Visiting Seoul’s Royal Palaces is a must when traveling to South Korea’s largest city. There are a total of five royal palaces in Seoul scattered throughout the city. Gyeongbokgung Palace is the grandest and most visited, but they are all unique and worth visiting.  Perfect for first-time visitors to Seoul and anyone who loves culture and history, exploring Seoul’s royal palaces is my top recommendation and one of the best things to do in Seoul.  ** This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or widgets throughout the page, whether it be Viator, Booking.com, Agoda, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Seoul’s 5 Royal Palaces Seoul’s five Royal Palaces include: Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung, and Gyeonghuigung. These royal palaces are from the Joseon Dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty started in 1392 until 1897.  Scattered across the city, the royal palaces offer a mix of grand throne halls, peaceful gardens, and traditional Korean architecture.  Some palaces are more grand then others, but I do recommend adding all five to your Seoul travel itinerary. In case you don’t have time to fit them all in, I recommend starting with Gyeongbokgung Palace, it is the grandest of them all.  It took me three visits to Seoul to finally see all five of the palaces. I made this post to provide you with information on each palace to assist with planning and just to provide basic information on each site.  Changdeokgung Palace Changdeokgung Palace is one of the mots beautiful and historically significant of the royal palaces in Seoul. It was first constructed in 1405, the fifth year of the 3rd King Taejong’s reign. Unfortunately, the palace was completely destroyed by fire in the late 1500’s during the Japanese invasion. It was restored in 1610. Changdeokgung Palace was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This palace is known for its harmonious design that blends naturally with the landscape.  Besides Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung Palace is my favorite palace in Seoul and it’s easily within walking distance from Gyeongbokgung. Admission Adults: ￦ 3,000 Children (18 and under): Free *Admission and Hours are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center Website.  Hours ❌ Closed Mondays February-May/September-October: 9:00 – 18:00 (Last Admission is 17:00) June-August: 9:00 – 18:30 (Last Admission 17:30) November-January: 9:00-17:30 (Last Admission 16:30) Changgyeonggung Palace Changgyeonggung is the neighboring palace from Changdeokgung Palace and is often times overlooked. But I recommend visiting Changgyeonggung Palace especially if you are already at Changdeokgung Palace. Built by King Seongjong in 1483, Changgyeonggung Palace was originally built as a residence for the queens and other royal members during the Joseon Dynasty. Like its neighboring palace, Changgyeonggung was destroyed during the Japanese invasion and was rebuilt in 1616. The palace you see today features elegant halls, beautiful walking paths, and gardens.  Admission Adults: ￦ 1,000 Children (18 and under): Free *Admission and Hours are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center Website.  Hours ❌ Closed Mondays January through December: 9:00 – 21:00 (Last Admission 20:00) Deoksugung Palace Deoksugung Palace stands out as one of the more unique palaces because of its lend of traditional Korean architecture and Western-style buildings within the palace grounds. Deoksugung Palace was a temporary palace and like all the other palaces, it was destroyed during the Japanese invasion. Deoksugung Palace was also under Japanese rule for a 35 year period between 1910 and 1945. Deoksugung Palace is a picturesque palace known for its romantic walking paths, elegant Junghwajeon Hall, and the historic Seokjojeon.  Admission Adult: ￦ 3,000 Children (18 and under): Free *Admission and Hours are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center Website.  Hours ❌ Closed Mondays 9:00 am – 21:00 (Last Admission 20:00) Gyeongbokgung Palace Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest and most iconic of Seoul’s royal palaces. Built in 1395 during the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung Palace showcases massive gates, expansive courtyards, and a maze of structures against the backdrop of Bugaksan Mountain.  During the Japanese invasion, Gyeongbokgung Palace was entirely destroyed and rebuilt in 1867.  When Gyeongbokgung Palace was rebuilt, around 500 buildings were constructed here making it a small city.  When visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace today, you can witness the changing of the guards which I find a tad cheesy but fun. Other highlights include the Geunjeongjeon, Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, and the National Folk Museum.  Admission Adult: ￦ 3,000 Children (18 and under): FreeFree if wearing a Hanbok Hours ❌ Closed Tuesdays January-February: 9:00 – 17:00 (Last Admission is 16:00) March-May: 9:00 – 18:00 (Last Admission 17:00) June-August: 9:00-18:30 (Last Admission 17:30) September-October: 9:00-18:00 (Last Admission 17:00) November-December: 9:00-17:00 (Last Admission 16:00) Gyeonghuigung Palace Gyeonghuigung Palace is the smallest and by far least crowded of the five royal palaces in Seoul.  Gyeonghuigung Palace was used as a secondary palace during the Joseon Dynasty. At one point, Gyeonghuigung Palace had over 100 halls.  Some of the halls and buildings were rebuilt in 1985. I found Gyeonghuigung Palace to be one of the more peaceful palaces and definitely a hidden gem in Seoul.  Admission Free Hours ❌ Closed Mondays 9:00-18:00 (Last Admission 17:30) Conclusion When visiting Seoul, one of my main recommendations is paying a visit to the royal palaces. From the grand scale of Gyeongbokgung Palace to the peaceful gardens of Changdeokgung, each palace is unique and special. Consistently ranked as the top attractions in Seoul, these royal palaces are easy to visit, beautifully preserved, and perfect for first-time visitors.  I’d say, no trip to Seoul is complete without visiting these iconic palaces.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸  Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇰🇷 Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars.

