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A seoul kinda spring, flower sightseeing.

Spring scenic spots across the city

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From dawn to dusk - National Museum Stockholm Collection

Featuring the collection from the National Museum of Sweden, it offers a unique opportunity to experience the charm of Nordic Impressionism and the distinctive sensibilities of Nordic art, which have not been previously accessible in Korea.

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Spring at the 5 royal palaces in seoul, [seoul wow] 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 vol.1: sunday morning.

• visitseoul_official 𝕍𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕥 𝕊𝕖𝕠𝕦𝕝 𝕎𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤. Craving a midnight munch? Head to Seoul's awesome night markets! You'll find everything from tasty jeon to mouthwatering jokbal and a whole lot more. And don't miss out on the fun activities and live busking – it's the perfect recipe for a memorable night! 𝟏-𝟑. 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 📍19 Manrijae-ro, Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul ⏰ Daily 10:00 am - 10:00 pm 🚇 Subway Line 5, 6, Gyeongui-Jungang, Airport Railroad, Gongdeok Station, Exit 5 (Approx. 143 m on foot) 𝟒-𝟔. 𝐒𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐫𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 📍189 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul ⏰ Daily 11:00 am - 8:00 pm 📅 Feb 1 - Apr 15 (Closed Mondays) - Moonlight Market: Starts from May 🚇 Subway Line 5, Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 1, 8 (Approx. 252 m on foot) 𝟕-𝟖. 𝐆𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟎 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 📍3 Gosanja-ro 36-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul (Rooftop of Youth Mall in the new building of Gyeongdong Market) ⏰ Fridays: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm Weekends: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm 🚇 Subway Line 1, Jegi-dong station, Exit 2 (Approx. 381 m on foot) 📷 @ssangdoong_
• visitseoul_official 𝑃𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠. When the sun sets, Gwanghwamun Palace lights up, inviting you for a stroll under the stars. Throw on a hanbok and explore Changgyeonggung Palace's gardens before wandering through Deoksugung Palace, where history whispers in every corner. Trust us, wearing a hanbok adds a little extra magic to your night at the palaces. 🌌 𝐆𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐚 ⏰ The public square is open 24 hours 🚇 Subway Line 5, Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 2 (Approx. 235 m on foot) 𝐃𝐞𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 ⏰ Daily 9:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last entry at 8:00 pm) 📅 Closed Mondays 🚇 Subway Line 1, City Hall Station, Exit 2 (Approx. 245 m on foot) 💵 Ages 7-64: 1,000 won * Free for those wearing a hanbok 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐠𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐠𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 ⏰ Daily 9:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last entry at 8:00 pm) 📅 Closed Mondays 🚇 Subway Line 4, Hyehwa Station, Exit 4 (Approx. 779 m on foot) 💵 Ages 18-64: 1,000 won * Free for those wearing a hanbok
• visitseoul_official 𝑇𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠. Ready for a nighttime adventure at Baekbin Railroad Crossing? Explore Yongsan's lively streets, then swing by Railroad Tavern where you can grab a bite as you watch the trains pass by – locals refer to the street as 𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑒𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑒𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑖 because of the clattering sound as the train rides along the tracks. 🚂 🇰🇷 𝐁𝐚𝐞𝐤𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 📍13 Ichon-ro 29-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 🚇 Subway Lines 1 & Gyeongui-Jungang, Yongsan Station, Exit 1 (Approx. 356 m on foot) 🎥 [Instagram] @henryjoo3
• visitseoul_official 𝑆𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑙 𝐹𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑎 2024. The city of Seoul is heating up for this year’s Seoul Festa! This spring are you ready to fall in love with Seoul all over again? Enjoy, experience, and taste everything Seoul at the Seoul Festa 2024! Come get all the information you need on the Festa and its program line-up on the Seoul Festa 2024 official website and Instagram channel found below! 📅 Wed, May 1, to Mon, May 6, 2024 📍 Seoul Plaza | Gwanghwamun | Hangang River | Other areas across Seoul 🌐 [www.seoulfesta.com](http://www.seoulfesta.com) 🤳 @seoulfesta_official
• visitseoul_official 𝕍𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕥 𝕊𝕖𝕠𝕦𝕝 𝕎𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤. Explore Seoul’s springtime streets lined with cherry blossoms. Capture the beauty with photos under the pink canopies and treat yourself to the 2024 Spring Collection at the convenience store for a taste of spring! 🌸 𝟏. 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 📍 105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul ⏰ Weekdays 10:30 am - 10:30 pm & Weekends 10:00 am - 11:00 pm 📅 March 22 - April 14 🚇 Subway Lines 3 & 4, Chungmuro Station, Exit 2 (Take bus 01A, 01B - Approx. 356 m on foot) 📷 @ksb0423 𝟐. 𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐤 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 📍 48 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul ⏰ 7:00 am - 11:00 pm 📅 Closed on the 1st and 3rd wed of every month 🚇 Subway Line 3, Anguk Station, Exit 2 (Approx. 720 m on foot) 📷 @ksb0423 𝟑. 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐞-𝐫𝐨 📍 1 Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 🚇 Subway Line 3, Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5 (Approx. 985 m on foot) 📷 @ssteart 𝟒. 𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 📍 424 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul ⏰ Pedestrian & bicycles 5:00 am - 10:00 pm, Vehicles 6:00 am - 10:00 pm 📅 Open all year round 🚇 Subway Lines 5 & 9, Olympic Park Station, Exit 4 (Approx. 1.1 km on foot) 📷 @yongfeel
• visitseoul_official 𝑁𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟. Take in the brilliant spectacle of the moonlight rainbow fountain over the Hangang River! There are various activities and food prepared on the next bridge, Sebitseom Island. Check out the fountain time below and don’t miss out on the beautiful moments! 🇰🇷𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐩𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐰 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 📅 Off-season (Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct) ⏰ 12:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm 📅 Peak season (Jul-Aug) ⏰ 12:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm, 9:30 pm 💵 Free 🚇 Subway Lines 3/7/9, Express Bus Terminal Station, Exit 8-1 (Approx. 18 minutes on foot) ☝️ Each showing lasts for 20 minutes (Depends on weather conditions) 🇰🇷𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 🚇 Subway Lines 3/7/9, Express Bus Terminal Station, Exit 8-1 (Approx. 20 minutes on foot)

