Where to go in Seoul

Where to go in each part of Korea, neighbourhood by neighbourhood: what it is like, what it is known for and what to do.

• Gyeongbokgung & Gwanghwamun경복궁 광화문Wide royal courtyards backed by Bugaksan mountain, with Gwanghwamun Square and broad avenues just outside the…
• Bukchon & Samcheong-dong북촌 삼청동Sloping lanes of tile-roofed hanok houses with the city skyline behind them, and quiet cafes and craft shops…
• Ikseon-dong익선동Narrow alleys of low hanok houses turned into cafes, small restaurants and shops, tucked beside the big…
• Insadong인사동One long street of traditional teahouses, calligraphy shops and craft stores, with an old-fashioned feel in…
• Seochon서촌A calm residential area west of Gyeongbokgung, with old lanes, small galleries and neighbourhood restaurants.
• Changdeokgung & Changgyeonggung창덕궁 창경궁Two quiet palaces with wooded grounds, ponds and pavilions, set in the east of old Seoul.
• Myeongdong명동Crowded shopping streets packed with cosmetics stores, fashion shops and street food carts, with a cathedral…
• Namdaemun & Seoul Station남대문 서울역Seoul's old south gate beside a huge traditional market, with the main train station and an old station…
• Euljiro (Hipjiro)을지로Old print shops, metal workshops and lighting stores sit beside retro bars and cafes tucked into industrial…
• Dongdaemun & DDP동대문 DDPA curved silver design building next to huge fashion markets and old fortress walls, lively well into the…
• Gwangjang Market & Jongno 5-ga광장시장 종로5가A covered market over a century old, packed with food stalls, fabric shops and wholesale stores.
• Daehangno & Ihwa Mural Village대학로 이화마을A theatre district with student cafes, next to a hillside village of painted stairs beside the old city wall.
• Yeonnam-dong연남동A relaxed residential area of small cafes and restaurants along a tree-lined former railway track, right next…
• Mangwon & Hapjeong망원 합정A neighbourhood of local markets, small cafes and indie shops, with a riverside park a short walk away.
• Sinchon & Ewha신촌 이대Student streets around Yonsei and Ewha universities, with casual restaurants, cafes and small fashion shops.
• Yeouido여의도A flat river island of office towers, a long riverside park and broad plazas, with cherry blossom avenues in…
• Seongsu성수동Old brick factories and shoe workshops turned into cafes, galleries and design stores, near the Han River and…
• Seoul Forest서울숲A large green park beside the Han River with open lawns, ponds and tree-lined paths, good for slow afternoon…
• Konkuk University (Kondae) & Ttukseom건대입구 뚝섬A youthful university district of food streets and bars, with a riverside park on the Han River a short walk…
• Itaewon이태원Seoul's most international neighbourhood, with restaurants from around the world, hillside bars and a central…
• Hannam-dong한남동A quiet, upscale neighbourhood of galleries, design shops and cafes on hilly streets, between Itaewon and the…
• Yongsan (National Museum & War Memorial)용산 국립중앙박물관 전쟁기념관Two large museums with wide lawns and ponds, covering Korean history and the Korean War, in the Yongsan…
• Sinsa & Garosu-gil신사동 가로수길A tree-lined street of boutiques, cafes and restaurants, with side lanes that feel calmer than the nearby…
• Apgujeong & Cheongdam압구정 청담Upmarket fashion streets, flagship stores and polished cafes, with many K-pop entertainment company offices…
• Samseong & COEX (with Bongeunsa)삼성동 코엑스 봉은사A big underground mall and aquarium across the road from a working Buddhist temple, among the glass towers of…
• Jamsil (Lotte World & Seokchon Lake)잠실 롯데월드 석촌호수A lakeside area with a theme park and Korea's tallest tower, good for evening strolls and city views.
• Bukhansan & Ui-dong (hiking)북한산 우이동Granite peaks and forested valleys inside the city limits, with trailheads that a subway and bus ride can…
• Namsan & N Seoul Tower남산 N서울타워A forested hill in the middle of the city, topped by a tower with views across Seoul in every direction.
• Hongdae홍대Seoul's student and indie-music district, with street performers, clubs, vintage shops and late-night food…
• Gangnam Station강남역The modern business and nightlife centre of the song "Gangnam Style", with glass towers, big crossings and…
• Jungnang-gu중랑구A quiet residential district on Seoul's eastern edge, with hills and parks instead of sights.
• Nowon-gu노원구A residential district in northeast Seoul with royal tombs in the trees and the slopes of Suraksan nearby.
• Eunpyeong-gu은평구A green district in northwest Seoul where old temples sit right against the Bukhansan foothills.
• Yangcheon-gu양천구A calm residential district in southwest Seoul, known more for its parks and hill paths than for sights.
• Gangseo-gu강서구A wide, flat district on Seoul's western edge, with the Han River wetlands and a large botanical garden.
• Guro-gu구로구A former factory district in southwest Seoul, now mostly offices, homes and paths beside the Anyangcheon…
• Geumcheon-gu금천구A small district in southwest Seoul at the foot of Hoamsan, with an old mountain fortress above it.
• Gwanak-gu관악구A student district around Seoul National University, with a mountain behind it and a street of small…
• Gangdong-gu강동구An eastern Seoul district on the Han River, with open riverside parks and one of the city's oldest settlement…