Are you planning a trip to Seoul? If so, you are in for an unforgettable experience in one of Asia’s biggest and most active cities. There are so many things to do in Seoul, you need several days if not weeks to fully explore the city.  From the historic palaces to the bustling night markets, Seoul has it all. To help you plan out your vacation to Seoul, I came up with a list of some of my favorite and most recommended things to do in Seoul.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! 12 Things to do in Seoul that are a Must Seoul, being the largest and most populated city in South Korea has something for everyone. Whether you are a night owl and like to party until the sun comes up or are like me and enjoy seeing cultural and historical sites, Seoul has plenty to offer. If you are a family looking for the best things to do in Seoul or a solo traveler interested in fun things to do, I highly recommend Seoul as a destination. My first time visiting South Korea (2017), I spent two weeks in Seoul and have been back a few more times. These 12 things to do in Seoul are my recommendations that cover many attractions and activities throughout Seoul.  1. Bike Ride Along the Many Trails If you are looking for fun things to do in Seoul and ways to get around this huge city, I recommend renting a bike and exploring the city on two wheels. As busy and chaotic as Seoul might seem, I found Seoul to be very bike friendly with a great network of trails. In fact, my first time visiting South Korea, I rode a bike with Jill and her cousins from Seoul to Chuncheon entirely on paved bike trails.  There are public bike services throughout the city, where you can download an app, hop on a bike, and cruise around. Another option is to go to a bicycle shop that does rentals. They set you up with a decent bike more suited to your needs. We rented our bikes through a chain shop called Giant Bicycles.  Most trails in and around Seoul are designated for bikes and pedestrians. Many trails will have separate two lane bike roads, especially away from the dense city center.  2. Checkout a Book at Starfield Library I’ll be honest, I am not big into reading books but I’ve always been fascinated by those beautiful libraries you see throughout the internet. Most of the ornate and old libraries I’ve seen are located in Europe. But Seoul has a rather unique and modern library inside the Starfield Coex Mall. The library is called Starfield Library.  Starfield library is located in a mall. The library itself is located on two levels. The fascinating things about this library is that the bookshelves are several meters tall from the floor to the ceiling. There are approximately 70,000 books at Starfield Library. It is considered a public library, so anyone is welcome. Now a days, you’ll see more people walking around taking photos and videos before exiting the library then you do actually see people sitting down to read. Quite honestly, I feel it’s a terrible reading environment with the big open spaces and thousands of tourists walking around, including myself! Regardless, it’s a site to see and definitely one of the more impressive and unique libraries I’ve ever seen.  Side note, I have no idea how they manage to get the books off of the top shelves.  Although Starfield Library in Seoul is a fascinating library and book store, there are other book stores and libraries in Seoul that are well worth a visit. Here is an extensive list of must-visit book stores in Seoul that will surely interest any book lover.  3. Don’t Miss Out on Delicious Korean Food When I think of Korean food now a days, I think of flavor, spice, fermented vegetables like kimchi, and delicious meats. Korean food is complex and there are so many restaurants in cities like Seoul it can be difficult to choose where to eat.  Usually, when visiting Seoul, I’ll think about what I am craving whether it be Bibimbap or Korean BBQ, and then do a quick online search for restaurants near me and generally go to the first or second option that appears. I find Seoul to be a bit complicated when it comes to finding restaurants because there can be multi level buildings with restaurants on different floors, so always look up and pay attention to signs on the building if looking for something specific. I am a fan of Bibimbap and highly recommend trying this dish when visiting Seoul. Bibimbap is kind of a mix dish with rice, vegetables, and meat served in a hot bowl. You generally mix the ingredients in the bowl and let some of the rice at the bottom burn. It’s simple yet delicious. The last time I went to Seoul, I tried Korean Fried Chicken and fell in love. The chicken is fried twice which gives it an airy and crunchy texture. Many chicken restaurants have a variety of different sauces it cooks in, I usually prefer either spicy or sweet.  No matter what you decide to go with, I guarantee you it will be a delicious dish. Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone and try Korean BBQ or a local seafood restaurant. Some of the best restaurants I have visited in Seoul have been spontaneous!  4. Experience the Nightlife Out of all the countries I’ve visited, I feel South Korea has the craziest night life scenes and I swear people here do not sleep. You could go out in Korea whether it be 19:00 or 3:00 am and people will be flooding the streets and restaurants are generally full.  If staying in the Hongdae area, this is a great place to experience night life with a younger crowd. Typically bars and restaurants are open very late in Korea catering to the late night crowd. I like to just walk around the streets, people watch, and grab a snack at one of the many night markets.  5. Explore Local Craft Beer Craft Beer is becoming more popular in South Korea. Of course it’s nowhere near as popular as Europe or the United States, but it’s a growing scene and I hope it continues to become more popular and evolve.  That being said, there are some decent breweries in Seoul and some great taprooms.  When I first visited Seoul, I was near a brewery called Craft Hans in the Hongdae area. It was a multi storied brewery with surprisingly good beer and food. My last visit to Seoul (2023), I made an effort to find more breweries and taprooms which wasn’t hard to do. Most breweries seemed to open past 17:00 but I did find a few taprooms that opened earlier which makes for a perfect midday break!  Most taprooms and breweries I found were through the Untappd app. While walking to Bukchon Hanok Village from Gyeongbokgung Palace, I found a new brewery that wasn’t listed on either Untappd or Google Maps. It was called MYBL Homebrew Haus. At this brewery, you get a bracelet and can pour your own beer. I’ve always wanted to try one of these breweries out, so it was nice to have finally had the opportunity. Beer wise MYBL Homebrew Haus brewed some decent ones. Their Session IPA was my favorite.  Later in the day, I found a brewery called The Table. Within the brewery, there was a huge table in the center of the building, hence the name. This brewery had a huge menu with a lot of delicious beers to choose from. The SH Yuja Ale or Seoul Train Double IPA were probably my favorites.  One more recommendation for craft beer lovers is to visit the convenience stores. They generally carry quite a few selections of local and international beers at a cheap price!  6. Go For a Hike at Bukhansan National Park There are some great hiking areas just outside the city of Seoul. If you are looking for places to go hiking in Seoul or day trips from Seoul, I highly recommend heading to Bukhansan National Park for a spectacular hike that is somewhat challenging but the views are every bit worth the hike.  For visitors without a car, Bukhansan National Park can be reached by bus. I recommend planning for a half day to full day hike, so bring decent hiking shoes, water, and any other hiking accessories used to protect against the elements or help with the hike.  There are several hiking trails throughout Bukhansan National Park. The trails are mostly marked and well maintained. Jill and I did get lost on our way down from the peak, but we managed to find our way to the correct trail after about an hour. Our goal was to hike to the top of Bukhansan Mountain, we made it but there were some adventures trails leading to the top. In general, the trail was easy and safe, but toward the top there are a lot of rocks but there are railings and ropes to assist. Once at the top, we saw a few stray cats that call the mountain summit home. Thankfully the cats all appeared to be healthy.  7. Play with Dogs and Cats at a Café Who doesn’t love cats and dogs? When traveling, sometimes us pet lovers miss our furry friends at home. Thankfully in Seoul there are both cat and dog cafés.  Generally how these cafés work is that you pay for a certain amount of time, grab a drink, and then pet or play with the cats or dogs. Many of the animals are up for adoption, but that is not always the case, sometimes the cat or dog cafes have lifers who are not up for adoption but are taken care of by the café.  In Seoul there are several cat and dog cafes. We went to Yeonnamdong Cat Café and got to play with the cute cats for about an hour. The dog café, I can’t recall the name of the one we visited, but they do exist. The dog café had several types of dogs and in all sizes.  8. Sample Food at the Local Markets One of the best things to do in Seoul is visiting the street and night markets around the city. You don’t have to venture to far to find some type of market in South Korea. I love the night markets and highly recommend going to at least one while visiting Seoul.  