Planning a trip to South Korea? This list of the best things to do in Seoul will ensure you have the best trip.
Seoul is one of those places that is incredibly overwhelming to plan a trip to. Even as someone who travels for a living, the sheer volume of choices and vastness of the city, combined with the difficulty in spelling just about every place on our itinerary (coming from the perspective of an English-speaker) made it one of the more challenging trips to plan.
And with so much to explore, it’s incredibly helpful to approach Seoul with a plan for what you want to see and do so you don’t waste time trying to figure it all out once you arrive.
I promise though, once you wrap your head around South Korea’s capital city, it’s absolutely a blast to visit. There’s a little something for everyone here, from royal palaces with fascinating history, and a bustling foodie and cafe culture, to incredible architecture, design and natural spaces where you can escape that city feel for a few.
I spent six days in Seoul criss-crossing the city and packing our itinerary with as much as humanly possible so I could share all the best things to do with you. These are the most fun experiences we had during our time in Seoul that should absolutely be on your list.
Don’t have time to read the full post? Here are my tips for Seoul at a glance:
Where to Stay in Seoul:
- L’Escape Hotel – Central location in Myeongdong with Parisian design.
- Rakkojae Hanok Hotel – A traditional stay in the Bukchon Hanok Village.
- LOTTE Hotel Seoul – A great luxury choice in the heart of Myeongdong.
Best Things to do in Seoul:
- Night Market Tour of Gwangjang Market
- Stay Overnight in a Traditional Hanok Village
- Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace
17 Things to Do in Seoul South Korea
In this post, I’m sharing all the most fun things to do in Seoul, from the best markets and cafes to beauty treatments and more. If it’s your first time to Seoul, I recommend familiarizing yourself with all the spots that sound the most interesting to you so you can go into your trip with a game plan.
Quick Tips for Visiting Seoul
Where Is Seoul South Korea
Seoul is located in South Korea near the northwestern corner of the country on the Han River. From West Coast cities in the US like Los Angeles, it takes about 13 hours to fly there non-stop.
To get to Seoul, you’ll want to fly into Incheon International Airportwhich is about 30 miles outside of Seoul. And then take public transport or a taxi into the city.
We ended up calling a taxi via the Uber app which was pretty straightforward.
Ways to Get From Incheon Airport to Seoul:
- Airport Railroad Express: Book train tickets
- Airport Limousine Bus: Book tickets here
- Taxi or Uber: Call via the Uber app
Is Seoul Worth Visiting
There’s no question that Seoul is worth visiting. South Korea is one of my top countries I’ve visited in Asia, and I think Seoul offers so much in terms of culture, unique activities, food, shopping and history.
With that said, I think some travelers will enjoy Seoul more than others. It’s not exactly a relaxing type of vacation. It’s more for those that enjoying exploring new cities, and immersing themselves in drastically different cultures. A big draw for me to Seoul was the food scene. And if you enjoy eating your way through different countries, then you’ll love Seoul.
How Many Days In Seoul Is Enough
We spent six days in Seoul and felt like we had plenty of time to see everything and more on our list. With that said, I was trying to cover a lot of ground in order to write the best guides for the site. So we did much more than the average person.
I think with 3-4 full days in Seoul you can do a LOT and get a good feel for the city. But if you have more time for a deep dive, you absolutely won’t be bored here.
When is the Best Time to Visit Seoul?
Spring and Fall are the preferred seasons to visit Seoul when the weather is more pleasant and mild. Winter can be quite cold and snowy here (even in mid March when we visited it was very cold some days. And the city got a dusting after we left). On the other hand, summer in the city can be unbearably hot.
April is an idyllic time to visit when the city starts warming up and cherry blossoms are in bloom.
How to Get Around Seoul
Seoul is well connected by public transport and offers the typical modes of transport like buses, trains, Ubers and taxis. While trains in Seoul are great, we ended up using Uber quite frequently as they were cheap and the most efficient for our trip.
