Seoul
Seoul is a city where the palaces and hanok alleyways of a 600-year capital overlap with ultra-high-rise skyscrapers all within one metropolis. The downtown area with Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Bukchon, the sensory commercial districts like Hongdae, Yeonnam-dong, and Seongsu-dong, and the modern urban landscape of Gangnam and Jamsil each present distinctly different faces. With a dense subway network, you can visit most attractions without a car, making it most efficient to explore one district at a time, grouping them by day.
The subway is the fastest and most reliable. Since transfers are frequent, prepare a transit card. The royal palaces are relatively less crowded in the morning, and many offer free admission if you wear hanbok. The downtown area (Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon, Insadong) is connected on foot, making it good to cover in one day. Namsan and Hangang Park have beautiful night views from dusk onward, so it is good to schedule them for the end of your itinerary.
Districts
Places in Seoul (317)