Don’t know where to start? Check out my post on Best Street Markets in Seoul. Myeongdong Night Market is probably my favorite market for food. I always say, take a quick browse through the many vendors to get an idea of what you want to try. Then go back through and start trying all the delicious food. There is so much food varities at the markets as well. Whether you are vegetarian or have little kids, there is something for everyone.  9. Start Your Morning Off at Paris Baguette or Ediya Coffee The perfect travel day to me always starts off with a good coffee and pastry. Thankfully, there are quite a few bakeries around Seoul that offer just that. I prefer Paris Baguette or Ediya Coffee to satisfy my coffee and sweet treat cravings.  Paris Baguette is your typical bakery that has both sweet and savory baked goods. Ediya Coffee is more about the coffee then the food but they offer pastries and other breakfast treats.  10. Take a Stroll on Seoullo 7017 If

No doubt, South Korea is a foodies paradise. There are so many restaurants and markets throughout Seoul it can seem a bit overwhelming. So how to you choose the best market in Seoul or once there, what do you eat? Many of the street markets in Seoul are huge, stretching over several blocks with hundreds of food options to choose from. The best way to explore Seoul’s markets is to simply walk around and buy whatever looks good. Thankfully, most vendors sell bite sized food, so you have an opportunity to try several different food items from a variety of vendors. In total, I’ve spent about two weeks in Seoul and became addicted to the street and night markets here, going almost daily and trying anything and everything. I explored some of the best street and night markets in Seoul and want to pass along my recommendations on markets and food to try that are a must when visiting Seoul.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Tips on Visiting the Markets in Seoul Seoul is a safe city and very welcoming to tourists. Even the markets that seem chaotic are very much used to foreigners and the locals are accommodating and understanding. Like any place though, even at home, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. Regardless, the markets can seem overwhelming, so I came up with a few tips that I found useful when navigating and ordering food at the street markets in Seoul.  Credit Card is the preferred method of paying throughout South Korea, but at markets, physical money is KING! Remember, the South Korea Won is the official currency of South Korea.  Walk the market first to see what food is offered and then go back and start feasting away!  Korean is obviously the official language of South Korea. Don’t expect people to understand and/or speak English, why should they? The good thing, most vendors sell one or two different food items, so just point and hand them money.  Trash cans weren’t widely available. I either packed trash with me, or went back to the vendor I purchased the food from and ask them if they could take my trash.  Don’t be afraid to be a little aggressive when standing in line, otherwise people might just jump in front of you and order.  Pretty much everything I’ve eaten at the local markets has been fantastic, so try anything and everything!  Recommended Food Tours in Seoul I highly recommend food tours, especially when visiting a new country and you want to learn more about the food, places to eat, and what to even order.  I recommend booking food tours on your first day or two of the trip. I tend to feel more confident when finding places to eat and ordering food after knowing slightly more about the country’s cuisine.  Here are some recommended food tours in Seoul that will show you some of the night market scene, must try food items, plus you’ll learn more about Seoul and South Korea in general with the local guides. Seoul: Palace, Temple and Market Guided Foodie Tour at Night Drinking and Eating through the Alleys of Seoul Taste Hidden Street Food in Seoul, 2.5 Hour Food Tour Namdaemun Market: The Largest Traditional Market Food Tour Seoul: Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour I always book food tours through Get Your Guide or Viator. All the tours above are through one of these programs. I find it helpful to read the overview, what’s included, and reviews before making a purchase.  Street and Night Markets You Need to Visit in Seoul I am by no means an expert when it comes to the markets in Seoul, I’ll leave that to the locals. But I did visit many of Seoul’s markets and thoroughly enjoyed each one I visited. Food wise, everything I ordered was fantastic, the atmosphere of the markets is exciting, and I left a happy customer every time. I am sure there are many more markets that are worthwhile in Seoul that I never had a chance to visit. Feel free to drop recommendations in the comments, I’ll pay the markets a visit. Below are some of the best food and street markets in Seoul that I visited and highly recommend.  