Keep the Seoul alive! That is the fitting slogan of South Korea’s vibrant capital, Seoul. This extraordinary metropolis in the country’s northwest has 10 million inhabitants and is by far the country’s most important city. And for tourists, it also has insanely much to offer. Think of a number of interesting museums, some beautiful palaces, temples, traditional but also modern neighborhoods and you can book a tour from here to the heavily guarded border with North Korea.
Are you planning a visit to Seoul? And would you like to learn more about the extraordinary history and culture of the capital of South Korea? In this travel guide I tell you more about its interesting history, read all about the best sights and discover the best accommodation in the city. An ideal city trip to Seoul starts here….
This Travel Guide to Seoul contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a booking through one of the links on this website, Travel4history gets a small compensation for it. This does not cost you anything extra by the way!
In this travel guide…
- Practical Information – Best travel time and how many days?
- History – What makes Seoul historically interesting?
- Sightseeing Seoul – 10x Things to See and Do!
This travel guide about Seoul contains affiliate links. This means that when you make a booking through one of the links on this website, Travel4history gets a small compensation for it. This will not cost you anything extra by the way!
This article is also available in Dutch
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- Accommodation: Hotel of Hostel?
- Activities: Tickets & Tours
- Transport: Bus & Traintickets or Flight tickets
Practical information
Best travel time?
April to June and September to early November
The best time to visit South Korea’s capital is April to June and September to November. During these months the temperature is most pleasant and there is the least rainfall. In the winter months, including January and February the temperature is around freezing. In the months of July and August, on average, the most rain falls and the temperature is around 30 degrees.
How many days?
At least 3 days
Seoul is an incredibly large city and you can easily explore the area by subway. Therefore, it is best to plan at least 3 days for a visit. Besides some impressive museums, you can also visit the DMZ, Incheon, some parks and some nice neighborhoods, such as Gangnam. If you have more time, plan about 4 days.
History – Seoul in brief
For thousands of years, people have lived in the place we know today as Seoul. But with the start of the Joseon dynasty in 1392, this city really took on an important function as a center of power. The first king, Taejo decided to build his palaces here and for centuries the country was ruled from Seoul.
But Seoul was also a closed city. That only changed in the 19th century when South Korea had opened up to foreigners. Like Japan, the country began to modernize, and Seoul was the first city in Asia with good facilities such as electricity, running water and sanitation.
With Japanese colonial rule in 1910, the city’s name was changed to Keijo. However, this changed again in 1945 and Seoul was again the name of the capital of Korea. However, the Korean War (1950-1953) threw a spanner in the works and Seoul remained only the capital of South Korea. But the city was in ruins. Poverty was high and the entire economy had collapsed. In the 1960s and 1970s, thorough investments were made in infrastructure, factories and jobs, and poverty disappeared. Today, Seoul belongs to one of the most modern cities in Asia.
Sightseeing Seoul – 10x Things to See and Do!
Seoul is about 50 kilometers south of the border between North and South Korea. This makes the city vulnerable, but fortunately it is otherwise unnoticeable in the city. But the history between North and South Korea does form part of the sights of this great metropolis. Just like the many temples and palaces that were built here in the past. An overview of the 10 most enjoyable historical sights can be found below.
1. War Memorial of Korea – Read all about the Korean War
Visiting Seoul means also learning more about the division between North and South Korea. Because the Korean War may be a forgotten and an unknown war for many people, but for South Koreans it is still an important part of life. To reunite with the North or not, and under what conditions?
A visit to the War Memorial of Korea is impressive. In a clear manner, attention is paid to its origins, its course and its provisional final separation in 1953. Did you know that North Korea was very close to taking full possession of the South?
The building is impressive, the history is interesting and the objects on display here are special. For example, you will find many war vehicles, you will also find a car of Kim-Il Sung, the grandfather of the current president of North Korea Kim Yong-Un and also an impressive Memorial in this large museum. The museum is free to visit and feel free to set aside several hours for it.
2. Book a tour to the most heavily guarded border on earth
The border between North and South Korea is the most heavily guarded border on earth. The buffer zone is 4 kilometers wide and negotiations between the North and South are conducted at Panmunjon. Would you like to take a look at this heavily guarded border, the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)? You can. Strange, of course, because officially both countries are still at war with each other and, in theory, anything could happen at any time.
A trip to the DMZ does require preparation. The easiest way to see this zone is through a tour. Book this well in advance and remember that the tour can always be cancelled at the last minute. This, of course, has to do with the tensions that can be felt at any moment.
Want to know more about a tour to this special border? Then read the article DMZ tour | Discover the disputed border of North and South Korea for more information and tips.
3. Go to the important palace of the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung Palace
The most important palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) was Gyeongbokgung Palace. This building was commissioned by King Taejo of Joseon in 1395. He lived here and it was the center of power until 1592. But then the Japanese burned down the palace completely. It took more than 250 years when King Gojong had the complex rebuilt in 1865. More than 300 buildings large and more than 3,000 staff served the king here. However, this too was short-lived and during the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), the palace was once again destroyed. But a single building remained standing.