Despite how large and spread out Seoul is, there are a lot of areas that are very walkable. And many great neighborhoods are adjacent so you can accomplish quite a lot on foot.
If you choose to get around Seoul by train, know that you’ll need to purchase a T-money card (we got ours at 7-Eleven), which is a rechargeable card that you can use for payment in the subways.
For navigation, Google Maps is not usable in the same way that it is in the States and will only give you public transport directions. Instead, download the Naver app which is Korea’s go-to app for navigating. And it will give you pretty straightforward directions for driving times and walking routes.
Communication and Staying Connected in Seoul
Before landing in Seoul, I highly recommend purchasing an eSim ahead of your trip so you can stay connected on the ground. This will make everything a thousand times easier, from navigating, to using translation apps to booking reservations. I typically use Airalo when I travel and have always had a good experience with their affordable and easy-to-set-up eSims.
When trying to communicate with locals that don’t speak English or your native language, we found the Papago app to be the most helpful for translations.
Where to Stay in Seoul
We personally split our time between two different accommodations and areas to get different perspectives on the city. The first place we stayed was Rakkojae Seoul, a traditional b&b in the Bukchon Hanok village. This was a completely unique experience from staying in a hotel and felt like stepping back in time.
There are many different hanok stays across Seoul to choose from if you want a peaceful hanok experience.
For the second half of our trip, we checked into the L’escape Hotel in Myeongdong which is one of the most popular hotels in Seoul and is very Parisian-inspired. We chose this hotel for its central location and the design was definitely fun and a complete 180 from the hanok stay.
If you’re a first-timer to Seoul, staying in one of these areas or splitting your time between both is a great way to spend time in two parts of the city that both have a lot to offer.
Best Hotels in Myeongdong:
- L’escape Hotelfor a conveniently located stay with beautiful Parisian design.
- LOTTE Hotel Seoul for a luxury stay in a central location.
- Hotel28 Myeongdong to stay at Korea’s first Small Luxury Hotels of the World property.
- ARA125 for a budget stay in Myeongdong.
Best Hotels and Homestays in Bukchon Hanok Village:
- Stay Onyou for a private hanok stay just a 1/2 mile from Changdeokgung Palace.
- Rakkojae Hanok Hotel for a traditional hanok style stay.
- AWIK Hanok stay, for cozy hanok accommodations that blend modern and traditional design.
- Hanok Hotel DAAM Seoul, for a larger hotel hanok stay.
What To Do In Seoul South Korea
Sunset in Namsan Park
This is one thing we heard the most mixed reviews about during our pre-trip research, yet it turned out to be one of my favorite things we did. Though touristy, you truly can’t get better views of Seoul than from the observation deck at the top of Namsam Park. Plus, it’s one location where you really get the full panoramic scope of the city and understand how truly massive it is.
Beyond the 360 degree views of the city, visitors to Namsan Park can enjoy the cable car ride up, take in views of Seoul Tower and enjoy bites with an epic vantage point. Sunset timing is especially magical up here.
To get to the top of Namsan Park, you can opt for multiple different hiking trails or simply take the cable car up. Lines can get long, so my best tip to avoid crowds is to ride up an hour or two before sunset. And then grab a bite at the top while you wait for sunset.
Gwanjang Night Market Food Tour
One of the biggest draws of a visit to Seoul is undoubtedly the food scene. But it can be beyond overwhelming as a first-timer to the city. One of the best things we did on our trip was book this night market tour of Gwangjang Market, Seoul’s oldest market which boasts a whopping 5,000 different vendors.
Our expert guide helped us to navigate the extensive number of food stalls, bringing us to the best ones, and introduced us to an array of beloved Korean treats. Overall the whole tour was a 10/10.
Some of the favorite things we tried included Mundu (dumplings), Tteokbokki, a stir fried rice cake in chili paste that has a similar consistency to mochi, and Kimbap, which is like the Korean version of a sushi roll—minus the raw fish. Book this top-rated food tour here.
