Palaces, street food & pop culture
Seoul
서울 · Palaces meet K-pop
A city where 600-year-old palaces sit beneath glass towers, and centuries-old markets buzz next to K-pop megastores. Seoul is fast, stylish and endlessly energetic — traditional and futurist in the same breath.
Top sightsSights
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The grand Joseon royal palace, with a changing-of-the-guard ceremony and hanbok-clad visitors.
Bukchon Hanok Village
A hillside quarter of traditional tiled-roof houses between two palaces.
Myeongdong
A neon shopping and street-food district — the beating heart of Seoul retail.
N Seoul Tower
A mountaintop tower with panoramic city views, reached by cable car.
Gwangjang Market
A legendary market for bindaetteok, mayak gimbap and live-octopus dares.
What to eatFood
Korean BBQ
Grill marbled pork belly and beef at your table, wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang.
Bibimbap
A colorful bowl of rice, vegetables, egg and gochujang, mixed at the table.
Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes in a sweet-spicy sauce — the king of street snacks.
Good to know
- Grab a T-money card for the fast, spotless, English-signed metro.
- Rent a hanbok to enter the palaces free and take great photos.
- Spring and autumn are ideal; summers are hot and monsoon-wet.
Getting there
Incheon International (ICN) is one of Asia’s best airports; the AREX train and KTX high-speed rail link the city and country.
Next city
Busan