If this is your first time visiting South Korea, let me show you Seoul my way with everything you need to know.
After having already visited the capital 3 times, I was able to see the length and breadth of this city which in my opinion is a must when you go to the country of the morning calm.
One thing you should know is that I will especially take you to the places that are in my opinion the most relevant to visit for a first trip to South Korea.
Here you will find not only the main tourist spots, but also other activities to see the city from a different perspective.
If you have already had the opportunity to have visited Seoul or if you simply want to get off the beaten track, then I invite you to discover my complete itinerary for an itinerary of 15 days to 1 month in South Korea!
Without further ado, let's get into the heart of Seoul!
How do I get to Seoul?
In general, you will be required to Take a plane to get to Seoul. But on the other hand, you will land in the city of Incheon, a city near the capital.
You will then have to take the AREX Express train, which I recommend first and foremost for its speed and price.
With this train, you will arrive directly to Seoul's main station in under 1 hour.
To find out more about Public transport in South Korea and how to get to Seoul, I invite you to browse my article entirely dedicated to this subject.
How many days to stay in Seoul?
In my opinion, you have to count on minimum 3 days to do the main tourist sites in Seoul.
Then, if you want to discover the capital a little more deeply, I recommend staying 5 days in total. This seems to me to be the perfect number of days to fully enjoy your stay.
Because you won't need to rush feeling like you've missed opportunities to discover other places.
Where to stay in Seoul
If there is an accommodation that I can only recommend, especially for its perfect location and price, go and have a look at Insadong Hostel.
Depending on the day, a night costs you an average of €30. Please note that prices may be high if the day you want to book is a public holiday in South Korea.
Given its very good location, it is possible that the accommodation will be full for several days. So book in advance if you want to avoid ending up with poorer accommodation.
Insadong Hostel is a 3-storey accommodation with a really cozy rooftop on the roof.
It is located in the Jongno-gu district, close to all the amenities and historic tourist spots of Seoul.
What I like most about this accommodation is its ambiance every morning because that's when travelers come to have breakfast. Although it is quite narrow, the living space is very user-friendly, which favors interactions much better.
The housing manager speaks very little English, and may seem at first glance a fairly cold person. But if you have some knowledge of Korean, I invite you to talk to him to break the ice. He will advise you on a lot of places to do and even hidden corners to visit.
To top it all off, the manager has a cat that is always present in the living space. What could be better than a good start to your day of visit?
So for me it is the best place to have a foothold when you stay in the capital for a few days.
What to do in Seoul: the best places to visit
So here are the districts you can add to your to-do list:
- Jongno-gu
- Jung-gu
- Yongsan District
- Gangnam-gu
- Mapo-gu
Jongno-gu District: Historic Area of Seoul
Jongno-gu district is considered to be the Heart of Seoul. Considered to be the cradle where everything began for the capital, it is the historic center bringing together the main Grand Palaces including the famous Gyeongbokgung And his little brother Changdeok. Located in the same area as the latter, you can visit the palace Changgyeonggung.
Stroll through the Bukchon Hanok Village made up mainly of traditional Korean houses and its charming little streets. Very often praised by social networks as the place to visit, it is therefore the place that must be visited at least once.
If you go down a bit to the south of Bukchon Hanok village, you will enter the Insadong and Ikseondong district where you will have the opportunity to discover various traditional restaurants in a very friendly atmosphere.
Here you will find tasteful dishes at a fair price. The neighborhood being popular with tourists, you will then come across souvenir shops where you can buy some items to take home.
And if you think it's over, think again! Because you still have to visit the Gwangjang and Dongdaemun Market in order to taste the street-food dishes typical of Korean culture in the first, then visit the various textile shops in a very old school atmosphere in the second.
Jung-gu district: dynamic district of Seoul
Located next to the Jongno-gu district, Jung-gu is the 2nd district that should be visited in Seoul.
Jung-gu district acts as business center because there are several large banking companies established within it. So don't be surprised to see men and women in suits pass by!
But that doesn't mean there's nothing to see, far from it. Because you will find the Myeongdong district, considered to be one of the most dynamic neighborhoods at nightfall.
You can enjoy a magnificent 360 degree view at the top of the N Seoul Tower located on Mount Namsan. To be ridden day or night, you will not be disappointed!
What if you are hungry during the day or want to buy yourself a pair of flip-flops because you forgot them at home? So go through the Namdaemun Market.
It is both an outdoor and an indoor market offering a great diversity of choices in terms of food, but also in terms of stalls selling period clothing.
The Yongsan-gu district: the district for young people and the new trend in Seoul
Compared to the two districts I presented to you earlier, Yongsan-gu district is not the one with the most things to do. Nevertheless, you still have the most popular neighborhood among young people, it isItaewon.
There, you can go shopping to buy clothes that are currently trendy from Korean students, stroll around to enjoy the various cafes there, or you can wait until night to take advantage of the bars and nightclubs to meet foreigners and young Koreans.
And if you are not a person of the festive style, then you can visit the National Museum of Korea or else the War Museum that are free for everyone! Among other things, you will see the historical remains that trace the history of Korea from its origins to the present day. It is always a good thing to learn about a country you are visiting!
Gangnam-gu district: the business and luxury district in Seoul
When you think of Gangnam, you immediately think of the singer PSY and his record “Gangnam Style” who became famous all over the world in 2012.
Since Gangnam-gu was built in order to encourage the population originally located in the northern part of the Han River to move there, the only rather interesting places to visit are the Starfield bookstore and Bongeunsa Temple.
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Otherwise, there's not much to do around except for a plethora of clothing stores and restaurants. It's up to you to choose if you want to visit it anyway!