Visit the Bukchon Hanok Village
Some of the most charming parts of Seoul lie amongst its historic hanok villages. The word “hanok” refers to a residential house, with architecture particular to Korea, and they have a very traditional feel.
There are several hanok villages still remaining in Seoul, with the most famous being Bukchon Hanok Village which is home to over 900 traditional Korean homes. You can walk through the neighborhood to view them between 10 AM and 5 PM, in order to respect the residents that live there.
Some additional hanok villages to check out are Seochon Hanok Village, Namsangol Hanok Village and Eunpyeong Hanok Village. You can even stay overnight in a hanok village as well. It is an incredible way to experience the more traditional side of Korean culture.
Go Cafe Hopping
Cafe culture in Seoul is on another level. And if you’re a coffee and pastry lover, you’ll adore exploring all the unique cafes this city has to offer. No one does cafes quite like the Koreans.
My biggest tip for checking out the cafes in Seoul is to arrive to each one right as it opens to avoid long lines (yes, there are queues at cafes here). Luckily most coffee shops in the city don’t open til mid-morning around 10 AM or 11 AM. So you don’t need to get up at the crack of dawn to be the first in line.
Cafes worth checking out in Seoul:
- Cafe Onion – One of the most famous cafes in Seoul, this spot has multiple locations and serves a delicious assortment of pastries. I loved the Anguk location best and it’s just around the corner from Changdeokgung Palace.
- Cafe Dotori Garden – Down the street from Cafe Onion Anguk is this Studio Ghibli-inspired cafe with yummy yogurt bowls and pastries. Their pastries don’t get the best ratings, but the yogurt was absolutely delicious.
- Coffee Hanyakbang – This gorgeous cafe close to Myeongdong is hidden through a narrow alleyway, and serves some unique takes on traditional coffee. We tried a delicious iced slushie coffee with ginger and cinnamon while here.
- Low Tide Coffee – Set in the neighborhood just north of Seoul Forest, Low Tide is in one of my favorite neighborhoods in all of Seoul. The area is full of quaint buildings and narrow walk streets and the coffee shop was bustling with locals.
- Day Row Coffee – For a chic, minimalist aesthetic cafe set in a back alley, head here before a day of shopping in the trendy Itaewon area. This was my favorite tasting coffee of the trip.
- Nudake – For creative desserts and a quick caffeine hit, visit Nudake in Seongsu. The desserts here are truly works of art.
- Nuldam Space – A coffee shop where you can write a letter to your future self!
- Rain Report Croissant – Last but not least, at Rain Report you can find cozy rainy day vibes 24/7. We tried to go here but it was unfortunately under construction but will be reopening soon. So keep your eyes peeled!
Don’t miss my complete guide to all the best cafes in Seoul!
Explore Seoul’s Royal Palaces
There are five royal palaces from the Joseon Dynasty that are open to visitors, but it’s not necessary to visit them all. We explored three on our trip and that was more than plenty as they all mirror similar architecture.
Gyeongbukgong Palace
This is the main royal palace in Seoul and it’s the largest and most prestigious. Built as the very first royal palace back in 1395, it served as the official residence and is quite vast in its layout.
You can get lost here exploring the various buildings and courtyards and taking in the traditional Korean architecture. It’s especially fun to witness the hundreds of women (both tourists and locals) dressed to the nines in hanboks doing photoshoots here.
It can get quite busy, so try to opt for off hours on a week day if possible. While here, don’t miss the changing of the guard ceremony which happens at Gwanghwamun Gate. And stop in for a visit to the National Folk Museum.
Changdeokgung Palace
Though similar in architecture to Gyeongbukgong Palace, Changdeokgung is smaller and has a more relaxed feel as it doesn’t get quite as many visitors.