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Seoul Travel Guide: What To Do and Must-Visit Attractions

With airports opening back up and tourism increasing in the past year, there’s plenty of destinations for you to choose from.

One of those places is Seoul, South Korea, which is home to brilliant exhibits of culture and art. What is there for you to do in Seoul, and is it worth it?

Seoul, South Korea is a large city filled with culture and tourist activities that make it worthwhile. Not only is Seoul a very safe city to visit, but it is rising in popularity due to the impacts Korean culture, entertainment, and business has had on the rest of the world. Seoul is among the most visited cities in the world. 

The rest of this article will cover what to do in the city, where to stay, what Seoul is known for, and a brief conclusion.

What To Do In Seoul

Seoul (서울) is a vibrant city with gorgeous sights and culture you have to see. But before we get into that, we have to talk about one of the most important parts of South Korean culture: the food. Between side dishes, street food, and stews, South Korea has a versatile cuisine!

Side Dishes

A staple of Korean culture are the side dishes served with each meal. Called Banchan (반찬) by Koreans, side dishes is an idea that dates back to the Korean royal court cuisine, which consisted of anywhere between 2 to 12 side dishes.

Cheaper restaurants tend to serve less, but each side dish is tasty and compliments the meal. Banchan arrives before meals, but don’t confuse them with an appetizer. 

They are included in the cost of the meal, and the best part: they have free, unlimited refills!

Some common side dishes are: kelp noodle salad (cheonsachae salad or 천사채), spicy Korean coleslaw, sweet and salty soybeans (kongjabean or 콩자반), sweet and salty lotus roots (yeonkeun jorim or 연근조림), and Korean style sausage stir fry.

Street Food

If you’re looking for an alternative to dine-in restaurants, street food is just for you! Street food is ready-to-eat food you can buy from local vendors. 

Even better: vendors are easy to find and are lined up and down the Seoul streets, all you have to do is find the one that suits you!

There are plenty of foods to choose from, so get your chopsticks ready. For starters, you have to try Korean style fried chicken. It’s a must when you’re in Seoul. 

Street vendors will absolutely sell Korean fried chicken, and you should at least try them while you’re there!

There’s also bibimbap (비빔밥). Bap (밥) in Korean literally means rice, or meal. Therefore, bibimbap translates to mixed rice. 

