Travelling Seoul

I would like to start out by talking about Seoul! Not only is it one of my favorite cities, it is a city I had the opportunity to live in for multiple years as I worked as an English instructor. Personally, it is one of my favorite places to be and I loved my time living there. However, to keep from rambling I will try my best to break down a few of my favorite things to do in the city. 

1. Gyeongbokgung Palace

Yes, I am starting out basic, but this place is iconic for a reason. You definitely get an idea of what Seoul was all about before Japanese colonialism and it warrants a visit. As I recall, the entrance fee is modest at around 3,000 Won (3.00 USD roughly) and it is definitely worth it considering you can easily spend an hour or more walking around the gardens and smaller sections of the palace. Also, you have the option of getting a traditional hanbok (clothing) at a nearby store and getting some amazing pictures done here. I would highly recommend a stop if you're in Seoul.

2. Namdaemun/Dongdaemun Market

I placed these two together because they are right next to each other and it is easy enough to walk between them. Personally, I love Namdaemun market and although it lacks in the aesthetics department when compared to Dongdaemun, it easily makes up for it with a larger variety of traditional Korean items such as coin purses, mother-of-pearl boxes, and other souvenirs. However, Dongdaemun definitely has a charm to it that is undeniable, and as I mentioned before the aesthetics are much better (definitely Instagram-worthy). I would recommend starting at Hoehyeon station and walking through Namdaemun first as it has cheaper options for food and other goods. Don't be afraid to go indoors and walk through the mall-like section of the market as it is filled with jewelry and clothing.

3. Hiking

Sorry if you hate the outdoors or if hiking is not your thing however, even if you don't really love it I think it's worth packing some gimbap and heading up anyways! Since the city is basically surrounded by mountains you can have your pick of where you want to go but I recommend Gwanaksang Mountain. Heading out from Sadang station, you can easily walk to the base of this mountain, and if you go the right way you can see a beautiful temple near the bottom. However, the real reason I would recommend this is because it is not that difficult to hike, and if planned properly it may only take a handful of hours, meaning if you start in the morning you can come down and get lunch. If you want to go big, however, north of the city is Bukansan Mountain which is also pretty incredible.

Final Tips

At fear of rambling on this blog I'll try and keep most of my posts brief with several other activities for you to look into near the end and any tips I have for you.

• Make sure to download Naver Maps when heading to Korea as it is more useful than Google Maps
• Ipark Mall is perfect to check out on a rainy day and to spend some money (Korea is full of great malls)
• Check out some cafes for a relaxing coffee when in Seoul, there are tons to choose from
• Don't forget to grab a TMoney card at a convenience store and load it at loading stalls to help you use the train and busses

Thanks for reading and if you're looking to book a flight or some activities, click the link "book now" and check out trip.com I use it to book almost all my flights and hotels.

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