Gwangjang Market Considered to be the oldest market in South Korea, Gwangjang Market is a must when exploring the best street markets in Seoul. Gwangjang opened n 1905 and is still thriving today.  Gwangjang Market is not just a food market. A large portion of this market does sell other goods like clothing, linens, knock off brand products, and everything in between. But I came here for the food! There are open spaces here with alley ways branching off in what seemed like every direction. So how do you choose what to eat and which vendor to try?  Thankfully, many of the food vendors at Gwangjang Market sold the same foods. Almost every vendor sold Bindaetteok which is a mung bean pancake. Other popular items that were sold include Sundae which is blood sausage, Yukhoe (raw beef), Eomukguk (fish cake soup), and tteokbokki which is sold everywhere! I always enjoy watching the older women prepare and mix their giant bowls of kimchi and other fermented vegetables which is also sold everywhere here.  It’s not all just street food here at Gwangjang Market. There are several food stalls here with tables and chairs, where you can get fresh dishes like Gimbap and Bibimbap.  Hongdae Night Market Hongdae is a great area to stay in while visiting Seoul. Hongdae definitely caters to a younger crowd which means you can generally find street food and late night eats. So there is no real night market here in Hongdae, but on weekends there are a lot of food vendors that set up around Hongdae. You can find single carts all over the area selling everything from blood sausage to Egg Bread, which is my favorite.  Korean Egg Bread is found in almost every market. It’s a simple yet satisfyingly tasty treat! It’s real name is Gyeran-ppang and it’s a popular menu item in street and food markets throughout Seoul. The bread is usually sweet and the cooked egg adds a nice savory flavor to the bread. You can find the egg toast at every market, but the first time I had it was from a food vendor in the Hongdae and I’ve been hooked ever since! Myeongdong Night Market Myeongdong Night Market was my favorite street and food market while visiting Seoul. In Fact, I went here two consecutive nights in a row, just because there was so much I wanted to try!  For starters, there is a lot going on in this area. It is one of the main hopping areas and has everything imaginable. There are a ton of HBAF almond stores here. HBAF is a rand that makes delicious flavored almonds, these make for perfect gifts. There are also massage parlors around Myeongdong. Getting a foot massage at the end of a tiring day is magical!  Myeongdong night market is just one of those markets you need to visit in Seoul. The streets and alley ways are several blocks long full of vendors on each side. Food wise, you can find so many delicious items here. Of course, egg toast is everywhere, I also found kimchi wrapped in bacon, and Döner Kebab, not quite as good as in Germany but still very good! Don’t leave without trying some Korean Fried Chicken and Tteokbokki. Namdaemun Market Namdaemun Market was one of the more traditional markets in Seoul that didn’t fully consist of just food. Namdaemun Market was full of cheap shops with vendors selling anything and everything made in China. I can’t complain, I bought a hat for $5. You’d be surprised by what you can find at Namdaemun Market. I mean I saw places selling local alcohol, souvenirs, hand bags, plants, the list goes on and on. If anything, it’s worth just walking the area to see what all the vendors are selling. For those that love trying local food like me, Namdaemun Market does have food vendors. It might not be as large or exciting as Myeongdong Night Market, but surely there is something here for everyone. I enjoy the fish cake snacks on a stick that are sold everywhere, you can even get them with a spicey sauce. Other food items I saw here were fried pancakes, desserts like ice cream, and fresh fruit. Street Markets in Seoul, a Highlight of Our Trip For someone like me who is a big time foodie, Seoul is a great place to visit. There are so many restaurants in Seoul, I often find it overwhelming when it comes time to pick a place to eat. Thankfully the night markets in Seoul allow visitors to explore Korean cuisine at a reasonable price with smaller portions. Smaller portions means I can explore the food scene more and try a wide variety of food options. I absolutely loved walking the markets, coming up with an idea of what I want to eat and of course tasting everything was the highlight.  By no means am I an expert in the food scene in South Korea or know my way around the markets. The markets I visited were all great and most of them I ended up at randomly using minimal research. I am sure there are many more markets in Seoul that are worth trying or even more authentic and I hope to visit more markets in the future.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇰🇷  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars.

