Seoul is not only the capital city of South
Korea but also the heart of this great
Asian nation. Seoul is a huge metropolis
city with all the modern technological
advances as a Tokyo or any other major
city but also maintains its culture and
history.
Sights
There is so much to do and see in the
wonderful city of Seoul that in order to
see everything it would literally take a
lifetime but here are a few sights that you
won't want to miss. Gyeongbok Palace is
the largest and most impressive of all the
Korean palaces. I suggest you take one of
the English tours because they are both
free and very interesting. The tour guides
are normally dressed in traditional Korean
clothing known as hanbok. You can also
witness the guard ceremony which takes
place constantly through out the day.
Another thing that you will definitely want
to see is Seoul Grand Park. This park
contains Seoul's best zoo and natural
surroundings. Lastly, if you have time then
I recommend you go up to Namsan
mountain by way of a special lift. From
Namsan mountain you can view the entire
city of Seoul. For active people you can
also choose to hike up and down the
mountain rather than using the lift.
Shopping
If you are looking to buy traditional Korean
artifacts or any kind of souvenir then you
should head over to Insadong. In Insadong
you will find a pedestrian street full of
merchants willing to bargain with tourist.
If you want to buy things such as purses,
bags, watches or clothing items then you
can go to MyeongDong or Dongdaemun
Market. Both will be extremely crowded at
all times due to the fact the Koreans also
shop here looking for the latest bargains.
Transportation
The subway system in Seoul is probably
the cleanest in the whole world. It is
better to purchase a subway card at any
major station and then add 20,000 won or
more to it. This way you do not have to
buy individual tickets each time you ride
the subway or worry about calculating the
amount you need. Be warned that some of
the electronic contain information that is
not translated into English which is
important to know so you may want to
ask any college aged Korean for directions
whenever you are transferring from one
line to another. Avoid using the bus
system because it is very complicated
even for the locals.
Food
Korean food is among the best in the
world as it is not only delicious but healthy
as well. Be aware that it can be a big too
spicy for the average foreigner. I suggest
you head over to Sinchon or Yeongdongpo
and look for a place that sells Sam Gyeop
Sal. You do not want to eat anywhere
around Insadong because you will pay a
lot for the same quality of food. Try to
find the areas where there are less tourist
such as Sinchon then you will save a lot
and get better tasting food.
Seoul is one of the greatest cities in all
the world so enjoy your stay, see as much
as you can and do everything you can in
the amount of time you have for your
visit. I guarantee you won't regret it.