Everything you see now has been reconstructed after World War II. Still, it is a wonderful way to discover how the former kings of the Joseon Dynasty lived. Therefore, a visit to the Gyeongbokgung Palace should not be missed. Feel free to set aside a couple of hours for it, and maybe you will also enjoy having your picture taken in traditional Korean costume? Nice for the photo in any case!
4. Discover Korean history at the National Museum of Korea
If you are looking for extensive information about the history of Korea, then the National Museum of Korea is the right place. It is one of the largest museums in Asia and consists of 3 floors. Here you will find a large number of objects from prehistoric times, as well as from important dynasties, such as the Silla and Joseon.
The museum has more than 300,000 artifacts, one of the masterpieces being the gold crown from the Silla era and a beautiful 10-story pagoda from the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392). Entrance to the museum is free except for the special exhibits. This museum is so big that you can easily spend a few hours here.
Want to learn more about the Silla era? Gyeongju was the most important city of this great empire for centuries and a visit to Gyeongju, located in the south of South Korea should definitely not be missed. Read the article Gyeongju: Discover the ancient capital of Korea for more tips and information on history, sights and nice accommodation.
5. Stroll through the traditional neighborhood, Bukchon Hanok Village
Bukchon Hanok Village is a nice neighborhood located between the Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Changdeokgung Palace. Here you can still find traditional Korean houses, the Hanok. These houses date back to the Joseon period and a walk through this neighborhood gives you a nice glimpse of how people used to live. During the times of the Joseon, high-ranking people such as officers and nobility lived in this district.
Besides being able to take a look inside the houses here, you will also find many restaurants, hotels and small museums. Keep in mind that people just live in these houses, so don’t step into every open garden and house you see. Bukchon Hanok Village is free to visit and also regularly hosts workshops and presentations on the former way of life.
6. Changdeokgung Palace, another impressive palace in Seoul
Construction of this second palace in Seoul began in 1405. Like Gyeongbokgung, it is among the 5 most important palaces in South Korea. Like Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung was destroyed in 1592 during the war with Japan. However, after this war, it was decided to rebuild the entire palace in 1611.
For more than 300 years, this was the official residence of the Joseon kings. This also means that Changdeokgung Palace remains the best-preserved structure from that period, although large parts have also been reconstructed. Take a nice walk through the palace gardens and see how the kings lived for centuries. The palace is open almost every day of the week except Mondays.
7. A day trip to Incheon, for the most important battle during the Korean War
To the west of Seoul is the city of Incheon. It was this place where on Sept. 10, 1950, the United Nations, led by General McArthur, decided to launch an attack to force the North Koreans back into their own country. And with success. It caused an upheaval and North Korea was pushed all the way back to the northern tip of their own territory. Until China got involved it pushed South Korea and the United Nations back to the border as we still have today between the two countries.
Incheon has some nice sights, such as the Memorial Hall for Incheon landing operation and a nice center with China town. Therefore, if you still have time to spare it is definitely recommended to visit this city. It is easily accessible by subway and within 45 minutes you will be in downtown Incheon.
8. Changgyeonggung Palace with its beautiful gardens
Next to the Changdeokgung Palace is another impressive edifice, Changgyeonggung Palace. It too is among the 5 most important palaces in the country. King Sejong (1392-1450) had this palace built for his aged father, King Teajong. It was then called Suganggung Palace. Under the leadership of King Seongjong (1457-1495), it was renovated and renamed Changgyeonggung. During Japan’s colonial rule in 1911, part of the complex became a zoo and a botanical garden. Finally, in 1983, it was decided to restore the palace to its former glory.
A visit to Changgyeonggung Palace, like the other palaces, is interesting. Don’t forget to take a walk through the palace’s beautiful gardens. Changgyeonggung Palace is open every day except Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
9. Go to Seoul’s oldest shrine, the Bongeunsa Temple
This temple was built during the Silla Empire in 794 AD. It was then called the Gyeonseongsa Temple. In 1498, under the leadership of Queen Jeonghyeon, it was renovated and named Bongeunsa Temple. Incidentally, this temple was located near King Sejong’s tomb for many years, but received its current use in the sixteenth century.
Incidentally, the temple is located in perhaps Seoul’s most famous neighborhood(name), Gangnam. It possesses more than 3,000 Buddhist scriptures and is one of the city’s most important temples. Therefore, the shrine can be visited every day and it is even possible to stay there for a night. For more information, check out Temple Stay’s website.
10. Take a walk through the Olympic Park
In 1988, the Olympics were held in Seoul. It was the twenty-fourth edition and perhaps not entirely uncontroversial. For example, there was much criticism of the human rights situation in the country and North Korea tried to convince other communist countries to boycott the event. Only Cuba, Nicaragua and Ethiopia decided to comply. Despite the tensions between North and South Korea, the 1988 Olympics turned out to be a great success. The Netherlands won nine medals, including a gold for cycling and rowing.
Visiting the park is especially nice to take a nice walk or to see South Koreans picnicking and playing sports here. For example, the Olympic-size swimming pool is still always used and you can just swim in it. Therefore, it is definitely recommended to take a look here.
Tip: Looking for a little relaxation? Then head to the Bukhansen National Park! This National Park can be reached by metro and here you can take beautiful walks. It is located 20 kilometers north of the capital.