Located in the South Korean city of Busan, is a rather unique place to visit known as Gamcheon Culture Village. This village is terraced alongside a mountain. Gamcheon Culture Village is known as the “Santorini of Korea” or Busan’s “Machu Picchu”. What started off as a refuge area for people escaping war and a former slum is now considered to be one of Busan’s most popular tourist attractions. With it’s colorfully vibrant homes, fun cafés, narrow alley ways, and unique art work, Gamcheon Culture Village is a must when visiting Busan.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! History of Gamcheon Culture Village The true history of Gamcheon Culture Village is up for debate. There is an information sign at the village stating that Gamcheon Village started off as a refuge for citizens that were affected during the Korean War. While doing online research, I read through several sources stating that Gamcheon Culture Village was the result of Taegeukdo, which is a religious community.  After the Korean War, about 800 families moved to the hillside village. Many of the homes are multi level, but the good hearted people living in the community terraced the homes on purpose. That way, no ones views would be blocked by the home in front.  Instead of letting Gamcheon Village crumble and turn to despair, it was decided to turn this town around and make it more appealing to tourists. In 2009, artists and students added their artistic touches to the village in order to brighten up the village and make it more welcoming to both locals and visitors. Many homes were painted vibrant colors, alleyways were decorated with art work, and cafés, restaurants, and shops, began to open. Gamcheon Culture Village was reborn as one of Busan’s most popular attractions thanks to the hard working and determined community.  Getting to Busan’s Most Colorful Village Getting to Gamcheon Culture Village is relatively easy, especially if staying in Busan. Jagalchi Station of Toseong Station are the closest stations.  If you are in South Korea as a visitor I recommend downloading the Naver Map App. Since Google Maps does not work in South Korea the Naver Map app worked well and it was easy to navigate the subway stations and directions around Busan From Busan Station head to Toseong Station. Exit 6 is the recommended exit to depart the station toward Gamcheon Culture Village. There are signs as well pointing you in the right direction.  After exiting Toseong Station there are a few ways to reach Busan’s famous colorful village. I opted to walk to Gamcheon Culture Village. If planning on walking, be warned, you will walk a lot and it’s all up hill from the station. But you can find yourself going through fun alleyways and narrow residential areas before even getting to the village, it’s an adventure.  There is a bus that goes directly to the entrance of Gamcheon Culture Village. There is a bus stop outside the station, make sure to take the 1-1, 2, or 2-2 mini bus.  Another option is to take a taxi to Gamcheon Culture Village. The cabs in Busan are easy and inexpensive.  Exploring Gamcheon Culture Village Most visitors will start their adventure of Gamcheon Culture Village at the same place. At the top of the hill, there is a main and fairly wide road lined with tourist shops and cute cafés. I highly recommend popping into some of the shops here, visit the small museum, and go to the tourist information center. If you are wondering what there is to do in Gamcheon Culture Village, here are my recommendations on how to explore this beautiful village.  Do Some Souvenir Shopping Plain and simple, Gamcheon Culture Village is a touristy area. This part of Busan can be crowded, a bit tacky, but it’s supposed to be this way. Who doesn’t love a good souvenir shop? There are plenty here to browse. You have everything from places selling local art to cheap socks. I am a simple man, I like a good postcard. Traditional souvenirs can also be like postcards, key chains, and shirts can also be found here.  Get Lost! Explore the Alley Ways and Residential Areas If  you get to Gamcheon Culture Village and are wondering what to do? My recommendation is to wander around the neighborhood and explore. Take the narrow pathways in between structures, go up the steep trail for the views, and find unique art works that are a bit off the beaten path. Simply by getting off of the main path, you can find yourself at places like the Book Staircase and Stairs to See Stars. Another bonus of ditching the crowds and wandering on your own is that you can take pictures without anyone getting in the way! Grab a Drink, Sit on a Rooftop for the Best Views To get that iconic shot of Gamcheon Culture Village, you have to get somewhere high up with no obstructions. Many of the cafés ae two storied with an outside deck, perfect! I found the perfect café that offered refreshing drinks and amazing views. Wooin Cafe made delicious coffee and smoothies. On a hot day, it doesn’t get better then relaxing with a mango smoothy.   Take in Some of the Unique Art Besides the splash of colorful houses surrounding the mountainside, I think the art work placed around Gamcheon Village is another popular feature. It’s basically an outdoor art museum as there is modern art scattered throughout the village.  Walk Up or Down the Stairs to See Stars The Stairs to See Stars is a staircase in the middle of the village. There are a total of 148 stairs. The name derives from people walking up all 148 stairs, feeling dizzy and seeing stars once they got to the top! I’d lie if I didn’t say this staircase wasn’t steep. But the photos along the Stairs to See Stars are worth the stair climb.  Conclusion Visiting Gamcheon Culture Village makes for a great half day to day trip from Busan’s city center. At Gamcheon Culture Village, every alleyway is exciting. Full of art, murals, fun shops, and laid back cafes. This colorful hillside community offers a blend of history, creativity, and culture. If you love art, photography, or just exploring, Gamcheon is the perfect place to visit.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇰🇷  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars.