Bibimbap has warm rice and sauteed and or seasoned vegetables. A raw or fried egg and sliced meat, normally beef, are included as well.

Korean dumplings ( mandu or 만두) are another commonly served street food dish. There are many different types of dumplings you can get such as vegetable dumplings, beef dumplings, and or pork dumplings. These foods are all super tasty and super affordable!

With Seoul having a cool climate, soups and stews are a significant portion of a Korean’s diet. One popular stew is known as Army stew. 

This stew has American processed meat such as Spam, ham, bacon, and hot dogs. Those meats are mixed into a Korean stew with kimchi .

Kimchi-jjigae (김치찌개) is a stew made with kimchi and various other ingredients such as pork or seafood, scallions, onions, and diced dubu. This stew is a popular choice in South Korea, and it’s a common stew to find in Seoul.

Lastly, another popular stew is Korean crab stew (kkotgetang 꽃게탕). This stew is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a stew with a flower crab as the primary ingredient. 

There’s also Korean radish, garlic, dried anchovies, and other ingredients that vary by the recipe.

The Sights In Seoul, South Korea

Seoul itself is an architectural landmark. There are specific sights in Seoul that are places you have to visit while you’re there. 

A few of those places are: N Seoul Tower, the Ansan Starlight Village, and the Jogyesa. There’s also entertainment like underground shopping.

N Seoul Tower

The N Seoul Tower is famous for its location and height allowing access to the gorgeous skyline of Seoul. 

Back in 1969, it was utilized as Korea’s first general radio wave tower. TV and radio broadcasts would play from the N Seoul Tower to the surrounding metropolitan area.

This tower is 236 meters high and is the second-highest point in Seoul. It is a communication and observation tower on Nam Mountain. 

The N Seoul Tower is in the center of Seoul, which is why the height and location is so perfect for tourists looking to get amazing pictures.

Ansan Starlight Village

Perhaps the brightest pick on this list, the Ansan Starlight village is a radiant garden along the expressway of Ansan. 

It is known for being festive and romantic all-year-round, and displays of over 200 animals are there. These animals include: owls, cranes, swans, elephants, and more.

Not only does it provide an astonishing atmosphere for relaxation and Instagram posts, but it’s also an area that sparks romance. 

Marriage proposals are a common occurrence there due to the perfect lighting and activities.

The Jogyesa (조계사) is a Korean Buddhist temple. It is the chief temple of the Jogye Order. The building itself dates back to the 14th century, becoming the chief temple in 1936. It is located in central Seoul, and it is known for its zen environment.

Not only is the architect magnificent, but the nature surrounding it is fresh and preserved, just like the temple. 

The Jogyesa is a common tourist site for experiencing royal palace life. You can tour the building with a guide and see all the history and architecture with your own eyes.

Underground Shopping

A famous activity in Seoul is underground shopping. Two examples of underground shopping areas are the Express Bus Terminal Underground Center and the Gangnam Underground Shopping Center. 

These shopping areas are perfect for good finds, even on a rainy day.

Many of the shopping centers, both above ground and underground, are located in Myeongdong , the shopping district of Seoul. 

Underground shopping centers don’t risk putting a large dent in your budget. They’re cheap yet fashionable and useful.

Some tips for underground shopping are to bring cash with you and check out the trendy stores. Some items require cash, no credit. 

As for the trendy stores, you can find the latest fashion trends at underground stores for more affordable prices, so be on the lookout for that!

Where To Stay In Seoul

When it comes to the size of South Korea, it’s not as large as other countries like America. So, their compromise was to build their buildings upwards to make more space, not side-to-side. This means there are many apartment buildings and hotels all around Seoul.

There are 5 main districts in Seoul you should consider staying near: Myeongdong , Hongdae , Gangnam , Itaewon , and Jamsil .

Prices and quality depends on which area you choose. There’s Myeongdong (명동), which is known for being a huge shopping district. 

The Westin Josun Seoul Hotel is only a 5-minute walk away from the bustling life of Myeongdong. It’s a highly rated hotel with many activities inside.

The shopping district has everything you’ll need from body care items you misplaced to trinkets and K-pop albums. There are department stores, shoe stores like Adidas, perfume shops, skincare stores, H&M, and many more for all your traveling and souvenir needs.

