People relaxing by Cheong-Gyecheon stream in the centre of Seoul on a summer evening

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Seoul

Fashion- and technology-forward but also deeply traditional, this dynamic city mashes up palaces, temples, cutting-edge design and mountain trails, all to a nonstop K-Pop beat.

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Deoksugung Palace in Korea .

    Deoksugung

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    One of Seoul's five grand palaces built during the Joseon dynasty, Deoksugung (meaning Palace of Virtuous Longevity) is the only one you can visit in the…

  • National Museum of Korea at night

    National Museum of Korea

    Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

    This vast and imposing concrete slab of a museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Korea's past from prehistory all the way to the Korean…

  • Olympic Park with pond and ducks in foreground.

    Olympic Park

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    This large and pleasant park was the focus of the 1988 Olympics. Strolling its paths takes you past its stadiums surrounded by plenty of greenery, ponds…

  • Detail of ROK Airforce plane outside War Memorial and Museum, north of river.

    War Memorial of Korea

    Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

    This huge museum documents the history of the Korean War (1950–53) using multimedia exhibits and black-and-white documentary footage, along with artefacts…

  • Magic Hour of Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam, Seoul

    Bongeun-sa

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    Located in the heart of ritzy Gangnam, the shrines and halls of the Buddhist temple Bongeun-sa, with its tree-filled hillside location, stand in direct…

  • Building in Namsangol Hanok Village, Myong-dong.

    Namsangol Hanok Village

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    Located in a park at the foot of Namsan, this peaceful village is a wonderful spot to encounter traditional Korean culture. It features five differing…

  • Namdaemun traditional market

    Namdaemun Market

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    You could spend all day in this swarming night-and-day market and not see it at all. The largest market in Korea, each section has hundreds of stalls,…

  • Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

    Leeum Samsung Museum of Art

    Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

    Amid the celebrity-owned apartments on the leafy southern slope of Namsan is Korea's premier art gallery. Beautifully designed and laid-out, it balances…

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The 20 best things to do in Seoul, South Korea

Nov 20, 2024 • 12 min read

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