Everything You Need to Know About Travel in Seoul, During Winter.

Once you arrive in Seoul it won’t take you long to see why this is one of the most trending cities in East Asia. Whether you travel for food, beauty products, history, culture, nightlife, or K-Pop, Seoul has it all and won’t disappoint! This guide has all the information you need to travel around Seoul.

In February I braved the cold for an exciting 5 days in South Korea’s capital city of Seoul. I have put together the ultimate travel guide for anyone planning to visit Seoul, and list the best places to visit in Seoul during winter. I know you’ll love this city so keep reading for some valuable information.

Visiting Seoul For The First Time 

Seoul is a mix of new and old, giant skyscrapers stand next to ancient Buddhist temples. Blending perfectly together to create such a fun and interesting place to travel. The seasons in South Korea are extreme, from temperatures in the minuses in winter to well over 40 degrees Celsius in the summer months. Making it essential to check the current season and temperatures before packing and leaving home. I visited in winter and although it was cold it was still amazing (we even got snow, keep reading for details on that amazing day). Seoul even has a number of underground shopping malls, so it’s easy to keep warm in winter. 

Many locals in Seoul, more so the older generation, didn’t speak English. I found it very helpful having the google translate app on my phone, and to order food lots of smiling and pointing usually did the trick. At the very least I would learn a couple of phrases in Korean, most importantly “annyeonghaseyo” (“hello”), and “kamsahamnida” (“thank you). The locals always seemed to appreciate my efforts. 

The majority of signs throughout the city also aren’t in English (except in train stations & bus stops would have the English name as well). The only time I found this particularly challenging was if we were looking for a specific bar or restaurant. Thankfully, if you’re in the busy areas of Seoul you will notice government staff wearing bright red jackets who are there to help tourists with directions etc.

Public Transport in Seoul

As expected the public transport system in Seoul was fantastic and made it very easy to travel around the city. We actually didn’t get a taxi once, always easier to get a bus or train. I had a paper subway map handy but we generally had the internet accessible to google the train and bus routes. When you first arrive at Incheon International Airport, I suggest buying a T-money card. These are rechargeable smart cards that you will use for paying your transportation fares and you can also use them at convenience stores as well. One card will cost you 4,000 won & when I first purchased mine at the airport I loaded it up with 20,000 won. During the trip, I only needed to top up the cards with an additional 10,000 won. So 30,000 won lasted 5 days (for one person) and we regularly used public transport. 

From the airport to Seoul I recommend getting the train, it was very easy and the train station is right in the terminal. A one-way ticket to or from the airport cost 4,000 won. There is an express train you can get also but you’ll need to purchase a different and more expensive card. And, it’ll only save you 17 minutes of travel time to Seoul city center.

Also, trains & buses stop operating between 12 and 05:30 am each night.

Seoul Food Tour (Withlocals)

When I first arrive in a new city I always like to use the first day to get my bearings and suss out what’s nearby. But most importantly, where all the good food is, this is part of the reason I traveled to South Korea after all! So for our first day in Seoul, we did a 3-hour food walking tour, with a company called Withlocals. The tour we chose was “Seoul Favorite Food Tour; 10 tastings” and our guide was Williams. 

It started in Namdaemun Market, which is an epic outdoor market with so much food and shopping and we even went back there a few more times afterward. During the tour, we stopped at a lot of street food vendors & restaurants over the three hours and the tour finished up around Tongin Market. This market is smaller than Namdaemun but still very delicious. 

I highly recommend this tour because not only is it private, but it’s great being shown around the city on foot and really get amongst it. With a majority of the menus written in Korean, it was awesome having someone to order for us and show us some of the best local food. I’m sure without Williams we wouldn’t have discovered so many unique dishes. He also taught us a few local phrases & about the correct etiquette. Did you know that when you’re taking a drink in South Korea you should never look anyone in the eye and always use two hands when drinking and handing something over! 

Now make sure you wear your stretchy pants & have an empty stomach. The title of our tour includes “10 tastings” but it was more like 10 meals. We were served so many different dishes, along with the best street food snacks, and local drinks.

Check out Withlocals website for a list of all the tours they offer.