Hongdae (홍대) is for those craving an adventure more indie and fashionable. It’s a creative district with plenty of cafes and Korean BBQ. Mono House Hongdae is a minimalist housing property that’s affordable and only 5 minutes away from the Hongik University Subway Station.

The entertainment value at Hongdae is incredible. The Tricky Eye Museum Seoul relies on visual tricks to keep you on your toes and show you various art. There’s also clubs for dancing and music. Hongdae as a whole values urban arts, indie music culture, and entertainment.

Gangnam (강남구) is a wealthier district of Seoul, meaning higher quality living, but at the cost of much higher prices. The Park Hyatt Seoul is an expensive 5-star hotel that has a relaxing spa and gorgeous views of Gangnam. It’s worth the price for the views alone!

There’s also the Aloft Seoul Gangnam. This is a cheaper, 4-star hotel that’s the better option for those wishing for a taste of the high life without losing a significant amount of money in the process. It includes business services, an on-site restaurant, free Wi-Fi, and a lounge.

If you were called the life of the party growing up, Itaewon (이태원) is for you. It’s nicknamed the “Western Town” of Seoul due to the variety of international cuisine and entertainment offered there. It has multiple unique bars, restaurants, and activities around town all worth visiting.

The Grand Hyatt Seoul is a 5-star hotel with over 600 rooms and over 50 suites. It’s close to both Itaewon and Myeongdong, but it is expensive. However, it may be worth it since some amenities include an on-site restaurant, an indoor pool, and free Wi-Fi.

Jamsil (잠실동) is the best spot for families. It’s also great for those who love sports. Jamsil is home to not one, but two professional Korean baseball teams: the LG Twins and Doosan Bears. It’s rich with K-pop culture, and it’s also home to Lotte World, an amusement park.

The Lotte World Hotel is right beside the amusement park of the same name, and it is a 5-star hotel that also sits on top of Jamsil Subway Station. 

It’s the perfect hotel for your family to travel across Seoul and Jamsil, experiencing the amusement park as well as the culture.

What Seoul Is Known For

It would be impossible to talk about Seoul without mentioning the entertainment industry that has brought us popular K-dramas such as Squid Game, and the K-pop industry that brought us the worldwide superstars BTS. Seoul is overflowing with creativity and art.

Fun fact: Seoul is the birthplace of K-pop. Although the term wasn’t coined until 1999 by Cho Hyun-jin, Korean music groups rose from Seoul. 

History and culture is thriving in the city, and that’s what tourists go to visit. Places like the Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) are famous destinations.

One of the most famous aspects of Seoul is the street food. Street food is cheaper than restaurant food and it still tastes yummy. It’s a perfect alternative to when you don’t want to spend a lot of money, and you want to wander around the streets of Seoul while eating.

South Korea is known for its beauty standards and skincare . Koreans use natural ingredients to keep their skin clean and smooth. In the west, Korean skincare products and routines are popular because of the glowing skin they cause. Many of these products come from Seoul.

Lastly, Seoul is known for the preserved royal temples around the land. There are more than 900 traditional Buddhist temples that are centuries old. In total, there are over 20,000 temples in Seoul.

Seoul is a beautiful and safe city for tourists that has grown in popularity over the years. It is known for its rich culture, entertainment, skincare, K-pop, and preservation of traditional Buddhist temples.

The food is a must-have. There are various types of food such as side dishes, street food, and stews that will keep you invested in the culture surrounding you. There’s also the sights of Seoul like the N Seoul Tower, and those sights encourage you to snap countless pictures.

Lastly, the 5 main districts of Seoul you should consider visiting are: Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, Itaewon, and Jamsil.

Each individual place has its own lifestyle and culture. There’s the shopping, the indie culture, the wealthy, the partying, and the amusement park.

Don’t forget to check out Ulsan , Sejong , and Daejeon .

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Explore Seoul

Plan Your Trip to Seoul: Best of Seoul Tourism

Essential seoul.

How to do Seoul in 3 days

The best day trips from Seoul

Browse collections

Shop your heart out.

