I’ll admit — I didn’t have huge expectations for Seoul. I was bracing for another city that doesn’t rank particularly high on “prettiest Asian capital” lists. Well, I was wrong! Seoul is stunning and, despite high prices, absolutely worth visiting.
When to go? In my view, September and October are the best months. In my case nostalgia for autumn also played a part. Two years in hot Thailand had me swooning at every falling leaf. And now, objectively — autumn Seoul is beautiful and the temperatures are perfect. Mornings and evenings are chilly, but during the day it’s warm without being hot, which makes sightseeing very pleasant. We got a perfectly sunny week — though according to Koreans that was a lucky strike and the weather can be moody (as autumn weather is).
Below is my subjective list of places worth visiting during a few days in Seoul. That said, a warning: this city is a bottomless well — the longer you walk, the more you discover there’s still plenty left to see…
1. Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung Palace belongs to the “Five Grand Palaces” and is the best-preserved palace of the Joseon dynasty. This is where the royal family lived and where kings and their ministers discussed state affairs to govern effectively.
Changdeokgung Palace was built in 1405 by King Taejong, the third ruler of Joseon. All the palaces of Seoul were burned during the Japanese invasion of 1592, and Changdeokgung was the first to be rebuilt in 1610. From then on, for 270 years, it served as the main palace where 13 kings — including the last monarch — attended to state matters.
The palace is surrounded by the vast Jongno-gu garden. The visit splits naturally into two parts: the main palace and the Secret Garden. While you can tour the main palace on your own, the Secret Garden is only accessible on a guided tour.
Tickets — Main Palace:
Children under 7 — free Children 7–18 — 1,500 KRW (around 5 PLN) Adults — 5,000 KRW (around 17 PLN)
Opening hours — Main Palace:
February – May: 9:00 to 17:00 June – August: 9:00 to 17:30 September – October: 9:00 to 17:00 November – January: 9:00 to 16:30
Tickets — Secret Garden:
Children under 7 — free Children 7–18 — 2,500 KRW (around 8–9 PLN) Adults — 5,000 KRW (around 17 PLN)
English-language guide — Secret Garden:
March to November: 10:30 / 11:30 / 14:30 / 15:30 December to February: 10:30 / 11:30 / 14:30 Tour duration: about 90 minutes
2. Ikseon-dong Hanok Village
Ikseon-dong Hanok Village isn’t something you’ll typically find in guidebooks. We ended up there by pure chance, because the map showed a dense cluster of restaurants in the area. This village, founded in 1920, is a tangle of narrow alleys, each one lined with charming cafés, restaurants, and little shops. Although the village is more than 100 years old, it’s still lived in. Alleys that are completely empty during the day turn into Koreans’ main meeting spot from late afternoon. You’re unlikely to see tourists here — rather elderly ladies out for afternoon tea with friends, a couple — she with a bouquet of flowers in hand, he dressed up — heading to dinner. As all over Seoul, evenings here are full of people coming straight from work for dinner. Even though it gets crowded and restaurants have queues, it’s worth a visit to feel the spirit of Korea.
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours:
Open 24 hours.
3. Tea in the Jongno-gu district
Jongno-gu is a district with rich history. It’s where you’ll find the most important landmarks, the Joseon dynasty palaces, the famous souvenir promenade, and teahouses. That’s why it’s worth simply strolling around this neighbourhood, stepping into one of the many traditional Korean teahouses where the hostess will explain how to brew the tea. The choice of teas is enormous, add a traditional rice dessert — and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a break from sightseeing. And if you like the Korean take on hygge, you’ll certainly come across special shops selling Korean porcelain in this district, where you can pick up a tea set and recreate this lovely moment at home.
My favourite teahouse in the area is Teastory.
Opening hours:
Daily from 1:00 to 21:00
4. Gyeongbokgung Palace
Time for Seoul’s most important monument. Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first and largest royal palace built during the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it stood in the heart of the newly-founded capital of Seoul. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces, Gyeongbokgung served as the main palace of the Joseon dynasty. After all the palaces of the capital were razed by the Japanese during invasions between 1592 and 1598, the palace stood abandoned for the next 273 years. It was finally restored in 1867. Around 500 (!) buildings were constructed on an area covering more than 40 hectares, forming a small city.
