Seoul travel info

Seoul has been a capital for over 600 years, since the Joseon dynasty chose it in 1394. The old city of Hanyang sits inside an 18.6 km fortress wall strung over four mountains, and five royal palaces still stand within it. Stand in front of Gwanghwamun and the tiled roofs of Gyeongbokgung rise to Bukaksan, with glass towers lined up on either side. Cross the Han River by subway and the 123-storey Lotte World Tower replaces the hanok roofs.

A typical day goes like this. In the morning you walk through Gyeongbokgung to Geunjeongjeon among visitors in rented hanbok, then drift down through the Bukchon and Seochon alleys to a bowl of seolleongtang for lunch. The afternoon belongs to the cafe streets of Seongsu or Yeonnam-dong, and in the evening you queue at a bindaetteok stall in Gwangjang Market. After dark, you climb the Namsan fortress trail, or boil a pack of ramen in a Han River park convenience store and eat it in the river wind.

Seoul is big, and every neighbourhood has its own feel, so picking one or two areas a day wears you out less. The subway covers nearly everything, and the direct train from Incheon Airport reaches Seoul Station in 43 minutes. One warning: Google Maps is poor for directions here, so install Naver Map or KakaoMap before you land.

From Incheon Airport (ICN)

From Gimpo Airport (GMP)

From other regions by KTX or bus (KTX)