This palace is also a bit different as its layout was built specifically to harmonize with its natural surroundings. And it was the first palace to get rebuilt after the Japanese invasions in the 1500s. For that reason, it became the primary royal residence from the 1600s-1800s.
Changdeokgung doesn’t take as much time to explore. However, if you want to see the Secret Garden, which is one of the biggest draws of this palace, you’re required to book a separate guided tour which limits flexibility in visiting.
Deoksugung Palace
If you’re motivated enough to visit three royal palaces during your trip, then make your next one Deoksugang. This palace has much more of an urban feel than the two others as it’s right in the center of Myeongdong and surrounded by tall city structures.
I found this palace to be quite peaceful despite its location in the city. And we had a fun time witnessing the changing of the guards ceremony here, which is free to watch and draws quite a crowd.
Pro tip: Head to the nearby Jeongdong Observatory to get a unique aerial vantage point of the palace.
Book a Guided Tour:
Want to visit Seoul’s royal palaces with the expert knowledge of a local tour guide? These are the best tours to book:
- Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Gyeongbok Palace and Bukchon Hanok Walking Tour
- Gyeongbok Palace & Changdeokgung Palace Cultural Guided Tour
- Seoul City Full Day Tour – Changdeok Palace Wearing Hanbok
- Private Seoul Half Day Walking Tour
- Deoksugung Palace Night Tour
Tip: If you rent a hanbok to wear to any of the royal palaces in Seoul, you gain free entry. This is something both foreigners and Koreans do. So it’s totally normalized to show up in one no matter where you come from. You’ll find rental shops all around the entrances. Or you can book one of the tours above that include the hanbok rental experience.
Visit the Iconic Starfield Library
Book lovers can’t miss a visit to the Starfield Library at Coex Mall that is filled floor to ceiling with colorful books. As a popular Instagram spot, it’s definitely one of the more photographed spots in Seoul and can get quite busy. But it could be worth the trip if you’re interested in exploring other sites in the area.
I’d recommend coming here right at opening if you’re trying to capture a shot for Instagram as mid-day it gets way too busy with people.
Shopping in Seongsu-dong
This trendy neighborhood in Seoul is often compared to Brooklyn—it’s hip and young, with a slew of avant garde shops, street art, cool cafes, and cult Korean brands. Given that this area used to be an industrial district, many of the shops are housed in old warehouse buildings, hence the Brooklyn comparison.
A couple places worth bookmarking for your adventure through Seongsu:
- Daelimchanggo Gallery (대림창고갤러리) – A group of warehouse spaces that house a mix of eateries, cafes and art.
- Point of View – A massively popular stationery store with amazing gifts to bring home.
- Tamburins – A big-name fragrance brand housed in an architecturally unique building.
- Seongsu Yeonbang – A three level cultural complex with cafes and shops.
- Musinsa Standard – A two-story building selling a wide variety of popular Korean designers for good prices.
Eat Your Way Through the City
Eating is half the experience of any visit to Seoul, and there are an overwhelming number of options at your fingertips. Beyond the food markets which I’ve shared more about in a couple other sections, I wanted to share some of our favorite meals and discoveries we found during our trip if you’re looking to try different cuisines.
Foods to Try in Seoul:
- Korean Fried Chicken: Head to Kyochon Pilbang for Korean fried chicken in a speakeasy style setting. Don’t be fooled by your preconceived notions of “fried chicken,”—this place is high end and makes the process of eating these finger foods a whole experience.
- Shabu Shabu: Oncheonjip is the place to go for an unforgettable shabu shabu lunch. The decor of the restaurant is very traditional Korean. And all the tables are centered around a magical courtyard with gorgeous stones and water features. You cook everything at your table yourself and it’s all super fresh.
- Salt Bread: This favorite pastry in Korea can be found in many places in the city. But we found a large concentration in Ikseon-dong. Some spots worth trying are Soha Salt Pond, Cafe Onion Anguk and Jayeondo Salt Bread.
