Seoul Jongno District – 20 Things To Do 2026 Guide

The historic center of Seoul and heart of K-Culture, Jongno District is a joyful place to explore, to eat and base yourself.

From the bright lights and tasty bites of Jonggak Avenue of Youth to tranquil temples and traditional teahouses, Jongno is one of the best Seoul neighborhoods to stay in.

Home to some of Seoul’s most famous landmarks including 4 of the 5 Royal Palaces, Bukchon Hanok Village and the famous fortress wall, Jongno has several hip neighborhoods to explore including Ikseon-dong and Insadong – plus eat delicious Korean street food in pojangmacha tents or at Gwangjang and Tongin Markets.

From riverside walks to wonderful shopping, here are the best things to do in Jongno, Seoul.

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The rooms were clean but basic and the hotel has recently been renovated. Hotel facilities include a small laundry, gym and a nice rooftop area with a view of Namsan Tower.

The hotel is located in Insadong right next to Ikseongdong Hanok Village with lots of shops, convenience stores and restaurants nearby. The nearest subway station is Jingo-3-ga which is just a short walk away.

Check out prices and availability on booking.com / agoda.com / expedia.com

Nine Tree Premier Hotel Insadong

Popular hotel located along Insadong-gil – a 5-minute walk from the nearest metro station. Facilities include a restaurant, rooftop bar, fitness room, lounge and laundry. Check out prices and availability on booking.com / agoda.com / expedia.com

Moxy Seoul Insadong

Highly rated stylish and boutique hotel. Facilities include a rooftop bar with views of the city, 24-hour cafe, laundry and gym. Check out prices and availability on booking.com /  agoda.com  /  expedia.com

Orakai Insadong Suites

Luxurious and spacious self-catering apartments with a kitchenette, flat-screen TVs and washer/dryers. Hotel facilities include an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and sauna. Check out prices and availability on booking.com / agoda.com / expedia.com

City Park Hotel

A budget motel located less than 400 metres from Anguk Station, rooms include a free minibar and free WiFi. Check out prices and availability on booking.com /  agoda.com / expedia.com

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Jongno Things To Do

1. Ikseondong Hanok Village

A nice neighbourhood to explore, Ikseondong Hanok Village is a quiet and quirky area packed full of alleyways and lots of prime photo spots.

Built around 100 years ago in the 1920s, Ikseondong has awesome street-food, cafes and coffee shops plus some of the best restaurants in the area.

Keep an eye out for all the hanok style Seoul cafes here like Cheongsudang, Nakwon Train Station Cafe and Hanok Langsom Ikseon, all with charming gardens and traditional Korean decor.

Read more in our guide to Ikseondong Hanok Village >

2. Eat at Jongno 3-ga Pojangmacha

Pojangmacha are traditional South Korean street food stalls inside outdoor tents set up along sidewalks or near subway exits in big cities.

People sit on plastic stools to eat, drink and talk late into the night. All manner of South Korean street food is served in these pojangmacha food stalls such as grilled seafood, tteokbokki, oden, gimbap and fried foods, plus alcoholic beverages like soju and beer.

They generally open in the early evening around 6pm until 2am or later. In Jongno,  you will find a whole street of pojangmacha near Jongno 3-ga subway station.

3. Jogyesa Temple

Dating back to the 14th century (although rebuilt in the early 1900s due to a fire), Jongno’s Jogyesa Temple in Insadong is one of Seoul’s most historic temples and the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

The Dharma Hall of Jogyesa Temple hosts several Buddhist events and celebrations throughout the year – for the Buddha’s birthday, the Jogyesa Temple holds a lantern festival.

Jogyesa Temple is free to visit – donations are appreciated. Temple stays are also available at Jogyesa Temple. There is an information office across the road from the main entrance of the temple.

4. Bukchon Hanok Village

One of the most popular free things to do in Seoul (watch for the constant stream of tour buses), Bukchon Hanok Village is a historic hillside neighbourhood that is home to dozens of traditional houses (“hanok”, that date back to the Joseon dynasty).

