Seoul (서울)
Complete Travel Guide
(everything you need to know before visiting)
Seoul is one of my favorite cities in South Korea. It’s a place I grew up in and where I spent all my summer breaks – and if you’re planning your first trip to Korea, chances are Seoul is going to be a pretty large chunk of your itinerary.
With plenty of ancient palaces and traditional hanok neighborhoods, there’s so many things to do in Seoul that it can feel really overwhelming, especially if you’re planning your first trip to Korea.
Whether you’re visiting Korea for the first time, returning for another trip, or using Seoul as your base for exploring other parts of the country – there’s always something new to see. Trust me, after all these years of visits my Korea Bucket List has only gotten longer.
How Many Days to Spend in Seoul
I recommend spending at least 5 days in Seoul if it’s your first visit.
This gives you just enough time to see most of the major attractions while still giving you time to explore some of the different neighborhoods without feeling too rushed.
If you have longer to spend in Seoul, you can add on a few day trips (there’s a lot of great ones from Seoul), and if you have less, you’ll really need to prioritize what you want to see.
While you’re in Seoul, I recommend planning your itinerary by neighborhood – and visiting all the attractions you want in that area so you’re not constantly going back and forth and spending your whole day on the subway.
Best Time to Visit Seoul
Spring is increasingly becoming one of the most popular times to visit Seoul because of the famous cherry blossoms. Temperatures are comfortable, and its easy to walk around to explore.
Summer can be extremely hot, humid, and rainy – especially during monsoon season towards the beginning of summer. If I’m being honest this is my least favorite time to visit Seoul because of the crowds, but its also a time when most if not all outdoor attractions are open.
Fall is one of my favorite seasons in Seoul. The temperatures are more comfortable, the humidity drops, and there’s much less crowds.
Winter can be cold in Seoul, but as long as you bundle up you should be fine. There’s lots of winter festivals, seasonal cafes, holiday pop-ups, and way fewer crowds.
Best Things to Do in Seoul
There is an endless amount of options when looking for things to do in Seoul, which is part of what makes the city so fun and exciting.
You can visit palaces, explore traditional (or trendy) neighborhoods, go shopping, eat all kinds of street food, visit incredible museums, go hiking, check out unique cafes, or visit some of the iconic k-drama filming locations – all in one day.
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a few of my favorites that I recommend to everyone visiting Seoul :
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Gyeongbokgung Palace is one of the first places I’d recommend visiting on a trip to Seoul, just keep in mind that its closed every Tuesday.
It’s the largest of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces and one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks – but its also the busiest. Most people that visit rent a hanbok and get in for free, but you’ll usually see them just running around for the best photo opportunity. If you’re interested in the history of the palace, I recommend joining a tour and making sure to visit both museums onsite.
Namsan (N Seoul) Tower
Namsan Tower is also one of the most recognizable landmarks in Seoul and it’s featured in almost every k-drama and souvenir of the city skyline.
You can either take a cable car to the top or hike up, but I recommend the Cable Car. The view from the top is beautiful, and you can see just how huge Seoul really is, plus there’s lots of “cute” activities at the top that’s perfect for a date day.
Insadong (For Arts & Crafts)
Insadong is one of my favorite neighborhoods to recommend. If you’re wanting to create your own handmade souvenir, there’s lots of guided classes here that you can join, like this one where you can create your own traditional name stamp.
Because it’s considered an art district in Seoul, you’ll find traditional tea houses, souvenir shops, lots of galleries, restaurants, and streets that are filled with Korean crafts and artwork.
Myeongdong (For Shopping & Eating)
Myeongdong is one of the most popular shopping and tourist areas in Seoul.
Personally, I tend to avoid it – but if it’s your first visit to Korea it’s a great place to find cheap skincare and beauty stores, clothing shops, restaurants, cafes, and fun pop ups.
They also have a great street food market where you’ll usually find modern twists on Korean street food.
Dongdaemun
Dongdaemun is another popular area for shopping and exploring, but I typically recommend visiting the DDP itself, or the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
Inside you can find modern and futuristic inventions and exhibits, with a few museums inside as well. Their gift shops are one of my favorites for unique but useful souvenirs.
The Han River
The Han River runs right through Seoul and is a great way to experience the city and see the skyline of Seoul right from the river.
