South Korea’s thriving, open-all-hours capital is also a place of major historical pedigree, having served as the heart of the Joseon dynasty for over half a millennium. Five royal palaces are laid out like precious heirlooms at its centre, together with ancient shrines and gates. A city wall once encircled them, but Seoul burst beyond these confines long ago to become one of the world’s most populous urban centres, home to around 10 million people. It’s also the epicentre of the Korean Wave — also known as the K-culture Wave or Hallyu — the cultural export that’s swept across the globe. So, whether you’re fascinated by its history or are keen to experience its modern side, here’s how to get the best out of this exciting city.
Explore historic sites
Seoul is steeped in history, with five Joseon-era (1392–1910) palaces to explore. The most popular with visitors are 14th-century Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is the largest and most colourfully painted, and 15th-century Changdeokgung Palace, home to the splendidly secluded Secret Garden. Both palaces have tree-lined trails and beautiful reflective ponds. You’ll see many palace visitors, both Korean and non-Korean, wearing hanbok, South Korea’s traditional two-piece clothing. Do the same, and you can visit all the palaces for free — there are plenty of rental spots around the city.
Other Joseon dynasty sights include the giant city gates of Sungnyemun and Dongdaemun, which stand proudly at what were once the edges of ancient Seoul. They look mighty by day, but they’re perhaps even better when illuminated at night. Connecting the two gates are the city walls, which weave through parks and across mountains. If you’re feeling energetic, you can walk around old Seoul section by section — or even try to complete the whole loop.
Just south of Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces, the neighbourhood of Insa-dong offers a real taste of Korean tradition, plus great examples of traditional wooden housing (known as ‘hanok’ in Korean) along its myriad alleyways. You’ll find many hanok house restaurants serving delicious Korean food. Traditional tearooms outnumber cafes in Insa-dong — try an iced cup of refreshing, bright pink omija-cha (five flavours tea) or some warming saenggang-cha (ginger tea). Art galleries have popped up all over the neighbourhood, too, along with plenty of art supply shops.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of the five Joseon-era palaces, is often visited by people wearing traditional South Korean hanbok. Photograph by Seoul Tourism Organisation
Embrace new traditions
Next to Insa-dong, Ikseon-dong is similarly made up of a zigzag of alleyways, but this eclectic neighbourhood showcases everything that’s on-trend with the city’s youth — cool cafes, craft breweries, studios for printing selfies, and shops selling irresistible croissant-like salt bread.
A young generation of locals have transformed some of the city’s once overlooked corners into fashionable hotspots. One of the first areas to be rejuvenated in this manner was Mullae-dong, in western Seoul, where cafes, galleries and co-working spaces opened among factories and metalworks. Hannam-dong and Yeonnam-dong — formerly run-down suburbs of the Itaewon and Hongdae neighbourhoods, respectively — followed suit.
The greatest refresh has arguably been in the Euljiro area, especially the old printing district around the Sewoon Sangga complex, near Myeong-dong. While the printing houses still add their atmospheric steamy hisses, local and international visitors now crowd the streets each evening, enjoying an ever-changing roster of hip restaurants, trendy brewpubs and speakeasy bars.
Experience the city’s modern side
For all of Seoul’s tradition, it’s very much a modern, high-rise city characterised by clusters of mighty skyscrapers. At 1,821ft high, the Lotte World Tower, located by the river in southern Seoul, is currently the world’s sixth-tallest building. Visitors looking for a five-star experience can stay in the Signiel Seoul hotel, which has rooms on the tower’s 76th to 101st floors. For an even better view, consider heading up Namsan — central Seoul’s mini-mountain — on foot or by cable car and visit the Namsan Seoul Tower. Its needle-like shape can be seen from across the city.
Soaring skyscrapers dominate Seoul’s skyline, which lights up at night, creating a spectacular and colourful cityscape. Photograph by Seoul Tourism Organisation
Seoul’s original skyscraper district rose up in Yeouido, an island in the Han River. In addition to being a hub of business and politics, Yeouido is home to the golden, 817ft-high 63 Square tower, as well as popular shopping mall, The Hyundai Seoul. The mall houses South Korea’s largest food hall and hosts regular pop-ups that feature many notable K-pop stars.
Take a trip on the nearby Seouldal, a moon-shaped tethered balloon (the ‘dal’ from the name means ‘moon’ in Korean), to gaze down on the Han River from high above. For the best view, go in the evening, when Seoul’s array of skyscrapers will be shining bright.
Enjoy abundant natural beauty
Bukhansan, the most-visited national park in the country, is just a short ride north (as little as half an hour) by bus, subway or taxi from the capital’s palace district. Of course, part of Bukhansan’s popularity stems from it having a mega-city like Seoul on its doorstep, but the park’s myriad trails are great for hiking. Make your way up through avenues of pine to admire the city from granite crags, passing secluded Buddhist temples and hermitages along the way. Visitors can rent hiking equipment, such as boots and jackets, for a small fee at either of the two Seoul Hiking Tourism Centers.
Baegundae Peak stands out in colourful Bukhansan National Park, where scenic hiking trails are plentiful. Photograph by Seoul Tourism Organisation
Alternatively, head south from the palace district and you’ll eventually come to Seoul’s major river, the Hangang. Over half a mile wide and with little river traffic, it lends itself to many water-based activities, such as kayaking and yachting. Park-like fringes on both its north and south banks are popular with joggers and cyclists, too. The Hangang is crossed by more than 30 bridges, but one particularly popular with visitors is Banpodaegyo Bridge. Between April and October, it plays host to spectacular ‘rainbow fountain’ shows — an ideal way to spend an evening in the city.
Top three activities to do in Seoul
1. Try K-beauty products and experiences
Join a K-beauty class and test popular products for free at Beauty Play in Myeongdong — just make sure you reserve a space in advance. Or head to Amore Seongsu in Seongsu-dong for a personal colour analysis to help you create your own foundation and lipstick. To find all the K-beauty products that are currently trending, visit K-beauty giant Olive Young, which has stores located throughout Seoul.
2. Visit a contemporary Korean teahouse
South Korean tea brand Osulloc has teahouses dotted around Seoul that are well worth a visit. Each location serves teas as well as lattes, cakes and plenty more — and many of the options are made with green tea grown on Osulloc’s own plantation, found further south on Jeju island. Experience an authentic Korean afternoon tea or, for something more hands-on, join a class to blend your own.
3. Get your K-pop groove on
K-pop has become a global phenomenon, and a huge portion of Seoul’s international visitors travel to the city for this very reason. There are plenty of places in which to learn some K-pop dance moves, including 1Million Dance Studio, east of central Seoul in Seongsu-dong. K-fans can also catch a glimpse of some of their K-pop idols outside their agencies, such as Hybe.
This paid content article was created for Seoul Tourism Organisation. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
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