In a previous article, I talked about my stay in Seoul and the peculiarities of South Korea where I lived for 1 week in a Guest house!
📋 The essentials to remember: Seoul is an ultra-modern capital where royal palaces and K-tech skyscrapers coexist. My must-sees: Gyeongbokgung (royal palace), Bukchon Hanok Village (traditional houses), Gangnam (luxury and K-pop), Myeongdong (shopping, cosmetics), DMZ (demilitarized zone with North Korea). Plan for 4 to 5 days. Excellent metro, T-money card recommended.
If you yourself are led to visit Seoul quickly, here is a series of suggestions for your 2-day stay in Seoul!
What to do in Seoul?: Tips for travelers to Seoul
What to do in Seoul? 2 days in Seoul
Here is the list of must-see places if you only stay 2 days in Seoul! This allows you to soak up the Korean culture and their history.
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What to do in Seoul? The palaces in Seoul:
Gyeongbokgung Palace, this palace is the former palace of the Joseon dynasty. You will find the throne hall, the Hyangwonjeong pavilion, and other buildings, you can imagine how the sovereign of the country lived in these buildings at the time.
There is also the National Folk Museum where you find the history and culture of Korea, it is this place that greatly inspired my first article!
Be aware, guided tours in English take place roughly every 2 hours! Otherwise, you can rent an audio guide!
🌍 Did you know?
Seoul is home to more than 10 million inhabitants in the city itself, and 25 million in the metropolitan area, making South Korea one of the most urbanized countries in the world (82%). Seoul’s metro, 350 km long, is also the 4th largest in the world after Beijing, Shanghai, and London.
I also recommend visiting Deoksugung Palace, which is also one of the 5 palaces of the Joseon dynasty. It was also the residence of other sovereigns!
Near the site is Gyeonghuigung Palace which is less beautiful in my opinion but go there if you have time and you are not tired 😀 of seeing palaces! In the neighborhood, you will find the Seoul History Museum, the former Anglican cathedral.
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Tips for travelers to Seoul: Walk around Insa-Dong
If you want to soak up the traditional Korean culture, go to Insa-dong located in the Jongno-so district. You will find galleries, arts, craft shops, antique dealers, traditional tea houses, and restaurants. It was on this occasion that my Korean friend made me taste a traditional Korean meal and then we went to drink rice wine! You have to get used to it and it is very different from vodka or whiskey! Foreigners are wary at first but in the end, they try it!
🗣️ My experience: My highlight: visiting the DMZ (demilitarized zone). 50 km from Seoul, on the most militarized border in the world, you can see North Korean soldiers at 200 m. Guided tour mandatory (€80), passport required. Strange atmosphere, palpable but controlled tension. Essential to understand the geopolitical complexity of the country. Booking 2-3 days in advance via Klook or Viator.
What is very nice is that this place is closed to traffic on weekends! During the weekend, you find vendors selling their products!
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What to do in Seoul: The fortress wall in Seoul:
Built in 1392, it’s not the Great Wall of China but it looks like it, this wall was created to protect the capital! You can see an excellent view of downtown. It’s a pretty nice walk!
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Walk along the Cheonggyecheon river:
It is a natural river that stretches over 6 km! Quite fun at night if you want to enjoy the beautiful days! What is very nice is that there are bars and restaurants all along the river.
| Neighborhood | Atmosphere | To see / do |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | Royal palace | Changing of the guard 10am-2pm |
| Bukchon Hanok | Traditional | Hanok streets, panoramic views |
| Insadong | Artistic | Galleries, traditional tea |
| Myeongdong | Shopping | K-beauty cosmetics, street food |
| Gangnam | Modern, K-pop | COEX Mall, Psy statue, SM Town |
| Hongdae | Student, festive | Bars, K-indie, young creators |
| DMZ | North border | Guided tour mandatory €80 |
3 days in Seoul: What to do?
🍀 Seoul
- Very efficient metro + free Wifi everywhere
- Excellent and affordable cuisine
- Maximum security
- Unique mix of tradition/modernity
🔻 Limits
- Language barrier (little English)
- Frequent air pollution
- Hot and humid summers (July-August)
- Sometimes rigid administrative procedures
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Travel tips for Shopping in Seoul:
Myeong-dong is the fashion district in Seoul, you find many clothing stores as well as cafes and restaurants!
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The tourist district to party in Seoul, Itaewon!
This city district is known for gathering foreign cuisine restaurants, you find French, Italian, Swiss, Mexican restaurants, etc. It’s also the place to party! With nightclubs, and also with its karaoke bars (Asians are very fond of karaoke).
You also find many leather shops, handbags, clothing, shoes and souvenirs!
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Street vendors in Seoul
What is very nice is that in Korea or Seoul, you often find street vendors!
⚠️ Classic trap
Visiting the DMZ without having your passport ready. The passport is MANDATORY to cross the checkpoint (both South Koreans and foreigners). Without it, you are turned away on the spot and lose the €80. The same applies for JSA (Joint Security Area) visits which require a reservation 2-3 weeks in advance.
Come and try, we often pay per piece!
To compare with other Asian capitals, what to do in Tokyo covers the other East Asian megacity. More on South Korea expands beyond the capital. And the Japan budget gives comparable orders of magnitude (Korea is ~20% cheaper than Japan).
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