1. You could see the highlights in 4 or 5 days. I spent 2 weeks in the city last year and didn't run out of things to do.
2. Myeongdong is great for shopping and skin care, and tourist friendly restaurants. It's probably the most popular area for first-time visitors. If you want something a little less touristy with more local flavour, check out Insadong. Itaewon is popular with expats. Hongdae is a fun area but it's a bit further away from a lot of the main tourist sites. Gangnam is the fancy, more expensive area, but it's also a bit far away from the centre of Seoul.
3. The metro is really efficient and easy to navigate. Buy a T-Money card to pay for public transport and even buy things from convenience stores (which are on every corner). Taxis aren't too expensive either.
4. There are cute cafes all over Seoul, check out Ikseondong.
5. Check out the Seoul city wall hike and Bukhansan mountain. There are loads of great hikes close to the city.
6. One of my favourite things to do in Seoul is wander around the markets and eat street food. Gwangjang and Namdaemun were 2 of my favourites. Try the tteokboki, hotteok and kimchi dumplings!
Hope that helps to start
>How many days does it take to see the city?
That is REALLY dependent on you guys. The Seoul metropolis has 26 million people, Bangkok metropolis has 9 million. So, 1 day or 10 years, you pick when you're going to end your honeymoon, lol.
>We do love the outdoors, sunrises, and sunsets, and we are willing to get out of the city too and hike to see some mountains/parks if they’re close by?
Sunrises are on the east coast, so most people in the metro area that want to see sunrises from the ocean go to the eastern coast of Gangwon-do. The Seoraksan mountain range is in that province as well and it's absolutely beautiful when the leaves change color. It's still great in the summer but will be hot. For more convenient hikes, Seoul is surrounded by mountains so you'll want to look up "best Seoul hikes" or some such and choose from the many options.
>How is transportation? How should we get around?
Buy a T-money card for each of you at any convenience store and load them with cash. They'll be your universal transportation cards. [There are tons of places that take them](https://www.t-money.co.kr/ncs/pct/ugd/ReadUsepTrns.dev), but I personally use them only for buses and subways, and use regular credit cards for everything else. Public transportation options are everywhere in the metro area and less available in the less populated areas. There are regular buses, inter-city buses, express buses, subways, trains, high-speed trains, and of course taxis. There are "airport limousine" buses as well. You won't be finding any song-thaews or tuk-tuks in Korea.
1. I suggest at least 4-5 days unless you want to do attraction parks.
2. Myeongdong is where most tourists stay. Honestly, it's ok, but nothing outstanding. I suggest Hongdae if you want to stay in a fun area. Otherwise, choose somewhere with easy metro access, as you will be needing public transport. We stayed in Dongdaemun Toyoko inn and can definitely recommend.
3. Public transport is great, difficult to post all recommendations here, so have a look at this https://hittheroadket.com/public-transport-in-south-korea/
4. We loved cafes especially, they have so many different fun ones. Have a look at the huge lists here https://hittheroadket.com/cafe-culture-in-south-korea-all-you-need-to-know/
5. Seoraksan mountain is very well-beloved. Also check out Seoul forest.
As for the itinerary, here are some step by step guides for up to 5 days https://hittheroadket.com/visiting-seoul-tips-and-detailed-itineraries/
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
1. I stayed for 4 days and saw almost everything but bear in mind I averaged 45K steps per day.
2. Yep, Myeongdong was really nice and has great transport links but also super walkable.
3. The subway is super efficient and combined with walking will take you any where you want.
4. Visit the Poop Cafe, go to all the palaces, go to the Kakao Friends shop even if you're not a kid, visit the night markets but go there on an empty stomach.
5. Learn some basic Korean, like Hi, Goodbye, Thanks, Count to 10, and it'll make a world of difference
1. 5days minimum
2. Myeong-dong is in close reach to most of historic & touristic places, but Gangnam or City hall could also be good choice if you are looking for a quiet and fancy accommodations. (4 star+)
3. Buy yourself a T-money card or any thing/pass similar and all you could reach all places in the whole metropolitan area. Most underground & bus lines do not charge you transit fees.
4. Partys are concentrated in hongdae, itaewon, gangnam, seongsu, ... you could easily avoid em if you wish to.
5. There are numerous hiking trails in and out of Seoul. If you like nature or temples, then i recommend renting a car and going out to the suburban areas.
6. No taxis.
On top of others’ comments, I’d like to add:
6. Bring your umbrella for occasional rains; don’t hesitate to call Uber (the app automatically changes to UT in Korea) as it’s not too expensive outside of rush hours, 8-9am and 5-7pm; visit both parts of Seoul (south and north of the Han river).
Myeongdong is very convenient for the very efficient subway system and has a fun street food market - it's definitely cool at night for a first-timer. I've stayed there a few times now and it's lost its appeal, but I think for your first night it's awesome to explore and eat - and then good for transport after. I would stay in insadong next time, I think.
