Cultural sightseeing in South Korea

South Korea has a rich history and beautiful nature. There are many places that are interesting for foreign guests here. Ancient palaces and temples, fortresses and national parks are some of the biggest attractions in the country. Don’t forget that South Korea is a well-developed country, and so it has entertainment centers, museums, modern electronic and car industries, excellent transport infrastructure, and interesting urban views. Everyone can easily find a suitable excursion route here – culinary, museum, anti-stress, tours to historic landmarks, and active recreation.

When taking a stroll among numerous skyscrapers in Seoul, visit such famous buildings as the Olympic Park, Seoul Tower, a music fountain with the gorgeous evening illumination, and the Leeum (Samsung Museum of Art). When you are tired, visit local anti-stress cafes with cute animals or Jjimjilbang ‘Dragon Hill SPA’. For tourists from the Western World, talks about the toilet rarely look interesting but it is quite the opposite here. There is even a museum park dedicated to the toilet and everything connected to it – the Mr. Toilet House. It is located in the city of Suwon. Korean families enjoy visiting this park. In Seoul, tourists can visit the Poopoo Land Museum that has many interesting photo zones and a café that offers food served in small toilet bowls.

Seoullo 7017 is a linear park open above a highway. The pedestrian area is separated from the roads, so it is safe to relax here even with small children. Numerous trees, bushes, and flowers grow in large flowerbeds made of concrete. There are even birches and pines here. The park looks like a beautiful green oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle. People stroll along the trees and admire the view. If you are in a mood for something exotic, consider trying sannakji but beware that not everyone can eat this dish. Sannakji is a ‘live’ octopus that moves when you eat it. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Anti-stress cafes are a range of cafes where visitors can relax by petting animals and playing with them. All animals are used to numerous visitors, so they are not scared of people and usually want to play or can ask for food. It is not allowed to feed animals with the food brought to the café. Visitors need to buy all food at the café as it is safe for animals. There are different types of anti-stress cafes in Seoul – cafes with raccoons, sheep, kangaroos, meerkats, dogs, etc. The entrance fee is 10 dollars. For this price, visitors can stay at the café and play with animals as long as they want. By the way, meerkats are approximately cat-sized animals that like digging holes. Several animals greet guests and show their skills in digging holes, but for humans, this looks like a pleasant massage.

Jjimjilbang ‘Dragon Hill SPA’ is a unique recreational complex that hardly has any copies in other countries of the world. This is a large sauna and even a cheap hostel, but visitors cannot just come and sleep here at night. Koreans have business meetings here, have fun with their friends, enjoy food, and play different games (no casino-type games). Different arcade machines are also available in many shopping centers in Korea. Each visitor gets a special uniform – shorts and a t-shirt.

This jjimjilbang is a great option for budget tourists. It works round the clock, is inexpensive, and doesn’t have a fixed time limit – visitors choose themselves if they want to stay here two hours, a night, or a whole day. There is a broad range of services that are available for everyone – sauna rooms with different temperatures, a swimming pool, a salt sauna, ice and nephrite rooms, massage armchairs, and various areas where visitors can simply lie or take a nap. There is almost no furniture here. People sit on large pillows or floor mats according to an old oriental tradition.

To get oneself familiar with the ancient history of Korea, consider visiting Gyeongbokgung. This palace complex was built in the 14th century for the Joseon dynasty. The Jongmyo Shrine and Changdeokgung Palace – the latter was also a royal residence – are notable attractions worth visiting during your vacation in South Korea. The War Memorial of Korea is dedicated to the military history of the country and exhibits military equipment of different periods. It is also important to mention the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress built in the 18th century and the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The latter is a 4-kilometer wide strip of land that separates North and South Korea. Many foreign guests find it interesting to visit it.

Travelers interested in Buddhism should visit Beomeosa. Some buildings in this ancient complex were built more than a thousand years ago. Bulguksa Monastery attracts with its ancient architecture – pagodas, bridges, and a park. Art connoisseurs simply cannot forget to visit the Museum of Art and the National Palace Museum of Korea. These exhibitions of cultural treasures are open in the Changgyeonggung Palace in the capital. When you are in a mood for a stroll, head to Cheonggyecheon. This is a several kilometers long pedestrian area established in the central part of Seoul. Everland, a popular amusement park, is an unforgettable place and another must-visit destination in the capital.

Safety of tourists in South Korea is one of the advantages of this hospitable country. Koreans are not aggressive – even all arguments in bars and drinking pubs are solved in a peaceful way here. No one raises voice here, leave alone brawls. The crime level is low but tourists should relax. It is always a good idea to follow basic rules – do not put your wallet into outer pockets, do not show large sums of cash in public places, and do not visit the poorest areas alone.