We have a love / hate relationship with Bukchon Hanok Village – it is so pretty but it is teeming with tourists between 10am and 4pm so try to get there early or late and explore the traditional settlement.

The views are stunning and many people also rent traditional hanbok costumes from the clothing rental stores at the main entrance or from nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Please remember that Bukchon Hanok Village is a residential area so please be mindful of people’s property and privacy – there are even local volunteers who monitor noise-levels and ‘shhhhush’ you if you are over exuberant.

Read more in our guide to Bukchon Hanok Village >

5. Gwangjang Market

Gwangjang Market is Seoul’s most famous food market, a myriad of market street food stalls selling some of the best food you’ll taste in Seoul (or anywhere in South Korea).

Gwangjang Market has bags of character, from the numerous (and competitive) stallholders who beckon you over (“Sit. SIT”!) to the huge array of awesome and authentic street food available.

In recent years, Gwangjang has become a popular tourist stop after featuring on the Netflix series Street Food: Asia. It told the success story of Cho Yonsoon’s Kalguksu knife-cut noodle stall (but be prepared to sometimes queue to savour this delicious ‘Seoul food’…).

New for 2026, a new Olive Young Gwangjang Market branch opened up along with new stores from brands like POPMART Hirono, OFF BEAUTY and Kodak – so it isn’t just about food.

Check out our full guide to what to eat at Gwangjang Market in Seoul >

6. Insadong

Seoul in South Korea is a joyous mix of the old and new, and no more so than Insadong, one of Seoul’s most popular neighbourhoods and shopping streets with a historic heart.

From traditional tea-houses hidden down back alleys and ancient pagodas to modern shopping centres and even retro vinyl LP bars, Insadong has got it going on.

On the weekend (Saturday and Sundays), the main street in Insa-dong (AKA Insa-dong Cultural Street) is closed to traffic between 10am and 10pm meaning it becomes a popular shopping spot with the streets lined with various street food stalls and craft carts.

Read our full guide to the top things to do in Insadong, Seoul >

7. Cheonggyecheon River Walk

One of the best free walks in Seoul any time of day, the Cheonggyecheon is a downtown public park and river walk that is lit up and open 24 hours.

Cheonggyecheon is an example of urban regeneration whereby this formerly neglected and run down riverside area was transformed in the early 2000s into a wonderful walk along a river, complete with benches, stepping stone bridges and a long concrete walkway (also ideal for jogging).

During festivals and Christmas in Seoul, the Cheonggyecheon stream sometimes has special lights and pop-up events, plus the Seoul Outdoor Library pops up here in the summer months.

8. Seoul City Wall Walk / Fortress Wall

For one of the best views in Seoul, take a stroll along Seoul’s historic City Wall which intersects Jongno. One of the main access points and best gates – Heunginjimun Gate, is a short walk from the DDP.

With the first part of the wall built in the 1390s to deter invaders (to coincide with the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace), Seoul City Wall is just under 20 km in length (although not all of it is fully walkable).

It takes in many historical sites and views including Baegak, Naksan, Namsan and the Inwangsan Mountains.

It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the ensuing centuries. The highlights at Seoul Fortress Wall are the eight gate towers, especially the East Main Gate – Heunginjimun Gate.

A free thing to do in Seoul, one of the best and most sections of the Fortress Wall to explore is in Naksan Park. We’d also recommend combining a Seoul City Wall with a visit to nearby Ihwa Mural Village.

9. Jonggak Avenue of Youth

The bright lights of Jongno District is one of the best places to hang around in Seoul at night especially around the ‘Jonggak Avenue of Youth’ 종각젊음의거리 area.

We sometimes stay in Venue G hotel or Hotel Bontanik Sewoon a few minutes walk from here and the whole area is full of fantastic eating places and late night bars.

