A traveler's guide to Seoul
Seoul is huge and the transit is excellent. Pick two areas a day. The palaces and the nightlife are both real and they are not the same hour.
Seoul keeps palaces in the middle of a city that stays out later than you planned. See one gate and one neighborhood market. Then let the night be barbecue, a convenience-store beer by the river, or a tiny room that only does one stew.
When to go
Spring cherry blossoms and autumn color are the classic visits. Summer is monsoon-wet and hot. Winter is cold, clear, and excellent for stew and baths. Golden weeks around lunar new year and Chuseok move the whole country.
Neighborhoods
Jongno for palaces and hanok streets. Hongdae or Itaewon if you want a younger night. Gangnam is polished and optional. Ikseon or a market alley for food. The river parks if the weather is kind.
Eating
Barbecue, stews, fried chicken as a second dinner, and a market pancake. Meals can be endless side dishes. Spice is negotiable less often than the menu suggests. Convenience stores are a legitimate late option.
If you only remember this
- T-money card for the metro.
- Many rooms seat you when your whole party is there.
- English is common in some neighborhoods and scarce in others.
- Winter wind between buildings is serious.