Mapo-gu district: student district in Seoul
The Mapo-gu district is interesting for one district in particular, that of Hongdae. The latter is known for its dynamic side and this on a constant basis. There will always be something to see or do no matter what time of day it is.
It is a place where students gather to take advantage of the various trendy shops as well as the activities that take place on the main street of the neighborhood.
Moreover, you should know that this is the district with a high concentration of students. The reason: there are 4 major reputable universities around Hongdae. The vast majority of them take advantage of the end of class to go out with friends and take advantage of the evening to eat at a restaurant, drink coffee or simply do activities such as karaoke, arcades, etc.
When you know that there are a lot of students in the area, it means that you will never be bored, which is why Hongdae is so popular with tourists and young people. A must-do!
Going off the beaten path in Seoul: my recommendations
If you like to see the city of Seoul in a different way and discover things that few tourists visit, then I am going to give you some really interesting spots.
Between historical monuments, nature, and small, friendly corners, you will have all the maps in hand to plan your itinerary in Seoul!
Hike to Bukhansan National Park
For hiking enthusiasts who want to get out of the urban area that is Seoul, then I invite you to spend a whole day in Bukhansan National Park.
Located in the north of the city, you will have to take the subway and the bus to arrive in front of the entrance of the hike.
However, I want to warn you that hiking requires you to have a good pair of shoes, food and drink, and a good body. You will therefore have to prepare your bag well.
To learn more about hiking, and to allow you to prepare in advance, I wrote a Full article entirely dedicated to Bukhansan National Park !
Walk along the stream Cheonggyecheon
Whether you are alone, with friends, as a couple or as a family, the walk along Cheonggyecheon Stream is in my opinion part of a must.
Choose to go there at the end of the evening, at sunset to take full advantage of the city's lights, as well as the streetlights that line the stream.
Do not hesitate to bring back some snacks, or a meal to take away for a break in order to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet that reigns there.
Inwangsan Mountain Hike
Located not far from Gyeongbokgung Palace to the west, you can opt for a less difficult hike than Bukhansan National Park at Mount Inwangsan.
At the top, you will have a surprising view of the city of Seoul after about 30 minutes of walking.
You should know that Mount Inwangsan is very well known by the local population. Because of its proximity and its ease of access, many Korean men and women come here for a walk with friends or family during the weekend.
To get there, you can leave from Gyeongbokgung Palace and then drive west along the main street. Then take Inwangsan-ro Street to get to the start of the hike.
Jongmyo Shrine
The Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul is an iconic historic site, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 14th century, it houses the ancestral tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon dynasty.
Visitors can discover traditional Korean architecture and learn more about the ancient rituals that once took place there thanks to the various panels placed in front of each structure.
If you have taken the accommodation I recommended, you can easily walk there in about 15 minutes.
Where to go out to eat in Seoul?
I have for you 2 restaurant recommendations that I particularly liked, and which is located not far from the Myeongdong district.
In my opinion, these are safe values if you want to slowly immerse yourself in Korean gastronomy.
Apart from these 2 restaurants, I mainly ate outside with the numerous street-food stands and other products from street shops.
Because in fact, it is quite difficult to eat alone in a restaurant in Korea. Very often, the tables are made available so that several groups of people come to eat there.
Between Korean barbecues and small local restaurants, you will surely feel awkward to enter.
So, from time to time, I tried to bet on going alone, and sometimes you can have good surprises!
Doma Insadong
This restaurant is on my list of favorites every time I come back to Seoul. Located in the heart of the Insadong district, you have to go to a small alley to get there.
If you stay at Insadong Hostel, then you are only a few steps away from the restaurant, pretty convenient don't you think?
You have several choices: either you decide to take the menu combining a meat dish with spicy tofu soup, or you can opt for a menu with a meat platter.
For my part, I opted for the menu at 24,000 because it is the perfect menu to try different Korean dishes: pork meat, spicy tofu soup, rice bowl and side dishes. However, for those who can't stand spicy food, tofu soup may be too spicy for your taste.
In this case, take a simple dish without a menu in the “Single Dish” section instead so as not to include soup. Add a bowl of rice to 1500ushers, and you will have a very good meal for lunch or dinner!
Kyochon Chicken
Do you like fried chicken? If this is the case, then that's good because it is one of the dishes commonly consumed by the Korean population.
Except that fried chicken has nothing to do with KFC chicken, otherwise I would never have recommended such a restaurant.;)
For now, we are really talking about fried chicken marinated with a sauce that only Koreans master and which is of such a level that you would like to come back: spicy sauce, garlic sauce, honey sauce and plain sauce to name a few.
To be able to taste these famous fried chickens, it happens at Kyochon Chicken, only at 10 minutes from Insadong Hostel !
Combine fried chicken with a good beer as a side dish, and you eat a dish called Chimaek in Korean. Chimaek is the combination between the word “chicken” and “maekju” which means beer.
It is therefore a dish that can be eaten in a restaurant as at home, or even outside with friends.
There's no time to start a chimaek, so enjoy it while you're in South Korea!
Conclusion
Visiting Seoul is not always easy the first time given the multitude of neighborhoods that exist in the capital.
You can quickly get lost when you want to find accommodation that is close to amenities and tourist spots to prepare your trip.
So I made sure to dissect each district for you because this is what seems to me to be the best solution to give you a global vision on the cartography of Seoul.
For the best possible experience, I recommend staying in Jongno-gu district and then walking around the area.
If you are considering staying in Insadong Hostel, access to the subway in a few minutes will allow you to move everywhere in Seoul and easily reach other remote neighborhoods such as Hongdae, Gangnam or Itaewon.
With all my recommendations of places that I am sharing with you in this article, you will then have all the information you need to properly prepare your stay in Seoul!