- Tteokbokki: This is a popular Korean type of comfort food that looks like a fat noodle though it’s made of rice flour. It typically has a spicy, sweet and savory flavor and is a must-try while in South Korea.
- Kimbap: Korea’s version of sushi, minus the raw fish.
- Hotteok: A beloved street food fried pancake filled with sweet or savory flavors.
- Mandu: Korea’s version of dumplings, often filled with meats or kimchi.
- Bulgogi: Made with thin slices of marinated meat, bulgogi often is served in a bowl type dish and is packed with flavor.
If you want to book one epic meal, I’d also recommend taking a look at Michelin Guide’s Seoul recommendations for more amazing eats in the city.
Stroll Through Charming Ikseon-dong
Spending a few hours exploring the charming neighborhood of Ikseon-dong is a non negotiable while in Seoul. This historic area is characterized by narrow walk streets with historic Hanok village vibes. And it’s full of charming shops, cafes and restaurants.
Here you’ll find a couple of the most beautiful places we ate at during our trip including Oncheonjip for shabu shabu as well as Cheongsudang dessert cafe. This area is also one of the best places to try Seoul’s popular salt bread — head to Soha Salt Pond — and then get your picture taken at a Korean photo booth.
Other things to do in Ikseon-dong: Head to one of their many craft beer bars and get some of the best cheese in Seoul at Cheese Industry.
Write Your Future Self a Letter at Nuldam Space
One of the most wholesome and sweet experiences of our trip was a visit to Nuldam Space, a coffee shop that’s just across the street from Gyeongbok Palace. Inside, baristas provide you with a card and envelope to write your future self a letter, which they will then mail to you one year later. The cutest part is the process of closing your envelope with a wax seal which you melt down yourself.
I’ve known people who actually received their letters from here the following year. Though it hasn’t been a year since my visit to Seoul so I’ll have to wait and see for mine!
Shop Popular Korean Beauty Products
Did you even visit South Korea if you didn’t come home with an inordinate amount of beauty products? I think not. Olive Young is the go-to place to shop for K-beauty in Seoul. And you can’t leave the city without stopping in for some retail therapy.
Trust me when I say you won’t need to hunt one down. There are over 600 locations throughout Seoul and seem to pop up on every corner!
Before you shop though, I’d recommend doing your research online via Tik Tok, beauty publications and with your favorite content creators as to which products to get as it can be overwhelming once inside to know what is what.
Try Creative Desserts
Keeping my sweet tooth in check during this Seoul trip was not an easy task, as Koreans are masters at concocting creative (and delicious!) desserts. There are so many fun sweet treats to try in Seoul, so you’ll want to pick and choose. Here were my absolute favorites:
Where to Find Fun Dessert Cafes in Seoul:
- Scooper Gelato: Order their artfully crafted Jeju Matcha Green Tea Affogato and make sure to pay attention to the artistry as they make it.
- Nudake: For desserts that look like sculptures that should be on view at a gallery, Nudake takes the cake (pun intended!) ) for the most unique sweet treats.
- Samcheong Bingsu: Had the best shaved ice of my life here. This one felt like eating the most delicious fluffy air.
- Gwangjang Market: If you’re into churros, you’ll love the twisted donuts at Gwangjang Market.
- Cheongsudang Cafe and Bakery: This Insta-famous spot has the most charming and photogenic entryway and interior. But inside they serve super aesthetic souffle cakes.
Try the Street Food in Namdaemun Market
For a great daytime market, head straight to Namdaemun Market which has both food stalls and goods vendors selling everything from clothing to souvenirs. We had a couple places to check out in mind before arriving and they did not disappoint.
Your first stop should be Hotteok Namdaemun Vegetable, which serves the popular Korean street food dish, hotteok, which is a fried pancake filled with different ingredients. This popular vendor in Namdaemun Market offers three different options: two sweet versions with either red bean or sweet seed, and a savory vegetable. You’ll typically see locals lining up here, so you know it’s good.
