Travel tips for one week stay in Seoul

Welcome all of you.

Skaters, coaches, journalists and dedicated skating fans.

First of all, good luck for 2015 four continent championships in Seoul.

One week is not short period and you may have free time after competition (or between them.)

I just recommend a few popular or must-see places and tourist information on line.

덕수궁, Deok-Su Palace, 

There are beautiful palaces next to skyscrapers in Seoul. Different time coexists in same space.

http://magazine.seoulselection.com/2013/11/06/deoksugung-palace-2/


It was not easy to make a list,

Even though or more because I was born in Seoul and had lived in Seoul before staying at the U.S.

As New Yorkers will not visit Empire State building, I found out also that I, a Seoulite didn't visit photo scenic places and attractions such as 63 building sky lounge and Han river tourist boat.

Also, for some places like Pan-mun-jeom, a meeting place for UN and North Korea representatives in DMZ.
South Korean citizens like me are not allowed to visit, while foreign tourists are able to visit.

I had many opportunities to read in-flight magazine over the Pacific.
I happened to read an article dealing with tourist information about Seoul.

I found out that this article which I read in United Airline a few years ago is reasonable, updated and descriptive for foreign tourists.

Three Perfect days in Seoul  

You can download as pdf file

http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/pdf/3pd-may10.zip

You can read the article on line.

This page on line may provide you not only information but also an interactive map.
Information is arranged according to larger areas. 

It can be Seoul Tourism 101

http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2010/05/01/three-perfect-days-seoul/

Unfortunately, the link above doesn't work anymore.

Here is new updated "three perfect day in Seoul" provided by United Airline in-flight magazine.

https://hub.united.com/united-3pd-seoul-2085461869.html

Tourist guides about Seoul  

Also, I found out detailed on-line tourist guides about Seoul and South Korea

Seoulistic http://seoulistic.com/

Seoul Magazine http://magazine.seoulselection.com/

VisitSeoul http://english.visitseoul.net/index

Here is home page presented by official 

Korean tourism organization.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto


Here are the places which I would like to recommend for your one-week trip in Seoul.

I would like to recommend the places besides the places suggested by the in-flight magazine article or emphasize some of them again.

Transportation  

Incheon Airport -> Seoul

From Incheon airport to Seoul, You can take on a Airport Limousine bus or Airport Subway.

For me, I prefer Airport Limousine Bus,

However, if you don't have heavy baggage, Airport subway is not bad. 

Seoul

Seoul's subway system is usually safe, on-time and cheap.

However, please avoid getting on during rush hour.(8am~9am) It is gonna be tough due to many commuters.

Bus is not bad and Taxi is not so expensive but there is usually traffic jam like any other big cities.

The palaces

경복궁 (Gyeong Bok Gung) the main palace
http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/html/eng/main/main.jsp

덕수궁 (Deok Su Gung) a palace where you can find not only traditional style buildings but also a few modernized buildings built from at the begining of 20th century.
http://www.deoksugung.go.kr/eng/index.asp

창덕궁 (Chang Deok Gung) and its garden 비원 (secret garden) is good place to see.
http://eng.cdg.go.kr/main/main.htm

  There is two different tours for this palace: general tour and secret garden tour(aka Queen's garden tour)
  I recommend the secret garden tour, even though you have to make reservation in advance for English tour.
  It is worth while to make a reservation.

Busking, Club and Shopping

홍대 거리 Hongdae Street

It used to be a college neighborhood of Hong-ik univrsity having reputation of its fine art program.

The street used to be a indie pop scene in 1990's.

Now the neighborhood became the must see place or tourists due to busking, clubs and shopping.

명동 Myeong Dong

The most popular among foreign tourists for shopping

Museum

국립중앙박물관 (Korean National Museum) is the biggest museum in South Korea like metropolitan museum in NYC.

There are many Korean traditional pottery, porcelain, paintings and sculptures.

(It is near to the Yong San CGV which I will mention later)
http://www.museum.go.kr/site/eng/home

인사동 (In-Sa-Dong)
There are souvenir shops for foreign tourists and galleries.

https://english.visitkorea.or.kr:1001/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264354

북촌마을 (Buk-chon Maul)

http://hanok.seoul.go.kr/front/eng/town/town01.do  

At traditional houses village. It is very near to Kyeongbok palace.

You can wear Korean traditional clothes, Hanbok.

남산한옥마을 (Nam-San-Han-Ok-Maul) 
At traditional houses village, you can imagine the daily life of Korean aristocracy three hundred years ago.
https://english.visitkorea.or.kr:1001/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264116

한옥 마을 (Korean Traditional House in Seoul)

http://hanok.seoul.go.kr/front/eng/index.do  

판문점 (Pan-mun-jeom)
Pan-mun-jeom is one day trip from Seoul,
But, it takes 6 hour for round trip by bus.
It may be worth while to visit, because after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, it has been one of the last legacies of Cold War. 
Even though I didn't visit for the reason I mentioned above, I recommend it.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Panmunjeom

https://english.visitkorea.or.kr:1001/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264490

Film Theaters

If you are a movie buff, Korean film theaters would be the places you are interested in.
In Seoul, there are many fascinating multiplex theater with more than 10 screens.

용산 CGV Yong-San CGV, (You can watch Korean movie with Eng subtitle, 3D I Max screen)
영등포 CGV Young-dung-po CGV (recently opened) 
코엑스 메가박스 Coex Megabox (Coex is one of largest shopping mall in Gangnam and cool place for youngsters.)

Those are favorite film theaters among youngsters in Seoul
Those theaters are located at mega shopping malls where you can experience youngster's daily life in Seoul.

Theaters

예술의 전당 (Seoul Art Center) is the Seoul's Lincoln Center
http://www.sac.or.kr/eng/

세종문화회관 Sejong Culture Theater) Seoul's Carnegie Hall
http://www.sejongpac.or.kr/eng/main/main.asp

Also you can visit Seoul's landmarks such as Nam-san Tower or 63 building

I found some cool videos with tips for tourists.

If you have any question or need any information, you are welcomed to ask me.

I hope you enjoy your trip in Seoul.

All the best,

Spiral9509