Festival

Lotus Lantern Festival

Lord Buddha's birthday falls on the eighth day of the fourth moon.The celebration of Buddha's birthday consists of thousands of lanterns paraded in the streets of Seoul in a spectacular display of lights. In this festival lanterns are made of various shapes. Small lotus shaped lanterns to lantern floats shaped like a dragon, elephant etc. are part of the parade. People also practice Zen meditation during this festival.

City guide

Overview & visitor information

Venue: Jongno-gu Website: http://www.llf.or.kr

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Boryeong Mud Festival

Activity

Daecheon Beach becomes a war zone and therapeutic massage parlor of mud every July. The Mud Festival is all about mud and its therapeutic qualities, and you can get mud massages as well as mud slides on the beach.

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Insadong Festival

Activity

The Insadong festival in April and October showcases the folk music or pungmulnori of Seoul. A delightful food court with a selection of countrywide cuisine is also set up as part of the celebrations. Traditional food contests are held. There are street exhibitions and pottery making demonstrations as well. Venue: Jongno-gu Website: http://asp.congnamul.com/seoul/english/map.jsp

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Hi Seoul Festival

Activity

This festival aims at preserving the city's unique history and tradition as well as diversity through numerous cultural events and performances that take place all over the city. This festival takes place at different seasons around the year and there are different themes for each time of the year. There are concerts, street plays and art exhibitions according to the theme.

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Dano Festival

Activity

One of the three largest holiday celebrations in the country, the Dano Festival is a traditional food festival where prayers are offered for a good and bountiful harvest in the coming year. Food courts, cultural performances, exhibitions and children's events are part of the celebrations.

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Icheon Rice Cultural Festival

Activity

This festival combines two of Icheon's symbols, rice and agriculture. In celebration of the good harvest, Icheon is lit up and a magnificent feast is set up to celebrate. A variety of dishes are made of Icheon rice and visitors get to sample rice based culinary delights. The world's longest white rice cake is also made during this festival.

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Seoul Drum Festival

Activity

Like the Japanese Taiko drums, the Koreans showcase their traditional drumming in this festival along with other art forms and percussion instruments from all over the world and promote experimental and crossover music.

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Food Korea

Activity

This festival is when people enjoy traditional food and introduce new Korean food and culture. It is quite popular among tourists as a great opportunity to learn about Korean cuisine and culture.

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Namdaemun

Building

The Great South Gate is one of the symbols of Seoul and is the most prized treasure of the country. It is a two -tiered pagoda style roofed gate made with stone and wood. This gate served many purposes; it greeted visitors to the city, kept away wild animals and prevented outsiders from entering the city. It looks stunning at night when it is floodlit. The nearby Namdaemun Market is a great place to check out as well. A lively market, the Namdaemun has wholesalers operating from midnight to 6am and retailers during the day.

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Yongsan Park

Park

Yongsan Park is reminiscent of the famous parks that are often shown in movies, with large grass fields and thick forests. An unlikely sight in a city, it is home to several species of birds and trees and was once used as a U.S. military base.

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Yangjae Citizens' Forest

forest

The citizens' forest is located on the Gangnam Street and has streams and over 106,000 trees. It is a very popular picnic spot for the younger generations as well as the young at heart. It has a clear view of the sky and hence is a great place to be on clear nights.

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Gyeongbok-gung Palace

Palace

Located in Yulgukno, it is Seoul's most spectacular palace and was the pinnacle of power for centuries before it was devastated in 1592 by a Japanese invasion. It has been restored for the most part. Its grounds also hold the Joseon Palace Museum, and the Korean Folk Museum. Admission: 3000 won Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm except Tuesdays (The palace is used for shooting TV dramas)

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What to do with Children in Town

Activity

The best place to be if you're a kid is at the palaces as there is just so much to see which is of interest to kids. Whether it's the turtles and gold fishes at the small ponds, or it's a visit to the museums, children will love it all. The Samsung Kids Museum is sure to get the kids excited about the visit to this superb city and the fireworks festivals are sure to light up their day. The Children's Grand Park is a great place for kids as well as they have a zoo, a botanical garden and an amusement park. It's in Gwangjin-gu. The N Seoul Tower is also great for kids as they will surely love the superb view. The best things for kids however are the parks and the space to run around. The toy shops littered around town are a treat for the little ones as well.

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Changdeok-gung Palace

Palace

Also located in Yulgukno, it is another one of Seoul's most spectacular palaces and is second only to the Gyeongbok-gung. First built in 1405, it was the center of power in the dynasty between 1618 and 1896. All the buildings have been restored and repainted. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a must-see place!

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ChangGyeong-gung Palace

Palace

It was built in 1104 for the kings of the Koryo Dynasty as a summer palace and became one of the main palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. The palace is connected to the Jongmyo Shrine which was used for sacrificial rites in the Joseon Dynasty. The palace faces east to west, instead of the usual north to south.