Next, head to Gamekol Son Wangmandu, a bustling food stall that whips out dumplings (mandu) at lightning speed. Again, there will be a line but it moves quickly and is worth it to try each flavor.
Explore Seoul’s Art Scene
If you’re into art and design, you’ll have plenty to pique your curiosity during your trip to Seoul. This city boasts world-class museums, mural villages, vibrant art districts (Samcheong-dong and Insa-dong are two great ones), interesting architecture, as well as many unique art galleries.
While you can find a wide array of art here, I loved exploring more of the contemporary art scene that is alive and well in Seoul. Sharing some of my favorite spots we discovered during our trip below:
Places to Explore Seoul’s Art Scene:
- Daelim Museum: Located in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, this small museum originally started as Seoul’s first specialist photography museum. Now it focuses on contemporary art, design and photography with quite bold exhibitions. We were lucky enough to catch a Keiichi Tanaami exhibition here which was pretty wild.
- Hakojae Gallery: We randomly stumbled upon this gallery on a stroll through the city and witnessed the most unique exhibition comprised of ceramic donuts lining the walls from floor to ceiling. There is a constantly rotating selection of art on view here, so check their site for recent updates.
- Ihwa-dong Mural Village: To explore some of the most concentrated street art in Seoul, head to Ihwa Mural Village which sits up on the hill near Naksan Park.
- Leeum Museum of Art: Locaed in Itaewon, this is one of Korea’s top three private art museums. The Leeum museum showcases art by both international and Korean artists. But the architecturally unique building is a work of art on its own.
- D Museum: Located near Seoul Forest, this spacious contemporary art museum features a unique gallery that feels more like walking through a well curated home than within the walls of a stuffy museum.
- Dongdaemun Design Plaza: Architecture buffs will want to take a stroll through DDP, especially at night when the modern spaceship-looking structure lights up against the city skyline.
Grab Ramen at the 24-Hour Ramen Convenience Store
For a fun, kitschy and very typical Seoul experience, head to the 24-hour Ramen Convenience store which has garnered some social media fame the last few years. Shockingly this spot is unstaffed, open 24 hours, and is all operated by computer checkout.
Here’s how it works: Guests can select from a wall featuring a wide variety of packaged ramen. Everything is labeled by flavors and spice levels. Next, you check out at the designated computers and then use the hot water machine to begin cooking your ramen. They have a buffet bar with toppings as well. But I kept it simple and stayed away from those as I wasn’t sure how long everything had been sitting out.
If you’re looking for something unique to do in Seoul on a budget, this should absolutely be on your list.
Shop in Itaewon
Itaewon is one of the trendiest shopping neighborhoods in Seoul, so if you’re in the mood to spend some cash or just want to people watch some of the most stylish humans in South Korea, this is your spot.
I would say compared to Seongsu which feels a bit more industrial and grungy, Itaewon is more high-end and draws an extremely well dressed crowd—I felt like we were surrounded by models everywhere we went.
If you want to make an afternoon of it, start at Day Row coffee for delicious brew and then grab an upscale fried chicken lunch at Kyochon Pilbang. Next, check out the nearby Leeum Museum. And then spend the rest of your time perusing any local shops that catch your eye.
15-Step Scalp Treatment in Myeongdong
After seeing so many Instagram Reels about various beauty and self-care treatments in South Korea, I was determined to schedule one in on our trip to Seoul. I’ve seen people fly to South Korea to do everything from plastic surgery procedures to salmon sperm facials, but I wanted to go with something a little more low-key.
My friend and I decided to book one of the viral 15-step scalp treatments and we went with the one at ParkJun Beauty Lab. Honestly, it was one of the best things we did the entire trip. I suffer from dry skin on my scalp and my scalp has never felt better than after this treatment. And it lasted for about three months afterwards! Plus, it was the perfect way to cap off our trip with a little self-care.
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