Pohang, is an industrial city located on South Korea’s eastern coast. Pohang is home to POSCO, a huge steel industrial factory that dominates the city and is most likely the reason Pohang has grown into the size it is today, it employees a lot of people! There is more to Pohang then its gigantic steel factory. Pohang has one of South Korea’s largest seafood markets, the fun yet terrifying Space Walk at Hwanho Park, the famous Homigot Sunrise Square and nice beaches. The nightlife in Pohang is hopping and the food is incredible. I created this Pohang travel guide to share what I learned while exploring Pohang along with some of my recommendations on getting around town, places to eat and drink, and unique things to do and see.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Summary Why Visit Pohang: Pohang is an underrated city in South Korea and deserves a day or two. Visit Pohang for its beautiful coastal scenery, seafood market, and amazing restaurants.  Top Things to do in Pohang: Hwanho Park Space Walk. Pohang Jukdo Fish Market. Yeonlidae Beach.  Where to Stay in Pohang: I stayed at the Hotel Pohang Galaxy and really enjoyed the rooms and customer service.  Consider taking a Guided Tour of Pohang or a Customized Private Tour to expand your visit of Pohang and see its main attractions.  Where is Pohang in South Korea? Pohang is on the east coast of South Korea in the North Gyeongsang Province. Pohang is located about 110km from the city of Busan and 360 km from Seoul, South Korea’s capital.  📸 Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Traveling to Pohang – Getting Here Unless renting a car, the best way to get to Pohang is by KTX train from either Seoul Station or Busan Station or by bus.  Pohang does have a domestic airport called Pohang Gyeongju Airport. This airport offers flights to Jeju Island and Gimpo International Airport.  Pohang Station is just north of the city and is the most convenient and cheapest option. A train ride from Busan is about 1.5-2 hours while a train ride from Seoul is around 3 hours.  For Train information, ticket fares and times, I recommend visiting the KORAIL website.  Once arriving at Pohang Station, the best option to get to your destination is by a local taxi. The taxi’s in Pohang are fairly cheap and abundant.  There is also a bus station in Pohang that serves bus routes to several towns and cities around South Korea. The Intercity Bus Terminal is in the heart of Pohang. There are buses that go between the city of Busan and Pohang. The bus is about 1.5 hours and costs about $10.  You’ve been warned, like the taxi drivers in South Korea, the bus drivers are equally as aggressive when it comes to driving.  POSCO I can’t write about Pohang without mentioning POSCO. POSCO makes and produces steel and is considered the sixth biggest steel factory in the world.  POSCO began in the late 1960’s as the Korean government at the time nominated Pohang as the site for POSCO.  In my opinion, POSCO is a big eye-sore during the day but at night with all the lights it looks like a huge city. POSCO does pump in a lot of money to the local economy and has funded other attractions in Pohang like the Space Walk.  If interested, you can visit the POSCO website for more information.  Where to Stay in Pohang There are a lot of great places to stay in Pohang. Based on price, location, and what was around, I stayed at the Hotel Pohang Galaxy. Hotel Pohang Galaxy was right on Yeongildae Beach. There was an abundance of restaurants within walking distance. The rooms were spacious, unique, and the staff was always pleasant.  Things to Do and See in Pohang Although Pohang is not on many visitors radar, this city is not to be overlooked. I wouldn’t say it is a must see destination if visiting South Korea, but there is plenty to see and do around Pohang and the surrounding area. In this section of my Pohang travel guide, I have outlines some of the attractions around Pohang that I visited and recommend.  Hwanho Park Space Walk Located within Hwanho Sunrise Park, sitting on top of the hill overlooking Yeongildae Beach is unique attraction of Hwanho Park Space Walk. This was one of my favorite and most entertaining attractions in Pohang.  Space Walk is both a work of art, means of exercise, and fun attraction. This attraction was designed by German artists, Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth and was built, funded, and installed by POSCO.  This work of art resembles a roller coaster and is free to the public. Pohang’s Space Walk has a total of 717 steps and is around 25 meters at its highest point. I would not recommend walking to the highest point on this attractions if you are afraid of heights. Between the height and the stairs rocking back and forth when windy, it can be a bit unsettling.  For those that are curious, no, the upside down portion is off limits and is gated. Visitors have two options here, once entering you can head right or left and end at the gate before returning. I do recommended walking both sides of the Space Walk.  Space Walk is a great place to visit especially when nearing sunset as you get amazing views of Pohang and the ocean. If you are looking for free things to do in Pohang, I highly recommend visiting Hwanho Park Space Walk.  Pohang-class Corvette Another great free attraction in Pohang is the Pohang-class Corvette. The Combat Corvette is a class of small warships that were designed by the Republic of Korea as a means to patrol the seas around the Republic of Korea.  