Cherry Blossom season in Asia is nothing short of magical and Korea is no exception. If we’re lucky, there are two full weeks of pink cotton candy trees blooming all over the country. Unfortunately due to the heavy rains last year, the cherry blossoms in Seoul didn’t even make it to the Cherry Blossom Festival. And a cherry blossom festival without cherry blossoms is, well… just a festival. And everyone was pretty bummed about it.
We have higher hopes for this year, but it’s important to know where and when the cherry blossoms are set to bloom. So we’ve got a handy map with dates that cherry blossoms are scheduled to be in full-bloom.
Aside from attending Cherry Blossom festivals, one of the most popular things to do during cherry blossom season is go to a cafe with a view. There are plenty of cherry blossom lined streets and parks all over Seoul. In fact, the city plants more and more every year to prevent certain areas from getting dangerously overcrowded.
Finding a nice cafe isn’t too difficult, but if it’s during a weekend you can expect to wait at least an hour for a table and just as long to get those perfect Instagram pics. Nonetheless, we find the wait to always be worth it in the end. Here are 3 of our favorite spots to visit.
Parkside (파크사이드)
Parkside is a cafe right along the Gyeongui Line Park, which is a local neighborhood hotspot especially during cherry blossom season. The park is a long path lined with cafes, restaurants, beautifully vibrant cherry blossom trees and Parkside has one of the best views in the neighborhood!
The interior has large windows that face right into the park, and gives you a spectacular view of the cherry blossoms. However, their rooftop seating is the best if you can manage to snag a table. As for the menu, their Peach Latte and roll cakes are to die for. I highly recommend the earl grey roll cake.
Address:
- 대흥동 241-40 – Naver Map
- 31 Baekbeom-ro 16an-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul – Google Maps
Yeonnamdong Cherry Blossom House (연남동벚꽃집)
Located along a popular stretch of the Yeonnam-dong neighborhood, Yeonnamdong Cherry Blossom House is a treasured favorite among locals. It is particularly well known for its huge cherry blossom tree that blossoms once a year and is the centerpiece for which it was named. It’s actually quite beautiful in the autumn as well, but in the spring it catches the eye of everyone who walks by.
We recommend grabbing a table outside on the patio or terrace and trying out their signature cherry blossom inspired drinks and desserts for maximum cherry blossom enjoyment. I’m a huge fan of their cherry blossom latte and it somehow tastes even better sipping on it beneath a giant cherry blossom tree.
Address:
- 연남동 256-9 – Naver Map
- 50 Donggyo-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul Google Maps
Grey Lab (그레이랩)
Tucked away down one of the remote streets of Hapjeong is Grey Lab, which is one of my favorite spring time cafes. They have a cozy garden patio area where you can sit beneath the cherry blossom trees and enjoy drinks and desserts.
During our visit, there was a bit of a wait, but it was worth it to sit in a sea of cherry blossoms. And since there isn’t much foot traffic, most of the petals kept their clean-pink colors giving the whole cafe a fairy-tale look. Their signature apple tea is definitely the must have menu item. Not only is it a work of art, but it’s absolutely delicious!
Address:
- 합정동 367-9 – Naver Map
- 16 Tojeong-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul – Google Maps
