5 Days in Seoul, South Korea
Finally, I made it to South Korea and visited Seoul! Seoul is a city with such a cool vibe - I loved the food, the neighbourhoods, the coffee and the people.
Find below my guide for 5 days in Seoul: things to do, where to eat and where to stay and many other recommendations.
By the way, you can also check out my vlog on Youtube where you can see the cafes and neighbourhoods I visited.
Quicklinks:
Things To Do
Actually, I think 5 days isn’t really enough to explore all the things that can be discovered in Seoul! And during my trip, I wasn’t able to see everything I wanted to see either. So below, find some of the things I’ve done while in Seoul, as well as some other tips I got from friends.
Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace
One of the main sights to see is Gyeongbokgung Palace, located right in the centre of Seoul. It was the biggest palace in the Joseon dynasty and dates back to the 14th century. Many Joseon Kings were crowned here.
The grounds are quite big and I would recommend walking around the main structure, which I found more interesting, such as the gardens and the pond.
If you wear a traditional hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) you can actually enter the palace for free! Even though tickets are quite cheap (around 2-3 euros per ticket).
📷 TIP - Here’s something unique to do: rent a Hanbok Korean traditional dress and do a photography session at the palace!
See Bukchon Village
Bukchon Village is a Hanok village close to Gyeongbokgung Palace. You can see the traditional Korean houses lined up on a winding path going up a hill. I thought it was a pretty spot! However, it can get busy with tourists, so go early if you want to see it untouched. There’s actually also a curfew for tourists, because it is actually a residential area.
Stroll in the Seongsu neighbourhood and do some shopping
Seongsu is a hipster neighbourhood with loads of boutique stores, cafes and restaurants. It’s often described as being the “Brooklyn” of Seoul.
When you’re in the area, be sure to check out Vinyl Cafe, where you pay a small fee which includes a drink and can then listen to any vinyl record that they have in their library. If you feel like taking a walk and see some green, then take a stroll in Seoul Forest Park, right at the edge of the neighbourhood. If you get snackish, get some famous Salt Bread from the popular bakery “Jayeondo Sogeumppang (Salt Bread)”.
For shopping, check out the famous Olive Young Seongsu branch (famous Korean skincare shop), Blue Elephant for some new sunglasses, LOW CLASSIC and Musinsa Standard for local fashion.
Take a walk in Ikseondong Hanok Village
Ikseon-dong village is another traditional village where you can find cafes, restaurant and boutique stores. It’s a super Instagrammable place!
The famous Soha Salt Pond cafe is located here - but be aware that it is very popular so you need to come early to book a spot. I didn’t manage to go, but I hear the Salt bread is really good here.
Try street food at Gwangjang Market
If you want to try some Korean street food like Tteokbokki and Mandu dumplings, then check out the Gwangjang market. You can see all the aunties making the famous dishes. The portions are also quite small, so you can have a taste of everything.
Please don’t eat the live octopus here though; that’s just animal abuse 😔.
💡 TIP Join a streetfood/nightmarket tour at the Gwangjang market with a local guide who can explain you all the food and Korean traditions!
Check out the Leeum Museum
The Leeum Museum of Art is a beautifully designed museum that has 2 main sections: one with traditional art pieces and ceramics and the other is contemporary/modern art. I thought the prices were quite cheap (around 12 euros for entry) and there’s also an audio guide included. Sometimes, they also have some temporary exhibitions, which would also be included in the price. If you’re an art lover, definitely check out this museum!
Walk along the Cheonggyecheon stream
The Cheonggyecheon stream is a little canal that is a pleasant walkway with greenery, stepping stones and bridges. It’s a very tranquil path right in the middle of the city. You can either walk or jog alongside the stream, or just relax on the steps next the water and watch the fish swim by.
Discover the Hongdae area
Similar to the Seongsu area, Hongdae is another area known for it’s young vibe (probably because a big university is located here) - with loads of cafes and restaurants. You can stroll down the main Hongdae street and discover street fashion, or head further down and check out all the cafes, such as Anthracite Coffee.
Day trip to Suwon
If you want to get out of the city and see a more traditional part of South Korea, then doing a day trip to Suwon is a great idea. It is very close to Seoul, just about 30 minutes by train from Seoul central station. In Suwon, there is a big 18th century fortress as well as a palace. It’s fun to stroll around the village, see the traditional houses and visit cafes and restaurants.
👉 You can also join a guided tour to Suwon, which makes it easier as you’ll just be picked up and you will also get all the explanations about Suwon and the Fortress!