Unfortunately in 1876 most of the buildings were consumed by a great fire. The palace was rebuilt a second time, and restoration continues to this day.
While at Gyeongbokgung you can also visit the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea, both located within the complex.
Near the palace entrances there are rentals of hanbok — traditional Korean garments — and both tourists and Koreans love to put them on. Against the palace backdrop, colourful hanbok looks magical. I’ve heard you get free entry in traditional dress — I didn’t verify, but if true, it’s a great idea to bring back the spirit of the era!
Tickets:
Children under 6 — free entry Children 7–18 — 1,500 KRW (around 5 PLN) Adults — 3,000 KRW (around 10 PLN)
Opening hours:
January – February: 9:00 to 17:00 March – May: 9:00 to 18:00 June – August: 9:00 to 18:30 September – October: 9:00 to 18:00 November – December: 9:00 to 17:00 Closed every Tuesday.
5. Bukchon Hanok Village
Want to travel 600 years back? While at Gyeongbokgung Palace, I really recommend stopping by this charming village (it’s very close to the palace). It’s easily my favourite spot on the Seoul map.
Bukchon Hanok Village is one of the few places in Korea where you can see traditional hanok — wooden houses popular in the 15th century. During the Joseon dynasty, royal families, aristocrats, wealthy citizens, and state officials lived in hanok houses in this village.
Today the area holds about 900 hanok buildings, many of which have been restored to their former glory using traditional materials and methods. As a fun fact — some of the houses are lived in, some can be rented. Meanwhile, some have become traditional Korean teahouses, restaurants, and cultural centres where you can experience Korean culture.
Walking the village lanes, I highly recommend stopping at the Cha-teul teahouse, which serves tea brewed the traditional Korean way.
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours:
Open 24/7, but please stay quiet in the village and respect the residents’ daily life.
6. Starfield Library
What sets Starfield Library apart from other libraries? I get the impression — everything! This unusual library is located inside… the Coex Mall shopping centre. It’s an open space where anyone can freely sit, lie down, and even eat or drink coffee while reading.
Over 70,000 books, around 600 domestic and foreign periodicals, all freely accessible. And the most beautiful part is that the library is always full of people — nobody minds background chatter or people walking by. Some simply come here to work. What’s missing is a good atmospheric café — the library itself only has a Starbucks.
On top of that, plenty of events take place here: author meetings, poetry readings, lectures, and much more.
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours:
Daily from 10:30 to 22:00
7. Coex Aquarium
I won’t hide it — we’re aquarium fans. The famous and one of the best aquariums in Kuala Lumpur made a great impression on us, so we didn’t expect too much from the Coex Aquarium. Wrongly! Right now it’s the best aquarium we’ve seen in Asia. It’s in the same shopping centre as the Starfield Library, so it’s worth combining both trips in one day.
COEX Aquarium has 90 display tanks grouped into 14 themed zones — including Korean fish, a Korean garden, a mangrove forest, a marine mammals village, an underwater tunnel, a jellyfish garden, and the best one — a penguin playground. The tanks are arranged so that visitors follow a set path through the aquarium and experience each themed area in order.
But that’s not all. Every day in Zone 10 (Ocean Kingdom) and Zone 15 (Penguin’s Playground) there’s a live feeding of sharks and penguins, which causes a lot of excitement and laughter. Highly recommended!
Feeding times:
Zone 10 — Ocean Kingdom — daily at 13:30 Zone 15 — Penguin’s Playground — daily at 15:30
Tickets:
Adults and children over 12 — around 123 PLN Children 3–12 — around 143 PLN
Opening hours:
Daily from 10:00 to 20:00
8. Gangnam Style Statue
Who doesn’t remember Psy’s famous 2012 track Gangnam Style? Inside Coex Mall, head toward the eastern exit and you’ll reach the Gangnam Style Statue — golden hands arranged in the famous gesture.
