10 Things to do in Seoul at Christmas

The capital of South Korea, Seoul, is a place of great cultural richness and a very picturesque urban scene, combining the traditional with the modern. The city is home to skyscrapers, imposing palaces and dreamlike natural spaces.

During the Christmas season, you will find a wide range of activities. You can attend the Festival of Lights, skate on an ice rink, and even go snowboarding or skiing on the city' s snowy hills. You will also have the option of shopping in the flea markets and going to some events, among other of the best things to do in Seoul at Christmas.

A must-do activity on your 3-day itinerary in Seoul or more happens to be the city's Christmas Festival. This is an annual event thatwill transport you to a real winter fairy tale. You will be amazed by the dozens of beautiful decorations that sparkle with LED lights.

This festival, considered one of the largest in Seoul, takes place in an area of approximately 1.2 kilometers in the vicinity of the Sisul. Once you are here, you will find an undeniable atmosphere of celebration: the lights, the snow on the branches of the plants, the gigantic Christmas trees.

You can get close to Santa's Village, take lots of pictures, try the products offered at the food stalls and even light a flying wishing lantern. After this festival, you can continue to enjoy the attractions of the city. Perhaps, go to the 63 Sky Art and Aqua Planet 63 observation deck in Seoul, which is about 40 minutes away.

A good idea during Christmas is to enjoy the nightlife and try the city's national drink, soju. You will fight the winter cold that characterizes the month of December in Seoul and experience an important part of South Korean culture.

In the city, you will find many bars where you can taste this sweet-tasting traditional alcoholic beverage. For example, some popular places to visit are:

• The Timber House Hyatt, which offers a traditional design inspired by a hanok or traditional Korean house.
• The Vinga, a Korean wine bar with jazz nights.

On this Seoul pub crawl to drink soju at Christmas, you can also try other popular drinks. Such is the case of craft beer and makgeolli; this is a rice and wheat wine, considered the oldest drink in South Korea.

Taking in the city's panorama, which at Christmas time is dotted with snow and twinkling lights, turns out to be another thing you can do on your 1-5 day stay in Seoul or longer. You will find several natural viewpoints, towers and bridges, from where you will get amazing views.

Among the most outstanding places you can visit to delight yourself with the views of the city are the following:

• Haneul Park Hill, with a picturesque natural scene.
• The Seoul Fortress Wall, with a history dating back to 1396.
• The Banpo Bridge, raised over the Han River in the center of the city.

Also, you can go to the observation deck N Seoul Tower, located at the top of Namsan Mountain. This is a tower of approximately 236 meters high, which provides a full panoramic view of the city.

As you walk through the streets of Seoul you will find several natural parks, which take on an even greater charm during Christmas. This is because they are set with the theme of the season. Not only will you see the characteristic snow on the ground and tree branches, you will also enjoy the large and colorful decorations, which vary annually.

Some of the parks most frequented by locals and tourists, where you will discover a Christmas scene to enjoy and take lots of pictures are these:

• Yeouido Park, which stands out in the heart of the city's financial district.
• Hangang Park, a natural lung on the banks of the Han River. Here, you will find a lively atmosphere at Christmas time.
• The Dream Forest; an urban park with a tranquil setting, a lake and lush greenery.

Without a doubt, this is a must-do activity during your stay, which you could incorporate into your itinerary along with other experiences. For example, a private tour of Seoul and, thus, discover some museums, the best palaces of Seoul, among other destinations of interest.

Come to the largest recreational complex in the city, Lotte World, which at Christmas time is covered with amazing decorations and dozens of sparkling lights. You will feel like a kid discovering all the magic hidden in this park, which is included in the list of attractions of the Discover Seoul Pass, a great option to live many adventures in the city while saving on your trip.

When you arrive at Lotte World you will find a great Christmas festival with many attractions. Some of them are:

• Santa's Village, which offers a picturesque area for you to take pictures and create great memories of your visit to the city. Also, while touring this area you will encounter some iconic characters of this season such as Santa Claus and his faithful elves. In addition, you will see Santa Haraboji, who is a Korean character that represents the spirit of this holiday season.
• The musical shows are geared for all ages. You'll enjoy everything from Christmas music to Kpop performances. After all, you are in Korea, the land of this popular musical genre.
• The Christmas parade; quite a colorful spectacle with parades, extravagant costumes and lots of snow.

