the shape of the hands mimicking the horse’s dance in Psy’s music video.
Starfield COEX Mall + Library: a large underground mall with 300+ branded stores. With Starfield Library as an instagram, picture perfect, book setting.
Insadong + Ikseondong Hanok Village
Close to metro station Jongno-3-ga is Ikseondong Hanok Village. A few narrow streets full with cute cafes and restaurants. With 119 hanoks in Ikseondong village, it’s the most hanok density area in Seoul. Walk a bit further to Insadong Cultural Street for shopping through art galleries, souvenir shops and tea houses.
Shopping
Seoul is a true walhalla for shopping. Most visitors go to Olive Young for Korean skincare products. Popular items at Olive Young are the Aestura Atobarrier 365 cream as a moisturizer, and the ROUND LAB Birch Juice Moisturizing sunscreen.
I was a big fan of all the cute accessories that can be found at Artbox or the many other stores. For stationary a visit to Kyobo Bookshop was the best. And for fashion go to Hongdae.
We also found out Korea has a market for clicky-sound mechanical keyboards, get a full customizable keyboard at an electronic store, or a true fan can visit the specialized store Funkeys in Yongsan. But also mini fidget clicky keyboards with cute designs can be found in various stores, with HBAF as our favorite with cute key caps.
How to get from the airport to the city?
From Incheon International Airport there are various options to go downtown.
- Take the AREX Express train to Seoul station in about 50 minutes and transfer to the subway.
- Take the Airport Limousine Bus with several stops downtown, taking about 90 minutes.
I used both options and I don’t have a favorite. Other travelers mention they found the Limousine Bus easier with lots of luggage, as they didn’t have to deal with a transfer and the stairs in the subway.
The advantage of the train is that you won’t have an issue with heavy traffic during rush hour.
How to get around?
Seoul has excellent public transportation. The subway basically takes you everywhere you need to be. Download an image of the subway layout on your phone. And get the Naver app for navigation. Although Google Maps works as a map, it doesn’t navigate.
The t-money card is the public transport card. The card can only be topped up with cash at the machines at the metro stations or at convenience stores. The t-money card can be used all over South Korea on metro and buses, and also in convenience stores for purchases.
Where to stay?
The first days of my stay in Seoul, I stayed at Days Hotel by Wyndham Seoul Myeongdong. Perfect in the heart of Myeongdong and the metro. When I returned to Seoul for the last few days, I stayed at Hotel Lemong, which was closer to the palaces, and Insadong.
Both places were wonderful, the decision to have two different hotels was more from a price and availability standpoint, than for actually having different locations.
