Shopping in Seoul (Sinsa-dong) ~ Garosu-gil (가로수 길)

Garosu-gil (가로수 길) or "tree-lined" street, is a classy shopping area in Sinsa-dong with rows of ginkgo trees on both sides of the road. The street is found in the popular gangnam area near the upscale shopping areas such as Apgujeong-dong and Cheongdam-dong.

I like Garosu-gil for its rows of restaurants, cafes, galleries and local designer shops. Prices are definitely not cheap there, but it's good for a day of shopping with cafe-hopping in between. Garosu-gil is accessible via Line 3 of the Seoul Subway, Sinsa Station (신사역/新沙驛), Exit 8. From the exit, walk for about 200m and you will see the street on your left.

Both international and unique local cafes can be found at Garosu-gil. The area is easy to explore with the shops lined along the main road. However, do check out the smaller alleys for interesting finds!

Yeolbong 열봉찜닭 near the start of the street from the station. If you like chicken stew, do check out my blog post on Yeolbong (http://travellerelf.blogspot.sg/2013/10/what-to-eat-in-korea-yeolbong-se7ens.html).

cocobruni is a cafe specialising in chocolate! I tried the hot chocolate on a cold spring night, and really liked it! Prices are about KRW 5,000 for a drink.

Mango Six is another popular cafe chain in Korea. A few of its outlets have also been filming locations for dramas such as Gentleman's Dignity and The Heirs. Don't miss the mango drinks and dark Ghirardelli concoctions!  

Another cafe that my friend recommended was Beans Bins, for the delicious waffles! 

Cafe found in one of the alleys

One of my favourite knick-knacks shop is Maki. You can find it at Myeongdong too! Pretty stationery and decorative items are sold at the shop.

Another off-the-beat shop in the small alleyway is Cherry Koko. I like the design of the shop more than the clothes and accessories to be honest. The clothes are nice too don't be mistaken! Plus point about this shop is that you can try the clothes! One thing about shopping in Korea is that there are many shopping places where you can't try the clothes, especially at the underground malls. Another one of the reasons why I like Garosu-gil.

Around the corner is a shop selling local designer items. There's a cafe within the shop as well.

5-storey Forever 21 shop 

KM Play - Another shop selling local designer items! There's always some kind of sale just outside the shop (see photo above on the right). 

Accessories shop, another one of my favourites! If you walk further in there's another building across the backyard, selling local designer accessories.

marimekko - I really like the prints here! They sell clothes, household ware, cloth, children's clothing, etc. The prints are so bright and happy! I would have bought something for my new home, if they would have matched the theme. I have no idea what's the theme for my new house will be, so I haven't started buying items yet! 

Pasta restaurant - The food is so-so, a pasta dish is about KRW 15,000.

One of the items I bought from Garosu-gil is my cute handphone cover, which is the back of a car! It's rather expensive (KRW 28,000) and really heavy though.  

Walking down Garosu-gil is interesting, and I really love the architecture here. Unique buildings and shopfronts with colourful displays that brighten up your shopping trip! If you like local designs or quirky household items, this is the place for you. Do plan at least half a day here for shopping and breaks at the cafes!