I can’t say what my favorite food in Seoul was, but regardless if you’re eating in a restaurant, market, or street food vendor it’s all so delicious! Also, you’ll notice that whenever you’re sitting down for a meal, they’ll serve the table a side dish of Kimchi. Kimchi was always free and is a big part of Korean culture. For those who don’t know what Kimchi is, it’s sliced cabbage, fermented with red chili sauce and anchovy paste. If it doesn’t sound appealing, still give it a go, it’s a part of travel in Seoul and it’ll have you earning the local’s warmest respects.

Now am I the only person in the world who still can’t use chopsticks? If you are like me here’s how you learn; go to Seoul! I didn’t see any forks at all or at least I didn’t know how to ask in Korean so just had to figure it out over my stay.

While you travel around Seoul you’ll notice that it’s a very clean city. I never saw any rubbish littered on the ground. But it was very rare to see a rubbish bin. I still don’t get it. If you buy street food or a takeaway coffee, expect to be stuck holding the rubbish for a while.

Along with food, drinking is a very big part of Korean culture.

It was never hard to find a drink and even at a small market stall, you could still order an alcoholic drink. Cass is the local beer and often that was the only type of beer restaurants served. Another local drink is Soju (I think it would be their version of Saki). This drink is very strong and locals often add a shot of it to their beer. 

Seoul is massive, with the city being made up of 25 districts. But don’t let that freak you out, you can definitely see so many amazing areas in just a few days. These are the places we visited in Seoul and I highly recommend checking them out during your travels!

Places to Visit in Seoul During Winter

Gyeongbokgung Palace

This was the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty and the complex is massive. The palaces management office provides free guided tours in 4 different languages. This is something I was looking forward to as the palace is huge & I wanted to learn all about it. But when we arrive we saw a sign advising that due to the Coronavirus outbreak all of the tours are currently canceled (we traveled to Seoul in February 2020). So that was disappointing but we grabbed a pamphlet and off we went. The information and map on the pamphlet are easy to follow but still not the same as the tour. 

I learned that during the Japanese invasion in 1592, they basically destroyed all of the palace’s buildings, and the complex laid in ruins for over 270 years! Until the restoration project began in 1867.

The cost of entry for adult foreigners is 3,000W but we heard if you arrived wearing the traditional Korean dress, Hanbok, you’ll get free entry. There are a number of stores you can hire these outfits from nearby, and we saw so many people dressed up. 

Jogyesa Temple – Buddhist Temple

I always love visiting Buddhist temples around the world. I love all the colors and the peaceful atmosphere. Jogyesa Temple didn’t disappoint, it’s not too big but still beautiful, free entry, and was an easy walk from the area of Myeongdong. 

Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon Hanok Village sits on a hilltop in the city and is a traditional Korean village, filled with traditional houses called, Hanok. The neighborhood is still home to many locals so it’s asked that visitors keep quiet as not to disturb the residents. Admission is free and the village is open to tourists Monday – Saturday, 10:00 – 17:00. Although there is no official entrance or checkpoint you’ll pass when you arrive. 

This village is so pretty and well kept, all the little alleyways make for perfect photo opportunities. Although, you may have to wait a while for there to be no one in the background. 

From our hotel in Myeongdong, we caught the bus and it was only 3 stops, the walk from the bus was around 15 minutes. Along the way, we passed a few shops and tea houses. There are also a lot of rooftop restaurants and cafes that would be great in summer.

If you wanted to see the inside of these types of buildings, the easiest way would be to visit a traditional Korean Teahouse. Only a couple of minutes walk down the road from Bukchon Village is Cha-Teul Teahouse.

Leaving your shoes at the door and stepping into this wooden building was like stepping back in time. Visiting a teahouse in Korea is an experience in itself, the way they present it and pour it is so beautiful. I can only speak for this teahouse but it’s not exactly cheap, a pot of tea was around 11,000 won. But it was worth the money & had a beautiful atmosphere. Also, the views from this tea house were of the mountains. Their menu was very big as well and if you’re unsure which to choose they do have a page of their recommendations.

Greem Cafe (2D Cafe)

During my initial travel research on Seoul, I’d seen this cafe pop up so much on Instagram. Greem Cafe was pretty far away from Myeongdong, I felt like we were on the bus for over 30 minutes. But once we got to our stop it’s an easy walk (with the help of google maps) to the cafe. Surprisingly they only served drinks and small selections of cakes and sweets, but let’s be honest we didn’t come for the food. The cafe is amazing and defiantly worth seeing. It’s so bizarre and didn’t feel like real life. I found myself touching things to see if it was real haha!  

