15 Best Places to Visit in Seoul for First-Timers (with the Nearest Subway Exit)
The Seoul places I send every first-time visitor to, grouped by area, with the Korean name, how to say it and the subway station to get off at.
When friends tell me they're going to Seoul for the first time, the first question is always "where should I go?" The second one is "how do I get there?" This post answers both.
Every place below has its Korean name (show it to a taxi driver or type it into Naver Map), how to say it, and the subway station to get off at. They're grouped by area, so you can do three or four in one day without crossing the whole city.
Old Seoul: palaces and hanok streets
This is where most first trips should start. It's compact, walkable, and the most "Korea" part of Seoul.
| # | Place | Korean | Get off at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gyeongbokgung Palace | 경복궁 | Gyeongbokgung Stn (Line 3), Exit 5 |
| 2 | Bukchon Hanok Village | 북촌한옥마을 | Anguk Stn (Line 3), Exit 2 |
| 3 | Insadong | 인사동 | Anguk Stn (Line 3), Exit 6 |
| 4 | Ikseon-dong | 익선동 | Jongno 3-ga Stn |
| 5 | Gwangjang Market | 광장시장 | Jongno 5-ga Stn (Line 1) |
1. Gyeongbokgung Palace. The big one. Wear a hanbok and you get in free, which is why you'll see so many people in them. The guard ceremony at the main gate is at 10:00 and 14:00. It's closed on Tuesdays, which catches a lot of people out.
2. Bukchon Hanok Village. Rows of traditional houses on a hill. People really live here, so visit between 10:00 and 17:00 and keep your voice down.
3. Insadong. Tea houses, pottery, calligraphy brushes. Even the Starbucks sign is written in Hangul here, which makes it the best street in Seoul for reading practice.
4. Ikseon-dong. Tiny alleys full of hanok cafes. Go on a weekday morning, because by the afternoon you'll be shuffling in a line.
5. Gwangjang Market. My favorite place to eat in Seoul. Sit at a counter and order 빈대떡 (bin-dae-tteok), a crispy mung bean pancake fried right in front of you.
Central Seoul: Myeongdong and the tower
| # | Place | Korean | Get off at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Myeongdong | 명동 | Myeongdong Stn (Line 4), Exit 6 |
| 7 | N Seoul Tower | 남산서울타워 | Myeongdong Stn, then the cable car |
| 8 | Namdaemun Market | 남대문시장 | Hoehyeon Stn (Line 4), Exit 5 |
6. Myeongdong. Skincare shops on every corner and a street food market that sets up in the late afternoon. Come hungry around 17:00.
7. N Seoul Tower. The classic view of the whole city. Ride the Namsan cable car up, go before sunset and stay for the lights.
8. Namdaemun Market. Korea's oldest big market. Go for the food alleys, not the souvenirs.
West Seoul: Hongdae and the river
| # | Place | Korean | Get off at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Hongdae | 홍대 | Hongik Univ. Stn (Line 2), Exit 9 |
| 10 | Yeonnam-dong | 연남동 | Hongik Univ. Stn, Exit 3 |
| 11 | Yeouido Hangang Park | 여의도한강공원 | Yeouinaru Stn (Line 5), Exit 2 |
9. Hongdae. Street performers, cheap eats and late nights. The airport train stops right here, which makes it an easy first base. (Here's how to read the signs at Hongik Univ. station.)
10. Yeonnam-dong. A long park built on an old railway line, lined with small cafes. Grab snacks and sit on the grass like everyone else.
11. Yeouido Hangang Park. Do the most Seoul thing ever: buy instant ramyeon at the riverside convenience store and cook it in their machine. (Here's what the cashier will ask you.)
East and South: Seongsu and Gangnam
| # | Place | Korean | Get off at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Seongsu-dong | 성수동 | Seongsu Stn (Line 2), Exit 3 |
| 13 | Starfield Library | 별마당도서관 | Samseong Stn (Line 2) |
| 14 | Bongeunsa Temple | 봉은사 | Bongeunsa Stn (Line 9), Exit 1 |
| 15 | Lotte World Tower | 롯데월드타워 | Jamsil Stn (Line 2) |
12. Seongsu-dong. People call it the Brooklyn of Seoul: old factories turned into cafes, and new pop-up stores every week.
13. Starfield Library. The giant bookshelves you've seen on Instagram. It's free, and it's inside COEX Mall.
14. Bongeunsa Temple. A quiet temple right across the road from COEX. The contrast with the glass towers around it is something else.
15. Lotte World Tower. Korea's tallest building. Walk around Seokchon Lake at its feet first, then go up for the view.
Say it at every stop
You only need one sentence to get anywhere. Put the place name in front of 어떻게 가요?
광장시장 어떻게 가요?
gwang-jang si-jang eo-tteo-ke ga-yo? "How do I get to Gwangjang Market?"
사진 좀 찍어 주세요.
sa-jin jom jji-geo ju-se-yo "Could you take a photo for me?"
Want the other 15, and a plan for each day?
These are my top 15. My full list has 30, including Changdeokgung's Secret Garden, Ihwa Mural Village, Mangwon Market, Noryangjin Fish Market and a mountain hike you can do without leaving the city. I put them all into a printable guide with a 3 day and a 5 day plan, so you don't have to work out the order yourself.
Printable on Etsy
Printable Seoul Travel Guide
All 30 places with the nearest station and exit, 3 and 5 day itineraries, 6 day trips and the Korean to say at each stop. 10 pages, A4 and US Letter.
Get the printable guideMini quiz
1. You want to visit Gyeongbokgung on a Tuesday. Good idea?
No! It's closed on Tuesdays. Go to Bukchon and Insadong instead and save the palace for another day.
2. Which market is famous for 빈대떡 (mung bean pancakes)?
광장시장, Gwangjang Market.
3. How do you ask "How do I get to Myeongdong?"
명동 어떻게 가요? (myeong-dong eo-tteo-ke ga-yo?)
Before you go, grab a T-money card. It works on every subway and bus on this list.
Free download
The Seoul Cheat Sheet
Ten signs, eight cafe words and six travel phrases on two printable pages. Tell me where to send it.
From the author
Learn to Read Korean in 7 Days
A printable, step-by-step workbook that takes you from your very first letter to reading a real cafe menu and Seoul signs. Numbered stroke order, a memory trick for every letter, and real words from Day 1.
See the workbookEmma is a Korean-American who grew up in the US and now lives in Seoul. A marketer by trade, she spent years guiding first-time visitors around Korea and teaching them to read Hangul.