Things to do in Seoul | What I did in Seoul
Seoul is the capital and largest city in South Korea. There are a lot of things to do and things to see and places to visit. Today I will be sharing a list of things that I did while I was in Seoul. I was in Seoul for a total of 4 full days and 2 half days (due to traveling to/from Busan).
Traveling Tips for Seoul:
Because Seoul is big and busy, I suggest visiting places that are closer together on the same day. For example, if you plan to be in Gangnam then perhaps include the COEX mall. This way you’re not traveling hours across the city in one day. It will also make planning much easier.
The easiest and most affordable way to travel around the city is public transportation. The train stations are pretty clean and easy to use and navigate. Both train and buses in Seoul includes English on their signs and announcements.
If you want more information about things you should know before going to South Korea, check out my blog post here: 10 Things to Know Before Going to South Korea.
Alright, here is a quick survey of all the things I did in Seoul in order from day one to the last day. There is so much you can do, so if there’s something you’re curious about but it is not mentioned, then that means I didn’t get to it during my stay there. But, I hope you’ll still find this helpful!
Lotte World Shopping Mall: A shopping mall right by Lotte Tower and Seokchon Lake. If you want to do some shopping and you’re in the area, check it out! They have cute coffee shops in the food court area.
Starfield Library/COEX Mall: The COEX mall is huge building that has a shopping mall, convention center, exhibition halls in the Gangnam area. When you enter, you will see signs for the Starfield Library. The Starfield library is a very unique place. There are many people there reading, writing, studying, or just walking through.
Bongeunsa Temple: This Buddhist temple is across the street from the COEX Mall building. It’s free to enter and look around.
Seokchon Lake: I’ve seen photos of this lake and it looks absolutely gorgeous in the spring and autumn. The Lotte World Magic Island is on this lake. This lake is divided into the east and west lake. It’s a great area to walk around and relax.
Gangnam: Another neighborhood in Seoul. It’s great for shopping. There are also a lot of restaurants and cute cafes.
Nodeul Island: The one thing I had to do if nothing else. I’m glad I made it to this island. If you’re a fan of the kdrama Start-Up, you’ll know one of the locations they shot the drama was on Nodeul Island. And as a Kim SeonHo fan, I had to visit. This island is a great place to chill, relax, picnic, grab coffee, have lunch, enjoy the sunset or sunrise. Highly recommend.
Myeongdong Night Market: During the weekends, Myeongdong market is flooded with locals and tourist alike, along with street vendors and stores opening late. It’s a fun area to walk around and shop or try the different street foods available.
Gyeongbokgung Palace: I think it’s worth putting a palace on your agenda. We rented hanboks from Hanbok Nam and made our way to the palace. We went over the Chuseok holiday so it was busier than usual, but the palace was still gorgeous and interesting nonetheless. Such a unique experience walking through history.
For hanbok rentals, there are so many in the area. They’re all so pretty and unique, you can’t go wrong with any of the rental shops.
Outside of Chuseok, I heard that if you wear a hanbok it’s free entry to the palace.
National Folk Museum: The museum is right next to the palace. When we went there was a Chuseok event the museum put on. It was super cool to see the traditional Korean games, homes, and weaving. If you enjoy history, check out this museum.
Bukchon Hanok Village: The village has a street that goes uphill. Walk to the top and you get a nice view of the hanok village. Around the area there are restaurants, coffee shops, and stores. It’s a nice area to walk around and shop.
Namsan Seoul Tower: The tower of love. On our way there it started to sprinkle. But as we finally got to the top of the tower, the rain stopped and the most beautiful sunset sky came through. Aside from that, even if you don’t have a romantic partner, I think this is still a great place to visit. It has a beautiful view of Seoul and there are fun things you can do inside the tower too.
You can walk up the park to the tower. It’s filled with trees and there are outlooks you can stop by to see Seoul. We went later in the day so we didn’t walk, we took the bus, but if you’re going in the morning and early afternoon, highly recommend walking. I bet its absolutely gorgeous in the autumn!
You can also take the cable car. I heard it’s beautiful for views! There is a fee but might be worth checking out if you’re interested.
Bukhansan National Park: A free national park in Seoul. I love that you can get here by train and bus, making it super accessible. The hiking culture in Korea is no joke. There were elderly people hiking right alongside me! We hiked the Jaunbong Peak Trail (Dobongsan Peak). It is roughly 4 miles total to-and-back. It is a steep hike all the way through. Once you’re near the top, if you don’t have hiking sticks, you may have to use your arms to help. To finally get to the peak, all you have are railings for support. But the view was beautiful. Highly recommend this trail.
Cheonggyecheon Stream: This is a small river that runs through Seoul. It’s 10.9 kilometers long. This river is a nice little place to relax or read. Throughout the river, there are rocks placed so people can cross the stream. Of course, there are also bridges for vehicles to cross which you can walk through too.
Dongdaemun: Another area of Seoul that has great shopping. The Art Plaza is also located here.
Ikseondong: This is one of my favorite areas that I visited in Seoul. If you love cute coffee shops, unique stores, and just an overall cute hanok village, you will love Ikseondong. It seriously has the cuties coffee shops and alleys. You will want to take photos at every corner.
Insadong: If you’re looking for gifts or artisan shops, Insadong is a great area to do some shopping. There are artists there, designers, traditional pieces, all sorts of shops available.
Hongdae: Hongdae definitely lives up to its name. It is a very lively place at night full of young people. I loved seeing all the different performers. Hongdae definitely has a different vibe. It is a super cool area though. I would definitely recommend if you’re younger to visit Hongdae. Even if you’re not, Hongdae still has great restaurants and shops!
Those are all the places I visited and things I did in Seoul. I love that there are many parts to Seoul. If you love big cities, I think you will love Seoul.
I think I also like that as busy and bustling has the city is, there are places where you can find peace and quiet too.
If you’re planning to visit Seoul, I hope you’ll have a wonderful time. What would you do in Seoul?
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