How to spend a weekend in Korea, Seoul

Seoul can feel busy on the weekends, but if you choose the proper places to visit, you'll leave with a sense of both its history and its vibrancy. Imagine wandering between tranquil palace gardens, busy marketplaces, and streets lighted up by neon signs for two days. Let us take a look at how you can plan to spend a weekend in Seoul.

Planning Your Weekend

You should start by looking at places to stay and booking early. Minor Hotels and other such hospitality groups will make your choice of stay very convenient, with easy and flexible booking availability. Having your accommodation sorted out with International Hotel Groups will give you the reassurance when planning where and what you want to see and do during your weekend stay.

Start with the Palaces

Gyeongbokgung Palace is a great place to start your day. Get there early, when the gates open, and see the guard change. The vivid colours, steady drumming, and stately march of soldiers showed what life used to be like for royalty in Korea. If you go past the crowds, you'll find quieter courtyards where the noise of the city fades away.

Take a Walk Through Bukchon and Insadong

Go from the palace to Bukchon Hanok Village. There are narrow alleys with buildings with tiled roofs that go up and down the hills. A lot of tourists hire hanbok here to take pictures, so you'll probably see groups laughing and fixing their clothes between shoots. It's a nice area to calm down because of the mix of historic houses and city vistas.

Keep going to Insadong, which is famed for its modest galleries and tea cafes. Get a pot of green tea at one of the old wooden cafes. Watch the continuous stream of shoppers outside from your window. Street performers often set up shop here on weekends, so you might hear music or see dancing as you drink.

Try Street Food

You should have lunch at a market. There are huge lines of vendors and sizzling pans at Gwangjang Market. Try a plate of bindaetteok, which is a crispy pancake made with mung beans and fried right away. Another popular choice is small kimbap buns wrapped in seaweed. They're easy to eat on the go. Order a dish of chewy tteokbokki with red chilli sauce on top if you like spicy food.

Go to Myeongdong later in the evening. There are a lot of food vendors and beauty shops on the streets. Long lines form because of the wonderful smell of hotteok, a pancake loaded with nuts and sugar. It's worth the wait, especially if you want to eat something warm while you shop.

Look at Modern Seoul

Visit the Dongdaemun Design Plaza to see the city's modern side. At night, the silver contours look more sharper. Stalls around the plaza sell garments and fabric until late at night, which gives the area a restless atmosphere.

The N Seoul Tower on Namsan Hill is another great thing to see. You can either walk up the pathways or use the cable car. The view from the summit illustrates how big the city is in all directions. A lot of couples put locks on the fences, but the vista is beautiful enough on its own.

Take a Break By the River

Take some time for the Han River on sunny afternoons. Families put down mats on the grass, cyclists pedal along the walkways, and groups of friends eat delivery chicken and drink beer beside the water. One of the most local things you can do is sit here with simple meals and watch people go by.

Get In On the Nightlife

People in Seoul stay up late. Hongdae is the student area, and it has music bars, street entertainers, and clubs that stay open till the sun comes up. Itaewon has international food and bustling pubs if you want a wider mix. If you want a calm night, go to one of the dessert cafés that stay open late.

Make Your Two Days

Focus on balance as you only have a weekend. You could spend one morning viewing the palaces, walking through Bukchon, eating in Gwangjang, and end the day at Namsan Tower. The next day, relax by the Han River, shop in Myeongdong, and end your trip in Hongdae or Itaewon.