Two great compact itineraries to help you make the most a day in Seoul, for the credit card or the credit crunch.
Credit crunch
Start off early in the afternoon with a brisk walk up Namsan Mountain to the
NSeoul Tower. Even if you don’t make it to the observatory deck, fantastic city views can be enjoyed while exploring the serene green grounds or sitting at the cafe. Something truly unique about the tower is the "Locks of Love" – thousands of padlocks attach romantic messages and declarations of love to the links of the Tower's surrounding fence. The keys? Banished forever in the mountains – or perhaps in some unsuspecting creatures' bellies ;o).
For multiple eating and exploration options head to
Samcheongdong or nearby
Insadong.
Samcheongdong is larger, has more galleries and (for better or worse) more spending temptations. A standout is Korea’s own shoe designer
Sarah’s Cabinet, whose offerings include cute messages on the inner sole, flowers, feathers and studs – very Carrie Bradshaw. Nearby there is a well-marked book cafe with a little honour-system book stand outside. There are some great buys, but not many English options.
Insadong is full of cosy teahouses, authentic Korean eateries, cheap souvenirs, antiques and the one of the few Starbucks signs in the world that is written in a foreign alphabet.
A great place to mingle with the locals is in the country’s largest bookshop,
Kyobo. (
Chongro-1-Ka, Chongro-Ku +82 2 1544 1900 website). Families bring their kids to play and explore, university students browse and hang out, and expats and language buffs take advantage of the abundant English section.
Finish the day by exploring the
Cheonggyecheon Stream. Nearly 3km of light installations, buskers and historical exhibits explaining why the stream was once covered over and now restored could take you well into the night.
Credit card After a bit of chic shopping around
Cheongdam-dong grab a bite to eat at
Gorilla in the Kitchen (
650 Sinsa-dong +82 2 3442 1688 website). Have the in-house physician (accompanied by very high-tech medical machines) give you a “wellness assessment”– you will come out with a sheet offering very precise breakdowns of things like the weight of each limb, your BMI, mineral and water levels. If you are keen they will even suggest menu items based on your results.
Don’t linger too long over dessert and you should have time to catch the 2pm performance of
Cookin' with Nanta (
Kyung Hyang Newspaper Bulding, Jeong-Dong, Jung-Gu website). A lively and largely non-verbal performance, it’s a bit like
Stomp with pots, pans, cooking knives and vegetables as the main props. If you don’t fancy being hit with flying cabbage avoid the first few rows.
End the arvo with relaxation at the country’s largest spa,
Dragon Hill (
Yongsan-gu +82 2 792 0001 website). The most satisfying option is probably a long massage and a soak in the heated outdoor pool; the most traditional a full-body Korean scrub. Undertake the latter only if you are prepared to shed lots of skin.