A taste of the town

Living history

Grab a coffee

Do it in a day

• Lotte Hotel Seoul
• Hotel28 Myeongdong
• JW Marriott Hotel Seoul
• Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel
• Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
• Myeongdong Kyoja Main
• Mija Restaurant
• Gyeongbokgung Palace
• Myeongdong Shopping Street
• Starfield COEX Mall
• Bukhansan National Park
• Best DMZ Tour Korea from Seoul (Red Suspension Bridge Optional)
• Korea DMZ Tour from Seoul-Hotel Pickup /option: Suspension Bridge
• DMZ 3rd Invasion Tunnel and Suspension Bridge Day Tour from Seoul
• Seoul City Sightseeing Tour Including Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village
• Day Trip to Nami Island with Rail bike and The Garden of Morning Calm

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Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Seoul

By Katie Chang

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Though the global obsession with South Korea’s cultural and tangible exports (K-pop, K-beauty, K-dramas ) has at long last catapulted  Seoul into the limelight, travelers should understand that belying these of-the-moment pleasures is a rich, complex history stretching over 2,000 years. If there’s a single destination that embodies dichotomy, it’s Seoul. As South Korea’s capital and largest city, with over 26 million people in the metropolitan area, it offers a beguiling mix of historic and modern; natural and technological; affordable and extravagant. (Even the Korean flag is emblazoned with a yin-and-yang symbol.) 

It’s massive, too—sprawling over 233 square miles with the Han River dividing Seoul north to south. From there, the city is organized into 25 districts, which all have their own distinct neighborhoods. Centrally located Jung-gu, for example, is home to historic Gwanghwamun, shopping mecca Myeongdong, and hipster haven Euljiro. 

The most important thing to know? Don’t let Seoul’s size dissuade you. It’s easier than you think to get around, and there are free translation and navigation phone apps for extra peace of mind. But because Seoul is packed with things to do, places to eat and drink, and hotels to stay, we’ve narrowed down our top picks in this guide curated by a lifelong visitor. 

All listings featured on  Condé Nast Traveler  are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Rakkojae Seoul in Bukchon occupies a lovingly restored hanok.

Getting there and around

After landing at Incheon International Airport, download the Papago app for Korean to English translations (and vice versa), and purchase a refillable T-Money Card to pay for taxis, subways, and buses—the three main modes of transport. While you can hail taxis, which are plentiful as they are affordable, from the streets, you can also book them in advance with Kakao Taxi . The app supports English, and lets you select your pickup, destination, and payment method. (If you’ve just landed at the airport; however, just head to a taxi stand outside.) Because traffic is regularly an issue, make the subway your primary way of getting around. Seoul’s system is widely regarded as one of the world’s best with spotless cars, free Wi-Fi, announcements in Korean and English, and even heated seats come winter.

Book a Matter of Mind class at Epkkot to better understand the brewing process behind traditional Korean spirits.

Epkkot founder Yang Yoomi likens the introspective process of brewing spirits to that of brewing with rice—both require constant tending. 

The best things to do in Seoul

Because traditional Korean spirits are trending big time right now, book a Matter of Mind class at  Epkkot 's lab and studio, discreetly tucked away in Chungmuro. Founder Yang Yoomi, one of Seoul’s few female distillers, guides participants on a creative journey to help identify their true selves while diving deeper into the world of Korean spirits. The introspective process, Yang believes, is similar to brewing with rice, whose grains must be constantly tended to. 

Though the Western art world has finally shifted its gaze towards Seoul, resulting in Frieze’s first art fair in Asia and international outposts of König Galerie and Pace, it’s important to support establishments like  Leeum Museum of Art ,  PKM Gallery , and  Kukje Gallery , who’ve championed their home country from the start. For a one-of-a-kind art piece you can afford to take home, visit Hyung Jun Kim and Seo Seok Man’s  THR Ceramic Studio in Gyeonggi-do, where they sell their quirky pieces depicting expressive goblins ( Dogabi ) and chickens ( Naldak ) and offer ceramic-making classes, too.

Seoul is a bonafide shopping mecca, and department stores—which double up as social hubs, giving you a glimpse into how everyday life in Seoul can look—take the crown with their convenience and mind-boggling variety. (Ground and upper floors are dedicated to different departments and brands, while basements house food halls and sell groceries.) Myeongdong’s  Shinsegae Department Store has been a beloved city initiation since 1930 and is considered by many as the most glamorous, while Yeouido’s  The Hyundai  is a stark white architectural masterpiece showcasing a well-curated mix of established and up-and-coming brands—many of them Korean—to attract a younger, more fashion-focused clientele.

