In such a dense city like Seoul, it is very important to choose a place to stay that is close to many sightseeing, tasty places and yet does not cost you a fortune.

Myeong-dong street

In that sense, Myeong-dong area is a good choice. Main sights are in walking distance. For a second, don’t look at the metro map and open a real old one. There you can see that the kings’ palace, Gwanghwamun Square, City Hall, and Cheonggyecheon Stream are only a couple blocks from Myeong-dong.

Myeong-dong itself is a sight to see. It is a shopping area for many visitors of Seoul and a nice leisure place for locals. Most local and international brands are represented here. Moreover, there is a big department store for premium shopping, but for people like me who live in Seoul and have no gold mines or are not a CEO of big tech companies, Myeong-dong is a nice hang-out place.

Myeong-dong street food

Myeong-dong has a variety of cuisines: Korean, Chinese, European, Indian, Japanese, etc., unlike many other districts of Seoul where you have mainly Korean and Koreanized fusion food. The Myeong-dong main street itself is a food place. Street foods in Myeong-dong are some of the most Instagramable attractions there.

Myeong-dong church inside

Also in the centre of modern shopping areas, you can find a historical treasure - a cathedral. It was built in 1892 after long opposition from the Korean ruler. He tried to confiscate the land, ban construction and get sponsors from other countries to stop giving money for construction and operation of the church. Another interesting period of the church’s history is connected with human right protests from 1970s to 1980s. At that time, the church became a shelter for the protesters.

You can easily visit here before shopping or dinner. However, consider going there before 9 p.m. as it is closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. If you have a lot of interest in Korea’s traditions, you should consider going to Insa-dong and Jogyesa Temple. You don’t have to take a bus or taxi because it is only a 20-minute walk from Myeong-dong Street. In Insa-dong, you can take a look at crafts, try on traditional gowns and take pictures in a more traditional setting as there are many hanok (traditional Korean architecture) style houses there.

Myeong-dong at night

Myeong-dong Cathedral

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Myeong-dong

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In the same area is Jogyesa Temple. In the temple, you can feel calmness and peace in the middle of the noisy city. There is an amazing gigantic lacebark pine tree that is believed to be 500 years old. If you have a chance to visit Seoul in May, you can enjoy Korean paper lantern decorations during the Buddhist lantern festival.

Cheonggyecheon stream

Of course, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the famous attraction, Seoul Namsan Tower. I stayed at 57 Myeongdong Hostel and could see Namsan Tower from the rooftop. It was right across the main road from the metro station. It can be seen from far almost everywhere in Seoul. If you decide to go there, don't miss the opportunity to visit Namsan Mountain Park. To get to Namsan Tower, on the top of the mountain, you can take a cable car or you can dare to walk up the 1.6 km of stairs and experience a great view of Seoul.

Myeong-dong is a great location between two metro lines: Line 4 (light blue) and Line 2 (green). Green line, Line 2, can take you across the city while Line 4 crosses the city from north to south and allows speedy travel to many locations such as the National Museum of Korea, National Hangeul Museum, Seoul Grand Park, and the zoo.

Cheonggyecheon Stream

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The place I chose to stay in Myeong-dong was 57 Myeongdong Hostel. It’s not a bad choice for a traveler who likes when everything is packed in a small space.

I stayed on the 13th floor. There is a breakfast lobby, washing machines, hangers for drying, a PC corner, a boiler, and a desk. The washing machines were super helpful as I like to travel with the minimum and prefer to use a washing service. It was also nice that they have a PC area as sometimes there are things that need to be done on a computer and most travelers do not bring their laptops while traveling. Also, even if you came really late, you can drink tea as they have a boiler. While the room is rather small, it has everything needed: shower, toilet, TV, air-conditioner, and fridge. Unlike other cheap options like guesthouses and other hostels, there is a shower and toilet in the room.

Main entrance

View from the room

The overall atmosphere is nice and welcoming. It is mainly because they have a nice visitors' board with notes and photos of guests. It was interesting to read notes of thanks on the board in different languages.

visitors notes

I can say that the combination of price and value of the hostel is quite good. I really liked that I could use Booking.com and use miles. I should say that many hotels in Korea are still not listed on the website and you have to search on various sites to find the right place to stay. The view from my room was stunning. Seoul night lights are magnificent. As a breakfast person, I really appreciated the free breakfast with salad, eggs, cereal, coffee, toast, and sausages. But if you have a special diet or are vegetarian, you can buy something from the convenience store in the same building. The hostel is really close to the metro station, Myeong-dong Station (Exit 5).