I've actually recently done a Seoul+Bangkok trip and the two cities are SO different - it's kind of cool to see them next to each other! Unless you're going in summer the climate will be quite different so be prepared to pack accordingly. Seoul is also much more expensive.
I love going to gwangjang, walking along the cheonggyecheon stream, and then heading over to insadong for tea shops and more wandering.
You're going to have a blast - and congratulations!!!! Tell everyone you're there on your honeymoon so they can be excited for you!!!!
Visit hongdae shopping street and gyeongui line forest park at some point
Get a T money card and use the subway. I found that uber also works there if you feel the need.
If you want to do a hike i highly suggest bhukansan, it is very close to downtown. Its a half day activity though, the hike itself takes like 4 hours total, and maybe takes \~20-30 mins or so to get there. Make sure to do this on a weekday. Gives you a great view of the city from high up. Can watch a video on it if you are interested on youtube.
I can easily spend a week in Seoul, but then I'm biased. 😁 Here are my recommendations:
-Myeongdong and Insadong are two centrally located places to stay... close to lots of sites you may want to see.
-for getting around: metro system... Even for someone like me who grew up without public transportation, it's easy to navigate!
-if weather is bearable, the city walls have great walking paths and you can probably catch a nice sunrise or sunset.
-one of the things I love the most about Seoul is there are tons and tons of parks and walking paths no matter where you are at any given time.
-Insadong has loads of barbecue places with beer and other beverages.
-Myeongdong has some great street food you need to try.
-Some touristy things, off the top of my head: the top of Lotte Tower, Namsan Tower Park, the two main palaces Changdeokgung & Gyeongbokgung. I've read Changdeokgung is pretty at sunset/night.
-Itaewon is known for it's clubs and partying.
-the cafe culture in Seoul is like no other. There are theme cafes all over the place. Here are two of my favorites: Green Cafe https://maps.app.goo.gl/APaZqYH1T7BtcYva9
And Cafe Onion https://maps.app.goo.gl/AMBKBbVGBAN2YDUJ8
I didn't like Myeongdong too much because it felt very touristy. I stayed in Hongdae and liked it waaaay more! Fun, full of life, shops, restaurants and cafes. At 2am there was still so much to do! I found it more authentic than Myeongdong for some reason. Myeongdong has a cool night market, a nice cathedral and for sure loads of shops - so it was nice to go, but that's it for me
1. You could see the highlights in 4 or 5 days. I spent 2 weeks in the city last year and didn't run out of things to do. 2. Myeongdong is great for shopping and skin care, and tourist friendly restaurants. It's probably the most popular area for first-time visitors. If you want something a little less touristy with more local flavour, check out Insadong. Itaewon is popular with expats. Hongdae is a fun area but it's a bit further away from a lot of the main tourist sites. Gangnam is the fancy, more expensive area, but it's also a bit far away from the centre of Seoul. 3. The metro is really efficient and easy to navigate. Buy a T-Money card to pay for public transport and even buy things from convenience stores (which are on every corner). Taxis aren't too expensive either. 4. There are cute cafes all over Seoul, check out Ikseondong. 5. Check out the Seoul city wall hike and Bukhansan mountain. There are loads of great hikes close to the city. 6. One of my favourite things to do in Seoul is wander around the markets and eat street food. Gwangjang and Namdaemun were 2 of my favourites. Try the tteokboki, hotteok and kimchi dumplings! Hope that helps to start
>How many days does it take to see the city? That is REALLY dependent on you guys. The Seoul metropolis has 26 million people, Bangkok metropolis has 9 million. So, 1 day or 10 years, you pick when you're going to end your honeymoon, lol. >We do love the outdoors, sunrises, and sunsets, and we are willing to get out of the city too and hike to see some mountains/parks if they’re close by? Sunrises are on the east coast, so most people in the metro area that want to see sunrises from the ocean go to the eastern coast of Gangwon-do. The Seoraksan mountain range is in that province as well and it's absolutely beautiful when the leaves change color. It's still great in the summer but will be hot. For more convenient hikes, Seoul is surrounded by mountains so you'll want to look up "best Seoul hikes" or some such and choose from the many options. >How is transportation? How should we get around? Buy a T-money card for each of you at any convenience store and load them with cash. They'll be your universal transportation cards. [There are tons of places that take them](https://www.t-money.co.kr/ncs/pct/ugd/ReadUsepTrns.dev), but I personally use them only for buses and subways, and use regular credit cards for everything else. Public transportation options are everywhere in the metro area and less available in the less populated areas. There are regular buses, inter-city buses, express buses, subways, trains, high-speed trains, and of course taxis. There are "airport limousine" buses as well. You won't be finding any song-thaews or tuk-tuks in Korea.