Of course, there will be no shortage of food stalls and restaurants where you can eat hotteok (a Korean pancake with seeds and honey inside), moon cake, bungo ppang (fish cake), roasted chestnuts and much more. Plus, if you find yourself in this Seoul park at night, you'll have the chance to witness a mind-blowing fireworks show.

At Christmas, South Koreans don't have a specific dish to enjoy. However, they celebrate these dates by eating some traditional preparations of their gastronomy: kimchi, noodles, bulgogi, moon cake, etc. Visit some restaurants or street food stalls in the main markets and eat like a local.

To carry out this experience you will have many places throughout the city. For example:

• Namdaemun Market. There you will find hand-cut noodles, tteokbokki (rice cake with bell pepper sauce), odeng (fish cake served with broth for dipping), among others.
• Euljiro food stalls, with the famous spicy ramyeon (instant noodles), roasted chestnuts, fish cake, jeon (fried vegetable pancake), corn dog (Korean banderillas) and much more.
• Gwangjang market with barbecue, mandu (steamed dumplings filled with meat or kimchi), bibimbap (rice bowl with vegetables and meat), bindae-tteok (pancake made of bean flour, meat and vegetables), and more.

In addition, if you are a culinary enthusiast, you could take the opportunity to join a Korean cooking class and visit a market in Seoul. This is a very popular activity, considered among the best food tours in Seoul.

If you are a winter sports enthusiast and don't know what to do for Christmas during your stay in the South Korean capital, you should know that Seoul in winter has some impressive snow-capped mountains. You can hop on your snowboard, ski or sled and spend a different day touring these natural slopes.

In the city, you will find several ski resorts with snow-packed trails and slopes suitable for all ages and experience levels, with three of the most frequented by locals and tourists being the following:

• Yongpyong Resort, with about 28 trails in an area of about 13.6 kilometers and approximately 14 chairlifts.
• The Vivaldi Park, with about 13 slopes with light slopes, 10 chairlifts, restaurant and terrace. A true paradise for snow lovers.
• The Phoenix Snow Park, known for hosting a series of snowboard and freestyle skiing competitions throughout the year. This resort has approximately 22 slopes and a ski school specially designed for foreigners.

When you arrive at these resorts, you will be able to rent the necessary equipment for the respective practices, as well as hire an instructor. This in case you have no experience on the snow. In addition, you can join a guided activity to visit these snow-capped mountains at Christmas, which would definitely be one of the best tours in Seoul.

Visiting the Hyundai Mall Christmas Village is a unique experience you can have during your stay in Seoul. It is a stunning full-scale village that evokes the charm of Christmas stories.

The village is located inside the Hyundai Mall. Once you enter this fantastic village you will see a gigantic Christmas tree approximately 13 meters high. There are also about 120 smaller trees covered with snow and bright lights.

As you walk through the narrow streets you will find around 16 small stores, where you can buy souvenirs, seasonal decorations, fashion, jewelry, among others. In addition, you will have access to some restaurants and cafes where you can eat, for example, a sweet pancake with tea.

If you like ice skating, you should know that there are several rinks available in Seoul, where you can have a different time at Christmas. You will be surrounded by a lively atmosphere: lights, seasonal decorations, music and lots of people who, like you, want to have fun.

A good option is the indoor r ink at the Lotte World recreation complex. There are also the outdoor rinks at Seoul Plaza. There you'll find three rinks of different sizes for skating and a fourth for sledding.

Whichever rink you decide to visit during Christmas, you won't have to worry if it's your first time. There's usually a rink worker there to guide you on how to take your first steps on the ice. After all, you don't want to win an Olympic competition, the goal is to have fun.

South Koreans are accustomed to attending plays during Christmas and, thus, experience the magic of this season. Let yourself be surprised by these productions, which year after year revive some of the classic tales of world literature.

One of the most popular plays you can enjoy in Seoul is The Nutcracker. An adaptation of the fairy tale by Russian writer Ernst Theodor Hoffmann, performed by the National Ballet of Korea. Also, the famous A Christmas Carol by English writer Charles Dickens.

To enjoy these shows you should visit the main theaters in the city. For example, the National Theater of Korea in Seoul offers several performances every year. Likewise, the Charlotte Theater, the theater of The Hyundai Seoul Shopping Center, among others.