  Jimbba is equal parts retailer of interesting Korean spirits and tasting room for a sip of something you can’t find back home.

Where to eat in Seoul

Want to discover a lesser-known side of Korean cuisine? Bypass the barbecue, and instead try  Pyongyang naengmyeon, North Korean buckwheat noodles in an icy beef broth, from  Wooraeok and  Jinmi Pyeongyang Naengmyeon . Another affordable everyday staple,  kalguksu , or knife noodle soup, represents comfort in a bowl. Though it’s doled out all across the city,  Myeongdong Kyoja has been serving up some of the best since 1966. (You can even ask for a free second helping of noodles.) And for sluggish mornings following late nights, a bowl of  gamjatang (spicy pork bone soup) from Seongsu-dong’s  Somunnan Gamjatang , a standby hangover remedy that’s open 24 hours, will fix you right up.

Laura Kiniry

Blane Bachelor

Stacey Lastoe

For a well-crafted meal that won’t break the bank, make a reservation at  Miro Sikdang . Tucked away up a steep hill in Mapo-gu, the unassuming eatery adored by in-the-know locals sends out ingredient-driven homestyle Korean cooking such as Spam-studded spicy whelk salad and its famous  tteokbokki  (spicy stir-fried rice cakes). If you’re looking to splurge, Seoul has you covered with Michelin-starred restaurants like  Mosu ,  Jungsik , and  Mingles —all of which artfully present contemporary cuisine through a Korean lens. For a sweet treat like no other, drop by one of  Nudake ’s locations. The boundary-pushing dessert concept by hip eyewear brand Gentle Monster bakes up whimsical creations like Birth, a snow-white layer cake topped with edible egg-shaped candles, and Fog, a black-white ombre cake layered with cheddar-cheese cream and black-olive bits in a gallery-like setting.

Nudake has multiple locations across Seoul, all offering whimsical sweets, including Birth—a snow-white cake topped with edible egg-shaped candles.

The sculptural desserts come from the team behind hip eyewear brand Gentle Monster and are showcased in a gallery-like setting.

If you prefer to devote an evening to just one neighborhood instead of hopping around, consider Sindang. Similarly to what happened in Seongsu and Euljiro in the past few years, visionary creatives have started trickling in and reimagining the spaces that once belonged to rice shops and factories into some of Seoul’s buzziest new spots to eat and drink. Your best bet is to duck—that’s because the unmarked door is super low—into  Zoo Sindang , a hidden bar specializing in Chinese zodiac-themed cocktails right when it opens, then popping by  Jimbba , a chic nook that’s equal parts retailer of interesting Korean spirits and tasting room for a sip of something you can’t find back home. Next, grab an Arancia Granita (espresso topped with fresh orange sorbet) at  Mail Room —an impossibly charming new espresso bar done up in vintage art and knick-knacks—for a pick-me-up before dinner at  Bird Shop with a Mala Bird Burger, a hefty fried chicken sandwich smothered with mala paste and jalapeño yogurt. 

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Gwanghwamun is walkable to historic sites.

Where to stay  

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Gwanghwamun has everything you need for a convenient and culturally-rich stay. On top of being walkable to historic sites and attractions such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Insadong, the venerated property pays homage to Korean heritage through original pieces by local artists like Choi Byung Hoon, chic accommodations kitted out with hanbok-inspired headboards and vintage pottery, a modern Korean sauna, and  Oul , a lively bar devoted to lesser-known Korean spirits. Other vetted luxury hotels include Gangnam’s  The Shilla Seoul , Park Hyatt Seoul , and  Grand Hyatt Seoul .

In Bukchon is  Rakkojae Seoul , the city’s most unique accommodations. Occupying a lovingly restored  hanok (traditional Korean house) that balances architecture with nature, the minimalist rooms remain true to their roots with classic touches like  hanji  (paper made from mulberry tree bark) wallpaper, and floors warmed by  ondol , an underfloor heating system for a hushed, tranquil experience that feels far removed the city.

Prefer to plant yourself in a busier setting? Book a room at the new  Le Méridien Seoul, Myeongdong , where bright and cheery accommodations await, and friendly bilingual staff can quickly steer you in the right direction.  Ryse, Autograph Collection Seoul is another solid pick, as the design-driven and laid-back vibe mirrors its address in Hongdae, an energetic neighborhood anchored by Hongik University.

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