It was right here in Seoul, in the Gangnam district — among other places, with the tallest building, the Seoul Trade Tower, in the background — that the music video for this world-famous song was shot. Trust me, the music is still alive here. At the base of the monument there’s an info plaque explaining the song’s history, a few record-breaking facts, and best of all — when you stand under the monument, the music starts playing. And then you keep humming it to the end of the day 😉
The monument itself isn’t all that impressive, but Gangnam definitely is! You can really feel that you’re in the richest district of Seoul. Expensive cars, imposing skyscrapers, expensive restaurants (although there are cheaper options too — after all, the Koreans who work here have to eat too).
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours:
Open 24 hours.
9. Bongeunsa Temple
More than 56% of South Korea’s population identifies with no religion. Christianity (7%) and Buddhism (15%) are the dominant faiths among people affiliated with formal religion.
Stepping out of Coex Mall and heading north, you’ll reach the Buddhist temple Bongeunsa, dating from 794. Destroyed twice — in 1939 and during the Korean War — it was finally restored to its former glory after 40 years of restoration.
Until about 1960, the temple grounds were surrounded only by a village with farms and orchards. Since then, the area has developed so much that it has become Seoul’s richest and busiest place. Today Bongeunsa is a blend of tradition and modernity — though right in the middle of the urban jungle, it remains a pleasant and peaceful nook on a wooded hillside.
Twice a day, at 4:10 and 18:40, the temple monks perform a drum ceremony using four instruments. The ceremony aims to save and awaken beings on earth, underwater, in the sky, and underground.
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours:
Daily from 3:00 to 22:00
10. Lotte World Tower
Lotte World Tower is the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest in the world — 123 floors above ground, 6 below. 555 m above sea level! Sounds incredible, right? And the view from the observation deck is a breathtaking picture of the urban jungle.
Floors 117 to 123 hold observation decks, reachable only by an extremely fast elevator. The ride itself is a ride. Up top, you can move between floors on escalators and choose for yourself which view is perfect for you. I don’t recommend going on weekends unless you’ve bought online tickets on the so-called fast track. Otherwise you’ll spend at least 30 minutes in line, because the number of people allowed on the upper floors at once is limited.
There’s also an amusement park next to Lotte Tower, but we didn’t have the time or energy to check it out.
Tickets:
Children and adults: 27,000 KRW (around 92 PLN) Tickets available on the ground floor of Lotte World Tower, valid only on the day of purchase.
Opening hours:
Daily from 11:00 to 21:00 Last entry — 20:00
11. Namsan Hill and N Seoul Tower
We only made it up to Namsan on the second try. On our first, Saturday, attempt we were put off by a queue several floors long. The second try was smooth — on weekdays there are decidedly fewer people trying to ride up. Don’t repeat our mistake — on weekends you’ll have to wait at least tens of minutes, and unfortunately no one tells you the waiting time when buying tickets, so you might be in for a surprise…
N Seoul Tower is a communications and observation tower on top of Namsan hill in central Seoul. At 236 meters, the tower is Seoul’s second-highest point and the city’s most recognizable landmark.
To reach the top, you can walk, take a bus, or use the Namsan cable car. And in this case I especially urge you toward the second option. Why? Because the cable car is the most picturesque way to reach the summit, offering a wonderful view over the surrounding park and city.
Tickets — Namsan cable car:
Children (up only): 4,000 KRW (around 14 PLN) Children (up/down): 9,500 KRW (around 32 PLN) Adults (up only): 7,000 KRW (around 24 PLN) Adults (up/down): 16,500 KRW (around 56 PLN)
Opening hours:
Daily from 9:00 to 23:00 Maintenance break — Mondays from 9:00 to 14:00
At the top, there are a few options. The first is a walk around the main plaza and observation points, which offer a beautiful view of the city. This option is free. If you want to climb inside N Seoul Tower itself, you need a ticket.
The main attraction of the tower is the observatory (level 3F) offering a 360° view of the city. In the tower’s lobby is the Hanbok Culture Experience Center, where you’ll learn a lot about the Joseon dynasty, have the chance to change into traditional hanbok or wedding attire. And if you get hungry, at the Hancook restaurant you can try Korean dishes.
