Ultimate Travel Guide To Seoul: Best Places To Visit & Things To Do
Seoul, the bustling metropolis capital of South Korea, is one of the most exciting and dynamic capital cities in the world in my opinion, and having the right travel guide is essential to maximising your time when visiting.
Whether you want to explore the extraordinary food scene, see some live street karaoke in a trendy neighbourhood at night or if you’re more interested in discovering some beautiful palaces, Seoul is jam packed with awesome activities and vibrant places to visit.
Having visited Seoul for two weeks a few years back, I can now appreciate just how important a good travel guide is. So I’ve listed everything you could possibly want to know before visiting Seoul, to ensure you don’t miss out on all the incredible things to do and places to visit in the South Korean capital.
Table of Contents
Best Neighbourhoods To Visit Or Stay In
Let’s begin this travel guide with what are the best neighbourhoods to visit or stay in when in Seoul.
Although nowhere near the same size as the likes of Tokyo or New York, Seoul is still made up of 25 districts, which range greatly in terms of size and population.
I wouldn’t worry too much about researching each district, instead, let me recommend to you the best neighbourhoods which are definitely a must visit and are worth staying in as well:
Hongdae: I was fortunate enough to stay in central Hongdae during my visit and I’m so glad I did! I’ll never forget my first evening in this neighbourhood; I was blown away by how youthful and vibrant it is.
Located in the Mapo District in western Seoul, Hongdae is known as a popular student neighbourhood and is full of restaurants, cafes, live music, shops and more. It particularly comes to life after dark when you’ll see countless street performers renditioning to the public.
Itaewon: Known as Seoul’s international district, Itaewon is where you’ll find every type of international cuisine that you maybe won’t find so much in the rest of Seoul. As a result, Itaewon is a popular place for tourists and is one of the best areas for nightlife, with scores of bars and clubs open until the early hours.
Gangnam: Probably the most famous district in Seoul, Gangnam is also the most fashionable, full of upmarket luxury clothes shops, as well as top quality restaurants and nightclubs.
Best Palace To Visit
What I found truly fascinating about Seoul is how there are so many ancient palaces and monuments literally in the middle of what is such a modern, busy city, which creates a stunning contrast.
There are many historical palaces worth visiting in the city, including five grand palaces, but my recommendation would be Gyeongbokgung Palace. This is the largest and most spectacular palace that was the royal palace for the Josean Dynasty.
Located in northern Seoul, the backdrop of Bugaksan Mountain directly behind the palace makes this palace all the more beautiful to see first hand. An iconic and visually impressive building, learning all about the history behind this 600 year old palace is an absolute must while in Seoul.
Best Food Market
Seoul is honestly a foodie’s heaven and is now one of the top reasons why so many people want to visit South Korea in the first place! But knowing where to go to try some local delicacies is far from straight forward.
My recommendation would be to head to Gwangjang Market, which is known to be the biggest, oldest and best food market with over 200 food stalls.
I visited Gwangjang Market on my first full day in Seoul and it was honestly one of my favourite experiences. The place is really an overwhelming assault on the senses in every direction and you are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to Korean food options.
Best Museum
Seoul is also home to some seriously great museums as well. If you’re short on time in Seoul and have time to just visit one museum, then I would highly recommend the War Memorial of Korea.
Housed in a spectacularly large building in the Yongsang District, this museum is dedicated to South Korea’s extremely complex military history. It is made up of six exhibition halls that include an enormous collection of war memorabilia, artefacts, uniforms, screening rooms and lots more.
This is a truly extensive collection and you come away from the museum with a greater understanding and appreciation for Korea’s past.
Best Place For Street Food
As well as food markets, street food is hugely popular in Seoul for both locals and foodie tourists alike.
I can personally recommend Myeongdong, which is a popular shopping district that comes alive at night with countless food stalls selling every type of Korean snack you can imagine, as well as more unusual items that you won’t find anywhere else.