I always tell people to book a sunset river cruise, but you can also walk the endless parks to enjoy the views as well. If you want a true experience, make sure to grab some cup ramen and enjoy the sunset before heading home!
Best Day Trips From Seoul
Even if you base out of Seoul for your entire trip to Korea, there are so many easy day trips that I honestly don’t think it’s a bad thing to do.
Nami Island is one of my personal favorites, and you can often combine it with a trip to Alpaca World. Cherry Blossom season is one of the best times to visit, but it can be very busy.
The Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, is another popular day trip from Seoul and I personally recommend that everyone visiting Korea does it at least once.
Suwon is also an easy day trip from Seoul and is home to the Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can walk along the fortress walls and get some beautiful views without too many crowds.
Incheon is another great day trip idea. You can explore Chinatown, the Open Port area, Wolmido, or the Songdo’s Central Park – and this day trip includes a lot of the area’s top sights.
My Favorite Seoul Experience
One of my favorite experiences in Seoul is heading to a local baseball game at Jamsil Stadium.
Tickets can be tricky to get for foreigners, and the best way I’ve found is to go stand in line at the ticket office about 1 hour before the ticket office opens.
There’s lots of different sections you can choose from, but you’ll want to get as close to the orange “Cheer Zones” for the most energy.
You can bring in all your food and drinks or buy some at the stadium, and even if you’re not a fan of baseball just watching all the cheers, dances, and chants are entertaining enough.
Best Areas to Stay in Seoul
Myeongdong
Myeongdong is one of the easiest spots to stay for first-time visitors, its centrally located, has excellent subway access, and is surrounded by foreigner friendly restaurants, shopping, cafes, and attractions.
Hongdae
Hongdae is a great choice if you want to experience Seoul’s nightlife, cafes, shopping, restaurants, and a “younger” atmosphere. It’s also really easy to get to other parts of Seoul.
Gangnam
Gangnam is a good option if you’re interested in shopping, nicer restaurants, beauty treatments, and wanting to stay in a “central” part of Seoul. It’s super easy to get just about anywhere from here!
Suwon
Although I love Suwon, I don’t necessarily recommend it because it’s a pretty far subway ride to Seoul, but it’s a great option for anyone wanting to stay away from crowds and have a more “off the beaten path” experience.
How to Get to Seoul
Most international travelers arrive to South Korea through the Incheon International Airport.
From there the easiest way to get to “downtown” Seoul is either through the AREX Airport Railroad or the Airport Buses, which generally take at least an hour depending where exactly in Seoul you’re going.
Taxis, Ubers, and private vans are also available if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage or just want the easiest door-to-door option without having to worry about transfers or walking.
Where to Eat in Seoul
One of my favorite things about Seoul (or traveling anywhere in that matter) is trying the local food.
If I made a list of everywhere to eat in Seoul it might never end, but generally speaking you can expect good restaurants and cafes in popular neighborhoods like Gangnam, Myeongdong, and Insadong.
There’s also plenty of street food in Korea, and I highly encourage you to visit both traditional food markets and street food markets. Seoul also has an amazing amount of unique cafes that I encourage you to check out also.
If you’re looking for iconic foods to try while in Seoul, I recommend focusing on Korean BBQ, tteokbokki, gimbap, bibimbap, bingsu, fried chicken, mandu, naengmyeon, samgyeopsal, and hotteok.
Seoul Travel Tips for First Time Visitors
Wear comfortable shoes. Visiting Korea means a lot of walking, and a lot of the time it can includes some (or many) hills, so chances are you’ll probably end up walking a lot more than you thought. Comfortable shoes are essential.
Don’t underestimate the size of Seoul. Two neighborhoods that look close together on a map can take a while to reach, even if you’re traveling by subway. I recommend planning some extra time when traveling in between different areas.
Plan your days by neighborhood. Depending on how long you’re in Seoul, this can save you a ton of time and make your itinerary much less stressful. I recommend looking at everything you want to do, then planning to visit all the attractions in one area in one day.
Use Naver Map or KakaoMap. If you plan to navigate Seoul then these apps are essential to getting around and using the subways and buses. Personally, my go-to app is Naver.
Download a translation app. While you can get around Seoul without speaking Korean, having a translation app is extremely helpful for menus, signs, and communicating at small businesses and restaurants. Papago is a great option that has a better true translation than Google.
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