This is a busy and busy area, packed full of soju bars, local and chain restaurants and neon lit side alleys – the BBQ pork stalls and the pocha bar / food tents (pojangmacha 포장마차) near here are always packed.

10. National Folk Museum of Korea

This is a free to visit museum handily located near to Bukchon Hanok Village and in the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

A fantastic family place to learn about Korean history and how people lived over the centuries, this looks at everyday life across the ages – onsite, there is also a free Children’s Folk Museum complete with performances, hands-on activities and special programmes.

Our favourite part of the National Folk Museum of Korea is the 70’s and 80’s themed Street of Memories – so nostalgic and vintage, it almost feels like an 80s K-Drama set.

Here you can wander around a recreated Seoul neighborhood, with a dozen or so 70’s and 80’s buildings like a stationery store, comic book shop, tea-room, barbers, bathhouse, school room and more.

11. Royal Palaces

Four of Seoul’s five Grand Royal Palaces are located in the Jongno District, dating back to the Joseon Dynasty period:

• Gyeongbokgung Palace
• Changdeokgung Palace
• Changgyeonggung Palace
• Gyeonghuigung Palace

If you only have time for one Royal Palace in Jongno, we’d recommend the grand Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in the 1390s and the largest and most majestic Royal Residence in Seoul.

Try to time your visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace with the changing of the Palace Royal Guard at 10am and 2pm (very theatrical but the costumes and instruments are stunning).

If you intend to visit all of the Palaces, make sure you buy a combined admission ticket as it works out a lot cheaper than individual tickets for each Royal Palace in Seoul.

Unlike most other historic attractions in Seoul, please note that Gyeonbokgung is closed on Tuesdays – this means it can be visited on Mondays when most of the other Seoul city historic attractions are closed.

12. Ssamzigil Shopping Mall

A colourful Jongno shopping complex located in the heart of Insadong, we’d rate this as one of the best shopping centers in Seoul, given how quaint and quirky it is.

From the bright courtyard at its centre to the six floors of quirky character and craft based shops and stores, visiting Ssamzigil is quite the experience.

It isn’t slick and flashy like all the other malls and the design is unique in the sense that you can visit all the stores on all levels by following a ramp footpath.

There are DIY craft stalls, cartoon character shops, homeware and jewellery vendors plus much more at Ssamzigil complex. In addition, there are several cafes and restaurants including one on the outdoor rooftop with nice views of Insadong.

13. Heunginjimun Gate (Historic City Wall Gate)

Just across from Cheonggyecheon stream, Heunginjimun Gate is a designated ‘national treasure’ and one of the oldest surviving parts of Seoul and its fortress wall (it was originally constructed in the 1390s and then rebuilt where it is today in the 1860s).

Also called Dongdaemun Gate as it is in the east part of Seoul, this is the only one of the remaining remaining city gates that has distinctive crescent shape defences and shows the incredible architecture of the late Joseon dynasty.

The walls on either side no longer exist but the gates look grand and serve as a nice distraction from today’s traffic!

14. Gwanghwamun Square

Popular for festivals and pop-up events like Seoul Outdoor Library, Gwanghwamun Square is free to visit.

It is best known for its two striking statues of King Sejong the Great Hangul and Admiral Yi Sun-sin. It is also where BTS played their first comeback concert in 2026, streamed live on Netflix.

This is one of the best places to take photos of Gwanghwamun Gate, one of entrances to Gyeongbokgung Palace, with the mountains as a stunning backdrop.

15. Tapgol Park / Pagoda Park

The first ‘modern’ park to be built in Seoul and now a popular hang-out for the neighbourhood’s elderly community, this small but serene city park is most famous for its 10 story pagoda, designated National Treasure No 2, built in the 15th century (now protected behind a glass tower).

The pagoda at Tapgol Park (formerly Pagoda Park) is 12 metres high and all that remains of the Wongaksa temple once built by King Sejo (so the placard says).