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Dongdaemun

Building

The Old Eastern Gate of the city, though not as impressive as Namdaemun, it is still a good site to check out just so you can tell your friends that you've visited so many places. The nearby Dongdaemun Market is much more attractive though!

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Olympic Park

Park

The Olympic Park was built for the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics. It has a lake, and a square of sculptures which is very popular among visitors. It also has a large field which is covered with grass and has a few courses that are ideal for jogging and walking. Its outdoor stage and six stadiums are often used for concerts.

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Boramae Park

Park

Once the site of the Korean Air Force Academy, it symbolizes the Air Force. The word Boramae means Hawk. The park is spread out on 360,000 square meters and has sports facilities as well as a small zoo. It also has a huge pond that spreads out to 9000 square meters and has well planned walking paths. The pond is surrounded by willow trees and benches and is very popular, especially during summer and winter.

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Familia Buffet

Situated in the plush Imperial Palace hotel, the Familia restaurant serves a whooping 120 dishes in its buffet. The sophisticated and classy environment of this place is sure to lure you into visiting it often. The squad of people dressed in ninja outfits are actually the cooks who prepare fresh food in the dining area.

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Min's Club

A 1930s hanok (traditional Korean one-storey wooden house with a tiled roof) has been artistically restored into a restaurant that is charming as well as classy. The food offered here is European/Korean fusion. French wines are a specialty of this restaurant. Popular with diplomats, the food and service of this place is sure to bring a smile to your face and a vow to visit again.

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Tony Roma's

This all American chain is literally your only choice for ribs. New rib styles and sauce flavors, mouth-watering char-grilled steaks, BBQ chicken, scrumptious seafood, crispy salads, burgers and beer make this a hot spot for people who love American food.

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Namu/Liquid Bar

Namu is the place to savor ethnic Asian dishes in a modern reincarnation. Enjoy a contemporary Japanese cuisine in stylish surroundings with the natural rough-hewn timber of the interior adding an interesting touch. A variety of specialties, with a sushi and sashimi bar, a teppanyaki/hibachi station and a la carte dining will entice you into visiting again. Food here is served at long tables. The wrap-around bar serves ice-cold sake, single malt beverages and cocktails.

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Yongsusan

Get a taste of Korean tradition in this colorfully decorated restaurant. Mother-of-pearl panels add a statement of style to the interiors. The serving staff too is in traditional Korean attire (hanbok). The comfortable atmosphere and sophisticated interiors makes this restaurant a popular place for foreign VIPs and family gatherings. The meal is served in Gaesung style with elements of royal cuisine. Seasonal variations are there but it is always interesting. From the dragon firepot to the five-grain rice cooked in bamboo and of course the ever tempting omijacha tea, you're sure to be smacking your lips with satisfaction.

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La Plancha

Warm cozy atmosphere + fantastic food = a tantalizing experience that will linger on in your memory for days to come. An absolute must for meat lovers, La Plancha serves chicken, pork, lamb, and salmon with vegetables and a sauce. This place is popular with the expat community. Apart from dining, one also gets to be a part of the regular fun events, wine tastings, Latin music concerts and parties held there. The restaurant has an attractive outdoor area as well with wooden floors and plants aplenty. The service is as good as the food.

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Santorini

Get a taste of Greece in this truly Greek restaurant with authentic Greek flavors. A winner, no less, this place serves the yummiest baby ribs, moussaka or pork souvlaki which is marinated and cooked on a rotisserie. Most dishes are accompanied by a salad with vinaigrette. Wash down your meal with real Greek coffee or the more famous Nescafe Frappe. The friendly and efficient service is worth a mention too.

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Thai Orchid

With prices that will suit your pocket, the Thai Orchid is the place to go to for genuine, good and reasonably priced Thai food. Having delighted diners for over a decade, this restaurant will floor you with its traditional Thai hospitality, smiles et al. The feeling of being in Thailand is reinforced by the presence of cooks and serving staff, all of whom are Thai. Do try out the coconut based curries and nam pla (fish sauce) laden stir fries.

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Sosim

At Sosim you will be served what is known as Buddhist food; traditional diet, purely vegetarian, with emphasis on health and longevity. The meals prepared do not contain meat, five forbidden pungent roots and pickled fish. No egg or artificial seasoning is used either. Some of the food served here includes organic rice, teas that take a year to make, and side dishes like boiled peanuts. Seasoned mushroom and sea tangle is also served. The restaurant is in the basement of a building with cozy, attractive wooden interiors.

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Taco

Five types of Mexican munchies are served in this low-cost, colorful and cheerful eating place which is a hot favorite with foreigners. The youthful staff prepares the food in front of the diners. Check out the burritos and fajitas. A wonderful place to eat and relax and simply watch the world go by.