South Korea on a budget: the 26 best free things to do in Seoul
11 min read • Aug 3, 2022
Visiting Seoul on a budget? See the best of this expensive city on free trips to temples, parks and viewpoints. Here are the top free thing to do in Seoul.
Travel Stories
Seoul
- Season by season in Seoul: the best times to visit
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Read our guide to find out which is the ideal season – and even month – to visit the exciting South Korean capital.
- Seoul selections: the top things to do in the South Korean capital
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Seoul is full of can’t-miss experiences. From K-pop culture to the best street food in town, these are the top things to do in South Korea’s capital.
- Getting around Seoul is easy for first-timers with these simple tips
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Here’s everything you need to know to navigate South Korea's capital, from tips for using the Seoul Metro and buses to advice on transport passes.
- The 8 best museums in Seoul for art, history and even kimchi
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Seoul has hundreds of museums – here’s a guide to navigating Seoul’s best ones, from the well-known and obvious to the niche, hidden gems.
- Our guide to Seoul’s must-visit neighborhoods
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Get to know exciting Seoul by exploring the Korean capital’s neighborhoods, from happening hotspots to quiet backstreets.
- Won direction: Seoul on a budget
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Follow these easy and practical tips to stretch your budget in Seoul, South Korea’s famously exciting (and famously expensive) capital.
- The best parks in Seoul for families, athletes, lovers and everyone else
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One of the world’s most dynamic cities has green spaces catering to couples, families, sports lovers and just about everyone. These are Seoul’s best parks.
- The ultimate K-Pop travel guide to Seoul
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With K-Pop dominating pop culture everywhere around the world, this is the essential travel guide for fans wanting to explore the genre's homeland.
- Seoul's best autumn walks
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South Korea's capital city is surrounded by mountains and coloured in with groves of trees – explore the foliage on our favourite autumn walks in Seoul.
- MMusical cities: where to go to find your jam
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From a smoky jazz club in Paris to the throbbing beats of Berghain in Berlin, we've got the perfect round up of dream destinations for your musical tastes.
- KFC: a guide to eating Korean fried chicken in Seoul
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Enjoy the delights of chimaek – Korean fried chicken paired with beer. Here are our picks for the best fried chicken restaurants in Seoul.
- Seoul traders: fall head over heels for South Korea’s crazy sock scene
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From politicians to zany logos and cute animal prints, socks are a major trend in South Korea. Here's where to find your perfect pair of socks in Seoul.
- How to party in Korean convenience stores
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It’s 2am on a Saturday night in Seoul and the local watering hole is a packed house. You can hardly find a seat but eats are cheap and drinks are even…
- Diving in to South Korea's hole-in-the-wall restaurants
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Quieted away, around the corner from one of South Korea's grandest hotels is a great food secret: Gwanghwamun Jip. Its worn-out blue sign gives away the…
- How to live like a Local in Seoul
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Lonely Planet Local Hahna Yoon talks about her favorite hidden bars and hole-in-the-wall local restaurants in Seoul.
- Seoul’s dynamic cityscape: an architectural tour through the South Korean capital
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Bold architectural and urban planning projects have shown Seoul is a place to watch when it comes to a crafting a design-conscious, people-centric city.
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Prohibition might not have happened in South Korea, but US-inspired speakeasies are no relic of the past in Seoul.
- A guide to South Korea's most charming mural villages
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The term 'street art' can often conjure up an image of hooded graffiti-artists stenciling edgy pieces down seedy city laneways in the dark of the night.
- Taking it to the streets: Seoul's surprising contemporary art scene
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Seoul's contemporary art scene continues to evolve in fascinating ways. Here's how to uncover some of South Korea's best-kept artistic secrets.
- Weird and wonderful Korea: unique sights for the temple-fatigued
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South Korea knows how to let loose and get wonderfully bonkers. Of course, the country's wealth of captivating temples and museums are well worth visiting.
- Makgeolli to microbreweries: how to drink well in Seoul
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In a city where alcohol is cheap and free-flowing, sampling soju, makgeolli or local beer is a quintessential aspect of a night out in Seoul.