One of the 24 Pohang-class Corvettes (ROKS Pohang PCC-756) is docked in the city of Pohang for visitors to enjoy.  This 1,200 ton warship defended the waters around Korea for more then 30 years and was retired in 2009. There were a total of 110 crewmembers on board to include 10 officers and 100 privates.  The PCC-756 is open daily from 9:00 until 18:00. Visitors can walk the deck, check out the kitchen area, bunks, and explore various rooms and hallways.  📸 Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Pohang Jukdo Fish Market If you are like me and love exploring local markets, then the Pohang Jukdo Market is not to be missed. This market is recommended in any Pohang travel guide or things to do list. But there is a reason why. It’s one of the largest markets in all of Korea bringing in fresh seafood daily.  The Jukdo Fish Market is made up of over 200 shops and vendors selling their catch. Many of the restaurants allow visitors to select from a wide variety of  seafood outside the restaurant, where the chef will cook up the fresh food of your choosing. Most vendors had similar marine life such as crabs, several fish species, clams, sea slugs, oysters, lobsters, octopus, squid, and even cuttlefish.  The octopus being sold by some of the vendors are huge. I’ve never seen octopus as big as the ones sold at Jukdo Fish Market. Every time, I see the poor octopus in the tiny pools of water, most of the time trapped in nets, I can’t help but feel sorry for them. Especially given how intelligent they can be. But who am I to judge what other cultures eat around the world.  Songdo City Park South Korea can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. I certainly felt overwhelmed here and there and felt a need to find a peaceful park to escape the crowds and noise.  Just a short walk from the Pohang-class Corvette is the Songdo City Park. This city park is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. You almost forget, that just outside the park is one of the largest steel producers in the world.  What I loved so much about walking around Songdo City Park was the mix of walking trails through pine trees and relaxing activities. There were multiple trails throughout the park, exercise equipment, small streams and pools of water, and reflexology paths.  Walk to the Ulleungdo Passenger Ship Lighthouse Just south of Yeonlidae Beach is a trail to the Ulleungdo Passenger Ship Lighthouse. This is by no means a hiking trail but it’s a long paved path from the ferry terminal to the light house. Parts of the trail has a reflexology path while other parts have a cushioned floor.  Once you reach the end, there is a small red and white light house that is worth a photo or two. From the walkway, you get nice views of POSCO, Yeonlidae Beach, and the ocean.  Yeonlidae Beach Yeonlidae Beach in Pohang is a happening place! At all times during the day and night, there will be people here. Whether they are walking the beach, shooting off fireworks, or zipping around on jet skis, Yeonlidae Beach is definitely a must visit place in Pohang. You can walk for hours on this beach and it’s kept clean. Every morning, I saw groups of people clean the beach.  One of my favorite attractions on Yeonlidae Beach was the sand sculptures. The sculptures aren’t really made from sand, but are made to look like it. Regardless if they are made of sand or not, it’s a great addition to the beach.  Yeongildae Maritime Pavilion Another free attraction in Pohang and one of my favorites was the Yeongildae Maritime Pavilion otherwise known as the “Floating Pavilion.” The Yeongildae Maritime Pavilion is an observation deck that sits out in the ocean, connected by a pedestrian bridge. From here, you get great views of POSCO, Yeonlidae Beach, the ocean, and surrounding hills. I absolutely loved coming here at night and practicing my slow shutter photos with the calm water and vibrant lights.  Places to Eat in Pohang What’s  a Pohang travel guide without food and restaurant recommendations? I spent two weeks in Pohang eating out every meal and tried a variety of Korean dishes. From trying famous Korean dishes like bibimbap and kimchi to exploring seafood markets and sampling local food caught fresh from the sea. I even tried bizarre foods like sea snails and beondegi which is a silk worm. I really enjoyed the food scene in Pohang and feel it’s an underrated destination when it comes to food in Korea. Here are some of my favorite restaurants and food experiences in Pohang.  Korean Fried Chicken 대구통닭영일대점 (Daegu Tongdak) Daegu Tongdak was one of my favorite restaurants in Pohang. Korean fried chicken is on another level and Daegu Tongdak knocks it out the park! First, the chicken here is inexpensive, you pay around 20,000 Korean Won or about $15 for two plates of chicken, each plate with 10 pieces. You can go all in and get one flavor or mix and match. The texture of the fried chicken was spectacular. It was crunchy and airy, the flavor was just as good, not dry and super flavorful.  청춘통닭 (196 Whole Chicken) 청춘통닭 (196 Whole Chicken) was the second place I went to for fried chicken while staying in Pohang. I liked this place, but the chicken wasn’t as good as Daegu Tongdak. The style was much different. It seemed like they took out pieces of chicken and hacked it up, so you got random bones in the chicken. The chicken was still really good but I liked the atmosphere more. They had great outdoor seating, perfect for enjoying a nice cold beer