Tickets — N Seoul Tower Observatory:
Children under 3 — free Children 3–12 — 8,000 KRW (around 27 PLN) Children over 13 and adults — 10,000 KRW (around 34 PLN)
Opening hours:
Sunday–Friday: 10:00 to 23:00 Saturdays: 10:00 to midnight
12. Bank of Korea Museum
If you have a geography or economics lover at home, I recommend the Museum of Korean Banking. Nothing beats travel paired with education. The museum sheds light on the country’s monetary history, as well as abroad. The exhibits follow the evolution of money from antiquity to today — such a surprise to see ancient coins in the form of, say, seashells. They also explain the process of minting, spotting counterfeits, and economic development. The collections are enormous; the display holds more than 20,000 Korean and foreign banknotes and coins. The Bank of Korea Museum is near N Seoul Tower — it’s worth carving out 30 minutes to step into this Renaissance building, all the more so because entry is free.
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 to 17:00
13. Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs
In the heart of Seoul’s most developed Gangnam district there’s a small park. Few people know it exists, which is why it’s so peaceful and quiet. And it’s a special and important place on the city’s map — because it houses the Seolleung and Jeongneung tombs of the Joseon dynasty. It’s one of 18 royal tomb complexes scattered across the Korean peninsula, all inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Tickets:
Children — 500 KRW (around 1.70 PLN) Adults — 1,000 KRW (around 3.40 PLN)
Opening hours:
February: 6:00 to 18:00 March – October: 6:00 to 21:00 November – January: 6:30 to 17:30 Closed on Mondays!
14. Myeongdong Night Market
In Seoul, it’s worth going to at least one of the many night markets. In our case, the choice fell on Myeongdong. You’ll find everything your heart desires! Chestnuts, fried hot dogs, seafood, Korean desserts await the hungry. This night market is essentially a lineup of stalls along the street. Total madness of colour and variety. Beyond food, you can buy clothes, souvenirs, toys, gadgets… The neighbourhood is also famous for shops selling Korean cosmetics. Unfortunately, the downside is the crowds moving in every direction in search of food and souvenirs. The stalls themselves don’t offer anything you can’t find on any other Seoul street.
Tickets:
Free entry.
Opening hours (Night Market):
Monday – Friday: 16:00 to around 23:00 Saturday – Sunday: 14:00 to around 23:00
15. What to eat in Korea
Last but not least. Food in Korea is a fascinating topic, for many reasons. First, relatively few people in Korea speak English and the menus are written in Korean. When going out for local food, we often just ordered something that — based on usually useless translator output — looked sensible. Second, Korean dishes don’t suit every palate.
Traditionally Koreans eat a lot of meat. It’s most often fried on so-called BBQ — an electric or charcoal grill set on the table. After frying, the meat is cut with scissors into pieces, placed on a lettuce leaf, topped with spices and various kinds of kimchi. You eat mostly with your hands or with chopsticks. At every Korean BBQ you’ll have a choice of pork and beef (the super-expensive option). Vegetarian options basically don’t exist — you can simply skip the meat and eat just kimchi and grilled mushrooms. Of course there are also tofu soups and tofu noodles. Korean food isn’t spicy, especially compared to Thai, but some sauces can be spicier. If you like meat and pickled vegetables, you’ll surely find lots of options. For Poles, the taste of kimchi isn’t anything exotic — there’s probably none of us who hasn’t eaten ogórki kiszone (fermented cucumbers).
A fun lunch option is a dish of a small chicken stuffed with rice and cooked whole. It comes with kimchi, and the whole thing costs just 25 PLN (probably the cheapest lunch option we saw).
Koreans generally don’t eat breakfast (and if they do, it’s rice with sesame and sesame oil), so cafés serving anything that could be called a European breakfast are rare. There are plenty of cafés, though — hard-working Koreans need their daily caffeine fix!
For dessert, you absolutely have to try bingsu in its various forms!
Restaurants in Seoul (like everything else) are fairly expensive. Dinner for two runs at least 150 PLN (nothing fancy — you can go cheaper, and you can go waaay pricier).
I hope this guide will be a good starting point for building your own Seoul sightseeing plan. It’s absolutely worth it! And if you’ve already been, let me know in the comments what else is worth seeing!