15
things not to miss
It’s not possible to see everything that Seoul has to offer on a short trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows is a selective taste of the city’s highlights: fascinating markets, spectacular palaces and a few ways just to indulge yourself. All entries have a page reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more. Coloured numbers refer to chapters in the Guide section.
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Enjoy the colourful spectacle of the Changing of the Guard at the most popular of Seoul’s six palaces.
The burial place of three Joseon-dynasty royals, and one of Seoul’s most pleasant parks to boot.
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This dynastic rice-beer is now as popular with young Koreans as it is with the older generation, and comes in a mind-boggling array of brands and flavours.
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Sleep in a traditional wooden hanok house heated by underfloor flames.
Relax by the pond just as kings once did at this secluded “Secret Garden”, which nestles at the back of Changdeokgung, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed palace.
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Step inside the world’s most heavily armed border area – the 4km-wide Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.
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The traditional Insadong district remains home to well over a dozen classy tearooms – a rare opportunity to try Korea’s fantastic range of domestic infusions.
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Seoul is crammed with a truly astonishing number of galleries, such as the National Museum of Art, which show why Korean art is gaining an ever-growing global reputation.
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Seoul gives visitors the rare opportunity to eat like a king: feast like the Joseon monarchs, with your table creaking under the weight of up to forty dishes.
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The buildings constructed during the brutal Japanese annexation of Korea are some of the most beautiful and elegant in the city.
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Take a short ride up on Namsan’s cable car for great views of the city.
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There’s a mind-boggling variety of ultra-fresh seafood available at this highly atmospheric fish market, which brings together the best produce from Korea’s East, West and South seas.
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A complete antithesis to bustling Seoul, this riverside village is a prime spot for those seeking a little serenity.
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Some pottery styles that the world thinks of as Japanese actually originated in Korea – browse through the many shops around Insadong, and take home a tea set whose design mirrors these dynastic-era styles.
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Korea’s many DIY barbecued meat restaurants are absolute paradise for carnivores, and the small knot of tiny outlets north of Jongno 3-ga subway station are the pick of the lot.