Seoul Neighbourhood Guide: Where to Spend Your Days

The first time I tried to see Seoul, I treated it like one city and spent most of the trip on the subway. The second time I treated it like a dozen small towns that happen to share a river, and it clicked. This Seoul neighbourhood guide is built on that idea: pick one or two areas a day, walk them properly, eat where you are, and let the metro carry you between them.

Seoul is huge, well over nine million people inside the city limits, but it is easy. The subway is clean, signs are in English, and almost every neighbourhood has its own personality within a ten minute walk of a station.

Jongno: palaces, hanok and the old city

Start north of the Han, in the historic core. Gyeongbokgung is the grand Joseon palace, and the changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun gate is worth timing your morning around. Then walk east to Changdeokgung, smaller and more graceful, whose Secret Garden is seen on a guided tour that is worth booking ahead.

Between the two sits Bukchon, a hillside of traditional hanok houses with tiled roofs and wooden gates. People still live here, and parts of the village now limit visitor hours, so check before you go, keep your voice down and stay out of doorways. Just west, Seochon is the quieter cousin: old hanok, tiny galleries, Tongin Market and a slower pace. I prefer it.

Ikseon-dong, near Jongno 3-ga, is a knot of narrow lanes where old hanok have become cafes and small restaurants. It gets busy at weekends. Go on a weekday afternoon, then walk to Gwangjang Market for bindaetteok, the crisp mung bean pancakes fried in front of you, and a plate of mayak gimbap.

Insadong and Myeongdong

Insadong is where to buy hanji paper, celadon, calligraphy brushes and tea. The main street is a little polished for visitors, so duck into the side alleys for traditional tea houses with floor seating. Myeongdong is the opposite: skincare shops, neon and evening street food carts. One evening there is plenty. Combine it with a walk up to N Seoul Tower on Namsan for the view back over the city.

Hongdae, Yeonnam and Mangwon

Around Hongik University, Hongdae is young and loud in the best way: buskers, live music clubs, indie shops and late food. It is the place for a Friday night. For the daytime, walk north into Yeonnam-dong, where the old Gyeongui railway line has become a long, narrow park lined with coffee bars and small restaurants. On a warm evening the grass fills with people sitting out with takeaway chicken and beer.

Keep going to Mangwon for its covered market, where the stalls sell fried chicken, croquettes and tteokbokki, then wander down to the Han River park nearby. This is where Seoul actually lives on a Sunday.

Seongsu: the warehouse district

East of the centre, Seongsu-dong was a district of shoe workshops and small factories. Plenty still operate, and between them you will find roasteries in converted warehouses, concept stores and pop-up shops that change every few weeks. It is the most interesting place in Seoul to watch design and retail trends. Seoul Forest is right next door when you need some green.

Seoul is not one city. It is a dozen small towns that happen to share a river and a very good subway.

Itaewon and Hannam

Itaewon has long been Seoul's international quarter, with food from every corner of the world. Up the hill, Hannam-dong is quieter and more grown up: galleries, design shops and some of the city's better restaurants. The Leeum Museum of Art, run by Samsung's foundation, is here and holds an excellent collection from Korean ceramics to contemporary work.

Gangnam and the south side

South of the river, Gangnam is glass towers and wide roads. It is less charming on foot but worth a few hours. Garosu-gil in Sinsa-dong is a tree-lined shopping street, and Bongeunsa, a Buddhist temple facing the COEX centre, is a calm counterpoint to all that concrete. In the evening, head to Banpo Bridge, where the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain runs from spring to autumn. Check the schedule before you go.

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Good to know

• Get a T-money card at any convenience store. It works on the subway, buses and in taxis.
• Use a Korean map app such as Naver Map or KakaoMap. International map apps give limited walking and transit directions in Korea.
• Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Summer is hot and wet; winter is dry and properly cold.
• Entry rules for South Korea change, including electronic travel authorisation. Check the official government site for your passport before you travel.
• Stay north of the river for a first visit. Jongno or Seochon puts you near the palaces and the best walking.

You will not see all of Seoul, and nobody does. Pick the neighbourhoods that sound like you, give each one a full afternoon, and save the rest for the trip after this one.