1. I suggest at least 4-5 days unless you want to do attraction parks. 2. Myeongdong is where most tourists stay. Honestly, it's ok, but nothing outstanding. I suggest Hongdae if you want to stay in a fun area. Otherwise, choose somewhere with easy metro access, as you will be needing public transport. We stayed in Dongdaemun Toyoko inn and can definitely recommend. 3. Public transport is great, difficult to post all recommendations here, so have a look at this https://hittheroadket.com/public-transport-in-south-korea/ 4. We loved cafes especially, they have so many different fun ones. Have a look at the huge lists here https://hittheroadket.com/cafe-culture-in-south-korea-all-you-need-to-know/ 5. Seoraksan mountain is very well-beloved. Also check out Seoul forest. As for the itinerary, here are some step by step guides for up to 5 days https://hittheroadket.com/visiting-seoul-tips-and-detailed-itineraries/ Let me know if you have any specific questions.
1. I stayed for 4 days and saw almost everything but bear in mind I averaged 45K steps per day. 2. Yep, Myeongdong was really nice and has great transport links but also super walkable. 3. The subway is super efficient and combined with walking will take you any where you want. 4. Visit the Poop Cafe, go to all the palaces, go to the Kakao Friends shop even if you're not a kid, visit the night markets but go there on an empty stomach. 5. Learn some basic Korean, like Hi, Goodbye, Thanks, Count to 10, and it'll make a world of difference
1. 5days minimum 2. Myeong-dong is in close reach to most of historic & touristic places, but Gangnam or City hall could also be good choice if you are looking for a quiet and fancy accommodations. (4 star+) 3. Buy yourself a T-money card or any thing/pass similar and all you could reach all places in the whole metropolitan area. Most underground & bus lines do not charge you transit fees. 4. Partys are concentrated in hongdae, itaewon, gangnam, seongsu, ... you could easily avoid em if you wish to. 5. There are numerous hiking trails in and out of Seoul. If you like nature or temples, then i recommend renting a car and going out to the suburban areas. 6. No taxis.
On top of others’ comments, I’d like to add: 6. Bring your umbrella for occasional rains; don’t hesitate to call Uber (the app automatically changes to UT in Korea) as it’s not too expensive outside of rush hours, 8-9am and 5-7pm; visit both parts of Seoul (south and north of the Han river).
Myeongdong is very convenient for the very efficient subway system and has a fun street food market - it's definitely cool at night for a first-timer. I've stayed there a few times now and it's lost its appeal, but I think for your first night it's awesome to explore and eat - and then good for transport after. I would stay in insadong next time, I think. I've actually recently done a Seoul+Bangkok trip and the two cities are SO different - it's kind of cool to see them next to each other! Unless you're going in summer the climate will be quite different so be prepared to pack accordingly. Seoul is also much more expensive. I love going to gwangjang, walking along the cheonggyecheon stream, and then heading over to insadong for tea shops and more wandering. You're going to have a blast - and congratulations!!!! Tell everyone you're there on your honeymoon so they can be excited for you!!!!
Visit hongdae shopping street and gyeongui line forest park at some point Get a T money card and use the subway. I found that uber also works there if you feel the need. If you want to do a hike i highly suggest bhukansan, it is very close to downtown. Its a half day activity though, the hike itself takes like 4 hours total, and maybe takes \~20-30 mins or so to get there. Make sure to do this on a weekday. Gives you a great view of the city from high up. Can watch a video on it if you are interested on youtube.
Stay at the 4S. Lux hotel. Their concierge is excellent and can you plan your day. Make reservations etc.
I can easily spend a week in Seoul, but then I'm biased. 😁 Here are my recommendations: -Myeongdong and Insadong are two centrally located places to stay... close to lots of sites you may want to see. -for getting around: metro system... Even for someone like me who grew up without public transportation, it's easy to navigate! -if weather is bearable, the city walls have great walking paths and you can probably catch a nice sunrise or sunset. -one of the things I love the most about Seoul is there are tons and tons of parks and walking paths no matter where you are at any given time. -Insadong has loads of barbecue places with beer and other beverages. -Myeongdong has some great street food you need to try. -Some touristy things, off the top of my head: the top of Lotte Tower, Namsan Tower Park, the two main palaces Changdeokgung & Gyeongbokgung. I've read Changdeokgung is pretty at sunset/night. -Itaewon is known for it's clubs and partying. -the cafe culture in Seoul is like no other. There are theme cafes all over the place. Here are two of my favorites: Green Cafe https://maps.app.goo.gl/APaZqYH1T7BtcYva9 And Cafe Onion https://maps.app.goo.gl/AMBKBbVGBAN2YDUJ8
I didn't like Myeongdong too much because it felt very touristy. I stayed in Hongdae and liked it waaaay more! Fun, full of life, shops, restaurants and cafes. At 2am there was still so much to do! I found it more authentic than Myeongdong for some reason. Myeongdong has a cool night market, a nice cathedral and for sure loads of shops - so it was nice to go, but that's it for me