Where To Eat
There are so many great restaurants in Seoul! And any local little restaurant can serve amazing food. So below, I’ll just list a few that I really enjoyed.
Restaurants
Parc Seoul, Korean food - A cute little restaurant serving Korean food. I had the vegetarian lunch set, which I really enjoyed!
Grandmother’s Recipe, Korean food - a traditional restaurant serving delicious food. I really liked the Bibimbap and the bulgogi beef set, but all the food on the menu looks amazing.
guemguem sungsu, Korean food - A quaint little restaurants in Seongsu. I had a super delicious noodle dish here!
Le Freak, Fried chicken burger - Not totally Korean, but there is fried chicken! This place has the best fried chicken burger I ever tried!
Cafes / Specialty Coffee
Seoul is known for it’s tremendous amount of cute and aesthetic cafes as well as amazing specialty coffee. Here are a few I tried and loved:
Peer Coffee Roasters (they have multiple locations)
Milestone Coffee (they have multiple locations)
Where To Stay
Seongsu area
Here are a few lovely neighbourhoods to stay in Seoul and some hotel recommendations!
Seongsu
During my trip to Seoul, I stayed in the Seongsu area, which I loved! There are many cafes, restaurants and shops and there is a really fun vibe and atmosphere. Loads of hip young people 😄 It get’s quite crowded in the weekends, with loads of people shopping in the main shopping streets.
Also, with the metro you can easily get to other parts in Seoul.
There aren’t that many hotels available in this area, maybe it’s still up and coming. But here are a few options:
Hotel Poco - this is the hotel I stayed at. It’s quite basic to be honest but a good mid-range budget option! Location is excellent, as it’s near the main Seongsu shopping street and right next to the Seongsu metro stop.
Hotel The Designers Premier - a hip, mid-range hotel a bit more outside the main Seongsu area.
Hongdae
As mentioned above, Hongdae is another hip area, and where you can find tons of cafes and restaurants. Especially if you want to be a bit more off the beaten track but still be just a metro ride away from the main sights to see, Hongdae is a perfect spot to stay in Seoul. It’s also right on the airport metro line, so it’s easy to get to from Incheon or Gimpo airport.
Here are some hotel recommendations in Hongdae:
RYSE, Autograph collection by Marriott - modern and hip hotel located right next to Hongdae shopping street and close by the metro station
Local Stitch Creator Town - this hotel is a bit more budget friendly then the one above, and still in a great location.
Yongsan
For a more upscale stay, I would recommend the Yongsan area. There are quite a few cafes and restaurants as well as upscale and mainstream shops.
Grand Hyatt Hotel - For a more upscale stay, the Grand Hyatt is a classic hotel in Seoul. It’s very close to some main sights, like the Leeum museum and Namsam hill.
How To Get Around
It’s really quite easy to get around Seoul as there is an extensive metro system in place as well as a decent bus system.
You can get a ‘Climate Card’ at a local convenience store and then top it up with the amount of days that you want to use it for. Pretty convenient! You do need cash to top it up so make sure to take out some Korean Won.
From the Airport
If you land at Incheon airport, there are several options to get into the city. The easiest is by metro, but it also depends a bit where in Seoul you are staying.
You can check the Naver maps app for the best solution for you. The bus is pretty convenient and cheap, and you can easily get a bus ticket (you can pay by card as well). However, during rush hour, I’d recommend taking the train/metro. I took the bus around 5-6pm and ended up in traffic jam, and it took me 2 hours to get to my destination, which should have been less than 1 hour 🫠.
Therefore, during rush hour, take the train!
When To Go
South Korea has very distinct seasons - the best times to go are during the more milder seasons, in the spring and autumn. In the winter, Seoul gets very cold, with negative temperatures being the norm. In the summer in can get very hot. I would say late March to early June and Septermber to November are probably the best times.
🌸 TIP Seoul also gets a very beautiful cherry blossom season, which is a great alternative to Japan.
Other Tips
To get around, download Naver Maps. It seems Google maps doesn’t work properly in South Korea, so this one is more local and is has more accurate information.
Thank you in Korean is “gamsahabnida”.
In general and compared to other South East Asian countries, the English level is quite low in Seoul, though most people in restaurants, cafes and hotels will speak some English.
Related Blog Posts:
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that, if you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission that helps me create helpful content for the blog and it won’t cost you anything extra either, so it’s a win-win! I only recommend products if I think they will add value, so thanks for supporting Things Nomads Do!
