Find & compare your next stop

Tourist attractions

Five Royal Palaces

서울 5대 궁궐

Seoul

Make a palace visit the centre of a day in old Seoul. Compare grand ceremonial courtyards with quieter garden paths.

Where

Jongno and Jung-gu, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

N Seoul Tower & Namsan Observatory

N서울타워·남산 전망대

Seoul

See Seoul from Namsan at two different levels: the free outdoor summit terraces around the tower, and the separately ticketed indoor N Seoul Tower observatory. This first-visit guide shows exactly how to reach them by cable car, circular bus or walking route, then time the visit for daylight, sunset and the city lights.

Where

Namsan, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Gwanghwamun Square & Cheonggye Plaza

광화문광장 · 청계광장

Seoul

Follow a city walk from the broad square towards the start of Cheonggyecheon. It is an easy introduction to central Seoul between museum or palace visits.

Where

Central Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

National Museum of Korea

국립중앙박물관

Seoul

Use objects, sculpture and paintings to put the places on your Korea itinerary into context. The grounds also offer a slower outdoor break.

Where

Yongsan, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Seoul Sky, Lotte World & Seokchon Lake

서울스카이 · 롯데월드 어드벤처 · 석촌호수

Seoul

Build a Jamsil day around lake paths, a high observation deck or theme-park rides. These are separate stops with different ways to spend your time.

Where

Jamsil, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Seongsu & Seoul Forest

성수동 카페거리 · 서울숲

Seoul

Combine neighbourhood cafés and shops with an open-air break in Seoul Forest. A flexible walking day works well here.

Where

Seongsu, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Seochon & the Street in Front of Cheongwadae

청와대 앞길 · 서촌마을

Seoul

Explore the lanes west of Gyeongbokgung and the street along its northern side. This route suits travellers interested in an unhurried neighbourhood walk.

Where

Jongno, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Hangang Parks

여의도한강공원 · 반포한강공원

Seoul

Choose the Hangang park that fits your day instead of treating the river as one destination: Yeouido for broad lawns and spring flowers, Ttukseom for recreation, Mangwon for a local picnic, Banpo for night views, and Ichon for a quieter skyline. This guide shows six distinct river moods and the practical differences between them.

Where

Seoul riverside

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Hongdae Red Road

홍대 레드로드

Seoul

Spend time around Hongdae’s shopping streets, cafés and music culture. The neighbourhood works as an afternoon wander or an evening food stop.

Where

Hongdae, Seoul

Plan your visit

Sights · From Seoul · Stay · Regional food

Tourist attractions

Yeouido: river walks & city streets

Seoul

Wide river views, picnic lawns and a modern shopping district make Yeouido an easy change of pace from old Seoul. Choose a river-first or shopping-first afternoon instead of treating the whole island as one stop.

Allow

3–4 hours

Arrival

Yeouinaru · Line 5 / Yeouido · Lines 5 & 9

Tourist attractions

Hongdae: Red Road & café streets

Seoul

Browse independent shops, music venues and lively streets around Hongik University. Hongdae is a neighbourhood to explore slowly: a daytime café walk and an evening performance visit have different rhythms.

Allow

2–4 hours

Arrival

Hongik University · Line 2, AREX & Gyeongui–Jungang

Tourist attractions

Samseong-dong: COEX & Bongeunsa

Seoul

Pair the scale of COEX with a quieter temple visit. This is a useful half-day route in Gangnam, combining an indoor book-lined atrium, shopping and traditional architecture.

Allow

3–4 hours

Arrival

Samseong · Line 2 / Bongeunsa · Line 9

Tourist attractions

Jonggak: Bosingak & evening lanes

Seoul

Begin at Bosingak, then choose a short walk through Jongno’s food lanes or along Cheonggyecheon. Jonggak is close to Insadong but is a different station and meeting point from Jongno 3-ga.

Allow

2–3 hours

Arrival

Jonggak · Line 1

Tourist attractions

Sejong Center & Gwanghwamun

Seoul

Make Seoul’s major performing-arts complex part of a Gwanghwamun walk. The broad façade and square are worth seeing, while a booked concert, musical or exhibition gives the visit a clear focus.

Allow

1–2 hours, plus a performance

Arrival

Gwanghwamun · Line 5

Tourist attractions

Han River fireworks: plan the evening

Seoul

The Seoul International Fireworks Festival transforms the Han River skyline for a special event. It is not a nightly show: confirm the edition, date and viewing arrangements with the organiser before making travel plans.

Allow

A separately scheduled event

Arrival

Yeouido area · follow event-day transport notices

Tourist attractions

Starfield Library, COEX

Seoul

Tall illuminated bookshelves and an open atrium make this one of Seoul’s most recognisable reading spaces. It sits inside COEX Mall, so it works particularly well as part of a Samseong-dong day.

Allow

45–90 minutes

Arrival

Samseong · Line 2 / Bongeunsa · Line 9

Tourist attractions

Seoul Metropolitan Library

Seoul

Visit a working library in Seoul’s former City Hall building. Its historic façade beside the newer glass City Hall makes this a rewarding stop for visitors interested in civic architecture.

Allow

45–90 minutes

Arrival

City Hall · Lines 1 & 2

Tourist attractions

Jeongdok Library & its garden

Seoul

A quiet library campus and tree-lined grounds offer a gentle pause between Bukchon and Samcheong-dong. Come for the garden setting and the relationship between buildings, paths and older Seoul streets.

Allow

45–90 minutes

Arrival

Anguk · Line 3