Gwangjang Market

As well as the markets we visited on our food tour, Gwanjang market was one of my favorites. This market was more for locals but everyone was so lovely and very welcoming. We actually first saw this market on a Netflix series called, Street Food. One of the ladies featured in the Seoul episode had a stall there and she was very easy to find. She had the show’s sign displayed on her stall and was definitely the busiest!

Her food was delicious but we saved room so we could eat at a couple of other stalls as well. I kind of felt bad for the quieter places that hadn’t made it on Netflix.

Hongdae Neighborhood

From what I read before we arrived in Seoul, Hongdae is the best place for nightlife. And after a night out there I totally agree. To begin with, I did picture this area to be more like Bangla Road in Phuket, a long street filled with bars & pubs. But it’s not, Hongdae is a big area with heaps going on. Shopping, markets, street food, street performers, restaurants. So you kind of need to peg out where you want to drink beforehand (especially because many of the signs aren’t in English). Some of the bars are down little alleyways or just an inconspicuous doorway that lead to a cool bar. Either way, it’ll be a drunken adventure for sure. 

Insadong Neighborhood

If I hadn’t booked our accommodation in Myeongdong, Insadong would have been my next choice. So I was very keen to check it out, we caught the train over and arrived around lunchtime. And most places were actually still closed. So we grabbed a coffee and a K-Pop street performer entertained us for nearly an hour. Afterward, there were more stores open and here you’ll find, souvenirs and traditional handicrafts. 

When I travel to Seoul again, I’d visit Insadong in the evening, I think there would be a lot more going on. 

Myeongdong Neighborhood

Myeongdong is another popular area in Seoul and where we stayed. I loved this area and would stay there again and again. If you’re interested in shopping for cosmetics, skincare, and clothes this is your spot! South Korea is famous for skincare, especially face masks. I left with a bag full of them. Shop around for deals, often stores will be having things like buy 2, get 1 free. Oh and nearly every store you enter hand-free samples! Winning. Most of the labels on these products aren’t written in English, so having google translate on your phone can be helpful.

Shopping Tip ~ Take your passport shopping with you as many stores do tax refunds. You need to spend over 30,000 won & the store needs to give you a refund slip. Then at the airport, after you’ve cleared passport control you’ll need to see the tax refund desk with your receipts and slip from the store to get your tax back.

Myeongdong is also perfect for the foodies, all different types of restaurants, and food stalls here. So many Korean BBQs & my favorite of all, street food. Like many other areas in Seoul Myeongdong is better at night. From late afternoon all the food stall open up on the main streets and it’s all so delicious. Unlike South East Asia, the street food here isn’t super cheap. One plate of food could cost you upwards of 8,000 won.

Hiking up Mt. Yongma (it was snowing)

With Seoul being surrounded by mountains there are a number of hikes you can easily do from the city. Have a little google to see which trails are most suited to your fitness level and the time of year. 

On our last day in Seoul, we decided to hike to the top of Mt Yongma and the start of this hike begins in Yongma Waterfall Park. I was so excited because when we woke up it was snowing making this hike even more appealing. 

Mt Yongma is in the area of Jangnang in Seoul and from Myeongdong we caught the train to Yongmasan station. The walk from the station to Yongma Waterfall Park was only about 10 minutes and easy to find. Yongma Waterfall Park was pretty cool too, but I’m assuming better looking in summer? In February the waterfall was pretty much empty. Then from the waterfall, you’ll follow the path behind the basketball court, to the beginning of the Mt Yongma trail. 

By the time we reached the top of the mountain, it was completely covered in thick snow and was absolutely beautiful.

I don’t think there would have been a better way to experience the snow in the city than going up into the hills. I felt like I was in a winter wonderland.

This hike took us just under 3 hours and with many parts of the trail covered in snow, it became difficult in some areas. The trail was very slippery even when wearing hiking boots. But take your time and I’m sure you’ll find it very manageable. Basically, all the signs along the way are only written in Korean so at times it was a bit of a guessing game. As long as you stick to any of the footpaths I’m sure you’ll be fine. I really enjoyed this hike and with the snow, it meant we didn’t get a clear view of the city but it was still so incredible. When we arrived back in Seoul city center it was still snowing heavily but by the time it hit the ground, it was mostly water. I’m so glad we saw the snow in the mountains, it was so magical.