Best Time To Visit Seoul
Taking into consideration the weather, I would personally say that either spring or autumn are the best times of the year to visit Seoul.
With mild temperatures and several popular festivals taking place during these seasons, a trip to seoul in spring or autumn is also cheaper in terms of flights and accommodation. These months are when the city is at its most beautiful and colourful too.
The peak season of the summer months is a costly time to visit and the city can be quite unbearable with high temperatures and more crowds.
Winter time is an interesting and a cheap option too, but be prepared for freezing temperatures and possible snowfall.
Best Views
Having a good understanding of the layout and size of Seoul is very useful to help get your bearings, and there’s no better place to do this than at N Seoul Tower.
This is a huge observation tower that is nearly 800 feet tall and features breath-taking panoramic views of the city. Visiting here during a sunset is also a spectacular and romantic experience.
Best Park
After a few days exploring the city you may want to escape into nature to get away from the hustle and bustle of Seoul, which can get overwhelming at times.
I suggest taking a day out of your trip to explore Bukhansan National Park, which is the most visited and popular park in the country and is an absolutely beautiful place to relax in nature.
It’s full of nature trails and temples, so you can choose whether you want to take a gentle stroll or try to climb Baegundae Peak, arguably Seoul’s most famous mountain. This hike takes several hours to complete so you should only consider it if you’re in good physical condition, but the views from the top are so rewarding.
Best Day Trip From Seoul
Although there are several top day trips from Seoul to consider – including a day trip to Busan on the south coast, I would recommend a day tour to the fascinating Korean Demilitarized Zone, known as the DMZ.
This is the heavily fortified border between South and North Korea, and taking a tour here was without doubt one of the highlights of my time in Seoul.
A DMZ tour is sure to leave a lasting impression with you, and being able to catch a glimpse of North Korea through binoculars at the observation deck at the DMZ is a truly unique, incredible experience.
Ultimate Travel Guide To Seoul FAQS
Still unsure about visiting Seoul? Allow my to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this awesome Asian city:
How many days is enough for Seoul?
I spent over a week in Seoul and I felt that was sufficient time to visit all of the top tourist attractions and explore enough of the city to really appreciate and understand the culture.
You can still see a lot of Seoul within just a few days if you’re short on time or money, but I would ideally recommend at least 5 days minimum.
Is Seoul expensive for tourists?
Yes, Seoul is known to be quite an expensive city to visit in terms of hotel accommodation and dining out. But it all depends on the time of year you visit, with plenty of cheap accommodation at decent hotels during the spring and autumn months.
And if you’re on a tight budget then I would recommend visiting some street food markets or local restaurants outside of the big tourist neighbourhoods such as Itaewon and Hongdae.
Is Seoul safe for tourists to visit?
Yes, Seoul is considered to be a very safe city and has low crime rates. Of course, petty crime does occur here (especially in touristy areas), so it’s advised to stay alert as you would anywhere else.
Seoul does experience extreme weather as well sometimes, such as the rainy season which usually occurs from mid-June and lasts for around a month, but there’s not much to worry about in terms of safety when visiting the capital or the rest of South Korea for that matter.
Conclusion: Ultimate Travel Guide For Seoul
So that concludes my ultimate travel guide for Seoul! I honestly can’t recommend a visit to Seoul enough; it is honestly one of the most dynamic, lively and interesting cities I’ve ever visited.
There are so many options when it comes to activities in Seoul too, with fantastic restaurants, historical sites, museums and a lot more.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this Seoul travel guide and are now inspired to visit one of the most fascinating capital cities in Asia and the rest of the world as well for that matter!
Guest Author: Mark is from Wolverhampton in England and started travel blogging back in August 2022 after deciding to combine his love of writing and travelling. He has continued his travels whenever possible and has visited over 40 countries, mostly as a solo traveller and you can read all about his adventures at mjtravelguides.com.
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