Top 10 Sights and Attractions Places to Visit in Seoul
Are you on a whistle-stop tour of the capital city or just looking for the Seoul Top 10? It doesn’t matter. We’ve picked the top 10 Attractions to see and do in this capital city so you don’t have to mess around with your tour plans.
The choice of the top 10 Seoul sights is by no means easy because Seoul has so much to offer.
But here are the top 10 attractions and places you must visit in Seoul.
Top pick 1 – Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁
An old palace in the centre of Seoul city provides an unknown sense of mystery in harmony with the surrounding modern tall buildings. Built in the Joseon Dynasty, this palace overwhelms tourists with its grand scale and architectural beauty, and captivates tourists with its charm.
You will have the illusion of traveling back in time as you enter the palace. Thousands of people visiting this place are constantly taking pictures in order to catch wonderful scenery. This unforgettable architecture will remain as a powerful memory after your trip and remind you of the beauty of Korea.
Top pick 2 – Namsan Tower (N Seoul Tower) 남산 타워
Namsan Tower is undoubtedly an important landmark. There is no better place to see the panoramic view of Seoul than Namsan. You can see not only the shining Han River reflected in the sunlight, but also the forest of buildings and dense residential areas in Seoul.
You can see both Gangnam and Gangbuk.
Since Namsan Tower is located on top of a mountain, it’s a good idea to make this spot a picnic destination for a day trip.
You can also use the cable car to climb Namsan, but you can enjoy a colorful view of Seoul while walking. The night view gives a different feeling, so visit to feel the romantic atmosphere.
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Top pick 3 – Hangang (Han River) 한강
When talking about Seoul, you cannot leave out the Han River.
The river that runs through Seoul is 41.5 kilometers long and ranges in width from 900 to 1,200 meters. Currently, there are 22 bridges across the Han River in Seoul.
There is a park for Seoul citizens along the Han River, so it is a great resting place. You can enjoy biking or running along the Han River and have a picnic while enjoying the river view. You can also take a cruise ship.
It is good to use it because it rents a bicycle. There are convenience stores everywhere, so you can eat drinks and ramen. Also, if you use the special delivery culture unique to Korea, you can have various Korean foods delivered here.
Read more about Han River
Top pick 4 – Myeongdong 명동
Myeongdong is a bustling commercial center. This disctrict has already been a fashion area for the hippest people since the 1960s. It is a favorite area for Koreans, but also one of the must-visit places for foreigners.
Even now, Myeongdong is still famous as a Mecca for shopping, and its many shops and department stores have enough charm to attract world tourists. Even if you don’t have to go shopping here, it’s worth a stop by this place that offers a lot of things to see and eat street foods. If you are a woman who likes fashion, beautiy and cosmetics, you should not miss this place on your travel list.
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Top pick 5 – Namdaemun Market 남대문 시장
Namdaemun Market is the largest and most famous traditional market in Korea. The history of this market can be traced back to 1897. It is a market that is open all year round, and it is fun to wander around every corner of the alley.
Since this market is located right next to Sungnyemun Gate, it is recommended to visit Sungnyemun Gate.
Stores of over 10,000 stores, large and small, are lined up everywhere. There is no product that cannot be obtained here. Street food, as well as clothes and other products, can be purchased cheaply. This market handles local products, daily necessities, food products, and medical products. It’s located not far from Myeong-dong, so it’s better to look around together.
I strongly recommend that you stop by an optician and buy glasses. There are about 150 opticians in Namdaemun Market. You can buy high-quality glasses for as little as $50. Its production takes only less than 30 minutes.
Top pick 6 – Hongdae & Yeonnam 홍대 & 연남동
Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong are by far the top spots that Seoul citizens and tourists visit the most. Young generations at here can be seen in this place, so much so that it is called the street of youth.
It is a very common lifestyle for korean young people to set up a meeting place with their friends and stop by a fancy bar or coffee shop after eating lunch or dinner.