It is made from marble and it is incredible to find such an old structure in the heart of the modern metropolis that is Seoul city centre.

You might also recognise Tapgol Park as a Squid Game 2 filming location when the ‘recruiter’ starts stomping on the bread, much to the bemusement of hungry onlookers.

16. Dongdaemun Toy & Stationery Street

Located a stone’s throw from Dongdaemun Metro, this is the best place to get toys and stationery goods in Seoul cheap but there is a catch.

Many of these stores are wholesalers so you might need to buy more than one item to secure a discount.

There are 100 stores in close proximity piled high but the biggest and most famous toy shop in Dongdaemun is Seungjin Toy (승진완구). This tower of toys has a plethora of playthings so make sure you save room in your suitcase if you are in Seoul with kids.

17. Dongdaemun Market / Dongdaemun Shopping Complex

Located near to the Cheonggyecheon River, Dongdaemun Shopping Complex (Market) is apparently the world’s largest clothing and fabric material markets, full of colourful patterns (and the odd counterfeit brand based on what we saw).

This is the go to place in Dongdaemun for cheap off-the-rack (or even made to measure) hanbok outfits to buy outright, or bedding and accessories to take back home.

Many of the retailers are wholesale so you might need to buy multiple of the same items

18. Visit a historic Korean tea house in Jongno – Sinyet chatjip

Visiting a traditional tea-house is one of the most unique things to do in South Korea – in terms of tea-tasting and historic tea-houses, you are spoiled for choice in Jongno.

 Down one particular alley (8 and 9 Insadong – gil), you’ll find both Shin Old Teahouse (Sinyet chatjip) and Namusae Tea house – both are hidden away and ooze history.

We visited Shin Old Teahouse one rainy afternoon and were amazed by its interior – the teahouse is wooden timbered with a variety of old furniture, warm snugs and indoor gardens.

Upon entry at Shin Old Teahouse, you are given a menu and you then find a seat before going back to the counter to place and order and pay. It was 7,000 Won for most teas and 5,000 Won for an Americano (in case you don’t like tea!).

Alternative famous tea houses in Insadong include Moon Bird and Dawon Traditional Tea House (located in the courtyard of Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art).

19. Jeongdong Observatory Cafe

Quite simply, Jeongdong Observatory Cafe is one of the best free things to do in Seoul.

Head on up to the upper floors of Seoul City Hall Seosomun building, just a short walk from the City Hall Metro stop.

Whilst the Jeongdong Observatory cafe inside is nothing special, the view looking out is spectacular – here you’ll see an incredible Seoul cityscape unfurl in front of you plus you’ll have a perfect panoramic view of the Royal Deoksugung Palace below.

Inside the Jeongdong Observatory, there is a popular cafe and tea-room (the prices are really cheap given the view) which is very popular with students and gets very busy at the weekend.

So for a brew with a view, this is an amazing free Seoul observatory and viewing deck. Just be aware that when you first arrive, the reception feels quite corporate as it is a City Hall office – just head to the first set of lifts you see when you first go in.

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20. Tongin Market

Located close to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village, Tongin Market 통인시장 is a traditional Seoul Market with around 50 or so stalls that is perhaps most famous for its Tongin lunchboxes.

Yes, you can curate your own lunchbox (dosirak) at Tongin Market which costs 10,000 Won – you use special brass-coins (x 20) which you can redeem at food stands of your choosing and then eat in the upstairs cafe – they even have a cute brass coin mascot too!

Around since the 1940s, this Seoul Market is steeped in tradition and generally pretty quiet compared to most of the others featured on this ‘best Seoul Market’ guide.

Tongin Market is open from 9am to 7pm, 7 days a week – BUT the famous Tongin lunchbox cafe is open Tuesday to Friday from 11am until 3pm, and weekends from 11am until 4pm (and also closed the 3rd Sunday of every month). Tongjin lunchbox times are correct as of June 2026.

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