Seoul – Day 2 of a 14-Day Trip in South Korea
It was another sunny and lovely day in Seoul. We were headed to two mountains today (one as a hike and one on a bus), then to some more neighbourhoods!
Day 2
Seoul
To start our day, we had onigiri and coffee from the convenience store before heading to Changuiman Gate to start the hike. Changuiman is one of the Eight Gates of the Fortress Wall in Seoul. Two of the gates are destroyed, but the remaining six are in good condition and scattered around Seoul. Our hike route was to head up Inwangsan Mountain from Changuiman Gate then head back down to Dongnimmun Station. This hike takes about 2 hours including photo stops and breaks. Right by Changuiman Gate is the start of another hike, but that goes up Baeguk Mountain and is much longer than the hike up Inwangsan. To find the trail head to Inwangsan Mountain, walk down the pathway from Changuiman Gate then take a right and cross the street. Follow that pathway and you’ll see signs for Inwangsan Mountain.
The hike up Inwangsan is steep with a lot of stairs and follows the fortress wall. The views at the top are really worth it though. The trail is lined with mats made of coconut fibre (i.e. coir mats) which I absolutely love! It makes the hiking so much easier. After descending back down from the mountain, at the end of the trail (or start of the trail depending which way you are going) there are air blowers for your shoes – they really have thought of everything!
We took the train from Dongnimmun Station to Namsangol Hanok Village. Near the village is a noodle restaurant called Onsuban, which was recommended by my friend, that we planned to go for lunch. However, due to the holiday, they were closed. Instead, we just had some kimbap from the 7/11 near the village. Namsangol Hanok Village has multiple traditional homes called hanok and is surrounded by gardens and pavilions. We took a break at the north-most pavilion of the garden and accidentally joined a lunch with a group of Ahjummas (aunties) and Ahjussis (uncles). They tried to feed us and even made a plate for us which we politely declined.
We then took the bus up Namsan Mountain to the N Seoul Tower. The N Seoul Tower was built in 1969 as South Korea’s first radio tower. We did not go up the N Seoul Tower, but took in the views of the area (they were not quite as nice as the views from Inwangsan). There is a viewing platform behind the N Seoul Tower which is lined with love locks. There is also a vending machine where you can buy locks. After our break, we walked down Namsan Mountain all the way to Namdaemun Market.
Namdaemun Market is one of the major traditional markets in Seoul. It is more focused towards merchandise, but has food stalls through the middle. We had grape ice cream at the market. Afterwards, we walked to Myeongdong where we sampled more food – kimbap, japchae (stir fry glass noodle), and hotteok (deep fried pancake filled with syrupy brown sugar). Myeongdong is a great spot for shopping and is filled with lots of clothing and skincare stores.
Since we were close to our hotel, we headed back to wash up before dinner. For dinner, we headed to Doma in Hongdae for Korean BBQ. Hongdae is a younger neighbourhood due to its proximity to Hongik University. The line at Doma was long – we waited about an hour. I came to Doma Hongdae during my first South Korea trip as well. The restaurant specializes in high quality beef cuts. We ordered the Assorted Meats A and B, along with a bottle of Terra beer. The meal came with side dishes of course – my favourite being the spicy raw crab. I did not realize at the time I picked the restaurants, but although their menus are different, I think Doma Insadong and the Doma Hongdae have the same owner.
After dinner, we wandered Hongdae a bit, then headed back to the hotel for the evening.
Complete Day 2 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Kakao or Naver Maps for most accurate travel details.
8:00am: Breakfast at the convenience store (7/11, GS25, or CU)
9:00am: Hike up Inwangsan Mountain (2 hour hike from Changuiman to Dongnimmun Station).
12:00pm: Have lunch at Onsuban (15 minute transit from Dongnimmun Station).
1:00pm: Visit Namsangol Hanok Village (3 minute walk from Onsuban).
2:00pm: Visit N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain (27 minute transit from Namsangol Hanok Village).
3:00pm: Explore Namdaemun Market (32 minute walk from N Seoul Tower).
4:00pm: Explore Myeongdong (15 minute walk from Namdaemun Market).
6:00pm: Have dinner at Doma Hongdae (43 minute transit from Myeongdong).
7:00pm: Explore Hongdae (Get drinks!).
14-Day South Korea Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 14-Day South Korea Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip!
Travels with Carolyne 