Originally, this place was famous for art and music, but now it has developed into a unique area with its own character. It is called that all the pretty fancy cafes and restaurant including shops in Seoul are located here.
The restaurants, which serve ordinary korean food as well as internernational food that cannot be easily eaten anywhere else, are attracting not only tourists but also Seoulites to this place. As soon as you arrive hongdae or Yeonnam, you’ll understand why this neighborhood has such a vibrant and unique characters. If you want Nightlife this is the best choice. It is famous as a place where busking often takes place as well.
Yeonnam-dong is located about 10 minutes away by walk from Hongik University, and many cafes and restaurants are emerging as a hot place recently.
Top pick 7 – Bukchon Hanok Village & Insadong 북촌 한옥 마을 & 인사동
Insadong is a great place to buy souvenirs from your trip to Korea. There are many restaurants here where you can taste typical korean cusine. There are also many Cafes where you can drink korean traditional tea.
Art galleries, traditional craft shops, antique art shops, traditional teahouses, traditional restaurants, and cafes are concentrated here. You can buy some nice Korean landscape paintings or oriental paintings here. This is an area where the congestion of the past is stronger than the present, so time passes relatively slowly here.
Bukchon Hanok Village is a tourist attraction located not far from Insa-dong and is a living space where residents actually live.
Hanok Village is a small village with about 250 residential hanoks, and is a popular spot for foreigners. It is a popular spot with an average of 10,000 tourists visiting per day. It is a must-visit spot where you can see the beauty of Hanok, a traditional Korean architectural style, with your own eyes.
As soon as you arrive this place where time flows very slowly you are going to have a special feeling and experience through the contrast with the high buildings and Hanok. Getting lost in Bukchon might be rather lucky because you will have more mystical experiences that way.
A visit to the Blue House on the way to Bukchon can also be a good tour itinerary.
Top pick 8 – Gangnam & COEX Shopping Mall 강남 & 코엑스 쇼핑몰
Gangnam is famous for its skyscrapers and wide roads. Gangnam is an affluent neighborhood with many large stores and high-end restaurants. Many major company’s headquarters are located here, therefore you can easily see office workers neatly dressed in suits here and there.
Gangnam’s sophisticated buildings and well-maintained roads are enough to attract tourists. COEX Mall, located in Gangnam, Samseong-dong is large, and you can enjoy shopping, watching movies, and an aquarium regardless of the weather.
There is a special bookstore, Byeolmadang Library inside the mall worth stopping by. You can take a break while reading a book there. Even if you don’t understand Korean well, pick up a Korean book and take a selfie.
Top pick 9 – Gwangjang Market 광장 시장
Gwangjang Market is a traditional market in Seoul that is as famous as Namdaemun Market. This Market is also a permanent market open 365 days a year.
Compared to Namdaemun market Gwangjang market for for rather gourmets than shoppers, this place can be described as a market lined with small restaurants. A variety of traditional Korean dishes that you can order from street food to reasonable prices will seduce your taste buds.
The specialty here is beef yukhoe(beef tartare)
You can taste it at a cheaper price than other regions, and I recommend you to order the mung bean bindaetteok when ordering this. Don’t eat too full. because there are still more to eat after beef.
After a light meal, I hope you will experience tteokbokki and mini gimbap at a very small restaurant that stands out.
Top pick 10 – Jongno & Cheonggyecheon Stream 종로 & 청계천
Jongno is densely populated with financial companies and is lined with tall buildings, and Cheonggyecheon, nestled secretly between them, offers a magical break. Who would have thought that there would be a river like this between these buildings? This place is also famous as a promenade for Seoulites, although office workers who work nearby take a walk after lunch. When you sit here and dip your bare feet in the water, you forget you are in the city.
Cheonggyecheon is a stream in Jongno. It was in 2005 that Cheonggyecheon was completely restored as a resting place.
The sound of streaming water blows away your stress of the day, and the children playing in the water with their mom and dad bring smiles. This is a very good place for solitude contemplation, meditation or reading as well. The night view is so fantastic that many couples for dating come here by.
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