sightseeing in Seoul

My son and I went on a fabulous trip to Seoul after he completed his master’s degree in computer science. We’ve typically offered our kids trips as graduation presents, and this was his pick. Just he and I went, and it was a really wonderful experience. Let’s look at a little background information about Seoul, and then I’ll share some ideas for sightseeing in Seoul.

Basic Seoul facts:

Seoul has a rich history that stretches back over 2,000 years. Originally known as Hanseong, it was the capital of the Joseon Dynasty, and much of its historical and cultural identity was shaped during this time, including the construction of grand palaces like Gyeongbokgung. Throughout its history, Seoul has been a center of trade, politics, and culture in East Asia. Major upheaval occurred during the Korean War, but it has emerged as a global metropolis, now recognized for its economic prowess, technological advancements, and unique blend of traditional and modern influences.

Over nine million people call metropolitan Seoul home, and the city has a gorgeous mix of traditional architecture and modern skyscrapers. Local markets, peaceful churches and temples, historic landmarks, and fascinating museums abound. Seoul is also the hub for the wildly popular K-pop, which melds synthesized music, dance routines, and colorful costumes.

Seoul has a humid subtropical climate with a lot of heat, rain, and humidity in July and August. We visited in July, the only time our schedules allowed. Although it rained often overnight, it only poured on us one day of our visit. We spent most of that day in an air-conditioned museum and did just fine.

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Highlights from our sightseeing in Seoul:

I’m presenting these in the order we explored them. Typically, we hit two or three sites each day.

Jongmyo Shrine

It’s a Confucian shrine dedicated to the kings and queens from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). Memorial services featuring ritual music and dance happened here. It was an easy walk from our hotel, so we made this our first destination. We participated in a short, informative tour of this peaceful setting. In fact, you must sign up for a tour in order to see the area, unless you visit on a Saturday.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

It was established in 1395 as the main palace for the Joseon Dynasty. It’s really a compound consisting of several different buildings. Those near the front were dedicated to matters of state, while those in back were living quarters for the king and his family. We opted for a self-guided tour using a map and recordings, and this worked well for us. We were able to linger where we wanted to linger. It’s a beautiful setting. The ceilings and rooflines are spectacular!

Street Markets

In my opinion, the Insa-Dong street market near our hotel was significantly better than both Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong Market. We walked through it several evenings after dining at restaurants close by. I found some great souvenirs. You’ll find beautifully embroidered bags, novelty socks, jewelry, art, and much more. Generally, it was easy to find nice keepsakes and gifts. The Korean skin care products were available in many places, all with lovely packaging. I loved perusing the Sacksang store. Be sure to look for some Jeju Island tea as well.

National Museum of Korea

The museum features permanent exhibits from prehistory and ancient history, medieval and early modern history, calligraphy and painting, sculpture and crafts, and world art. They also showcase a broad collection of cultural heritage items gifted to the museum. We were especially interested in the information about the Joseon Dynasty since we had begun learning about it at the shrine and palace.

War Memorial Hall

It was fascinating seeing the wall displays depicting parallel histories for the East, Korea, and the West. Our own portion (the US) seems so small. The broader purposes of the hall are to remember the Korean War and symbolize a desire for reunification. The surrounding grounds and sculptures are lovely.

Coex Mall Aquarium

One place we went on the day it rained was the Coex Mall. It was incredible! Huge! And primarily underground. We decided to visit the aquarium. It was definitely geared for kids—we saw a large group of (adorable!) toddlers. It was nice—there were fish, sharks, jellyfish, otters, penguins, manatees, turtles, etc. Even a squirrel, a beaver, and some groundhogs. Outside the mall was an incredible sculpture, the Gangnam Style Sculpture.

Bongeunsa Temple

Again, it was a cluster of several buildings. There were numerous lanterns and statues on display. The grounds are beautiful, and the overall impression is one of tranquility. This was a major highlight of the trip for both of us. It was captivating to see this ancient temple right in the middle of a bustling, modern city.

Myeongdong Cathedral

The cathedral dates back to 1898 (the first Catholic church in Korea) and has beautiful stained-glass windows. The roof is 75 feet high, with the bell tower reaching 147 feet. The church has served an important role in work for human rights and democracy.

Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Japanese imperialists established the prison in 1908. Now it serves as a memorial for those who gave their lives for national independence. All told, roughly 40,000 activists came through here. Of those, approximately 400 were executed or died of other causes. Many experienced horrible torture.

Namsan Seoul Tower

The views were amazing! It’s the best vantage point in the city–you can see as far as North Korea. The tower is dedicated to love—couples can bring locks symbolizing their love and leave them on the metal fence (last image). There’s a fabulous restaurant there where we enjoyed a delicious truffle pasta dinner. This was a major highlight (both the tower and the pasta!).

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It’s been fun reminiscing about my time sightseeing in Seoul!

It was a beautiful trip, the best part of which was sharing it with my son.

A few more things I’d like to mention:

We stayed at Hotel Sunbee, and it was perfect for us.

It’s in the Insa-Dong area of Seoul, close to groceries, restaurants, a bank (where we exchanged currency), a street market, and public transportation. The staff members were kind, efficient, and helpful, and there was always someone available who spoke English. They had laundry facilities we could use for free. There is a lovely cafe on the lower level, which we visited several times.

Speaking of cafes, we noticed a plethora of wonderful little coffee and tea shops.

We indulged in a different latte each day. At one point when we were out walking, we counted eight different coffee shops at one intersection! We tried a grain latte, sweet potato latte, toffee nut latte, honey latte, ginger latte, ice cream latte, matcha latte, black sugar cold brew, milk tea latte, and Spanish latte. We even found a Starbucks there!

Public transportation was easy to navigate.

We purchased transportation cards in the lower level of Incheon Airport, and we found that they work in various vending machines. We tried a milk soda (like cream soda mixed with Sprite), chilsung cider (like Sprite), banana milk, and cornsilk tea (Don’t!).

Public transportation is fantastic. You can’t use the google maps app there, but they have two you can download that are user-friendly. We primarily used Naver Map, and we were able to use public transportation easily with its guidance.

We wanted to visit the DMZ, but it hadn’t reopened yet following the pandemic.

That’s definitely on my list if I ever get a chance to return. Be aware that there is a dress code there–no shorts allowed. You have to book appointments online in advance. Allow time, because there’s an approval process. About a month after we returned home, it reopened. No regrets, because we went to the Namsan Seoul Tower instead on our last day, and it was a highlight of our trip.

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I hope you have a chance to go sightseeing in Seoul! If so, I’d love to hear about your experience.

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Fondly,

Crysti