Sightseeing Seoul

There are a few things you have to do in Seoul. First thimg first is the Demilitarized Zone and Joint Security Area with North Korea (DMZ & JSA). But before that a good idea is to go to the War Memorial of Korea. It's a huge museum showcasing the history of the war all the way from pre historic to the standstill the war is currently at.

It is free so I didn't expect much in terms of quality but simply went there to learn a bit about the history. But wow, this is very impressive indeed. Despite being such a sensitive subject it is fairly objectively displayed even though of course from South Korea's perspective.

It has a memorial hall where names of the people who sacrificed their lives are honoured and their names listed and a mention that they will never be forgotten for fighting for the freedom of the Korean people.

There is also an immersive 4D show where you get to take part in the mission to take back Incheon after the North Korean troops had captured the majority of the south. It is without a doubt one of the best museums I have been to.

The second top place to see is the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace. There's a 3000 won (20 SEK/Euro 2) admission fee to the park area. It was originally built back in 1395 and the name means 'The new dynasty will be greatly blessed and prosperous'. 

During the Japanese invasion in 1592 the palace was burned down and was left a ruin for 273 years. It was rebuilt in 1867 but then the again during the Japanese occupation it got torned down and the Japanese Government-General took over the premises in 1911 and in 1915 more than 90% of the palace buildings were dismantled, except for the main building. Finally, in 1990 the restoration that we now see was started and is still ongoing in an attempt to bring back some of he former Korean culture and history.

It is a spectacular sight and I can only imagine how amazing the gardens will be in the summer time.

Another stop is the Gwangjang market - this is where all the locals go so the prices are good and the food authentic. They don't speak muh English but there's no need since all the food is displayed and you simply order by pointing and showing with your fingers how many you want - classic universal language!

Finally, there's the Seoul Tower which is amazingly lit up at night. It is located on a hill in a park with great views. In fact, if you are on a budget the view from the base of the tower is pretty decent as well.

With that said - Seoul was amazing and my favorite thing was the beautiful gorgeous food. Though eating is considered a bit of a social activity in Korea so being a sole traveller looking for food can be difficult as many places require a minimum of 2 people as their menu is designed for sharing. Nevertheless, there is always the glorious street food that is suitable for all of us solo travellers.