One day on foot in Seoul

Few people know that Seoul is a wonderful city, because for most tourists it hardly seems as captivating as a European capital with its grand museums and buildings from different eras. The Korean metropolis has everything, but it’s not something you can experience in a single day. The charm of South Korea’s capital reveals itself simply by being there — observing the style and beauty of its everyday scenes.

View of Seoul

Besides the modern shiny buildings and shopping malls, left out of today’s walk, Seoul mainly offers two kinds of attractions. The first is what everyone expects from the fresh spirit of Asia: old-style architecture with those gracefully curved Eastern roofs. Classical construction can be seen in the famous gates scattered across the city center and in the two main palaces — built on a royal scale with strict, elegant simplicity. The second is a mix of modern galleries, creative street sculptures, and all kinds of small surprises — like cozy cafés with handwritten menus in green chalk on blackboards.

Bukchon Hanok

At the start of your walking day, see the city from above, lit by the morning sun — in the hilly Samcheong district. Walk south along the winding alleys lined with the small old houses of the traditional Bukchon Hanok village.

Insadong

The path will lead you to the tourist center of Insadong, where you’ll find souvenirs, crowds, and colorful Korean signs. Here you’ll see many interesting buildings and can enjoy a cup of tea in one of the cozy teahouses. Continue south past the architectural marvel of Jongno Tower and see the famous city stream where locals love to take walks.

Gyeongbokgung

Head northwest toward the largest palace, Gyeongbokgung, where every hour you can watch a performance by guards dressed in traditional Korean uniforms in bright red and blue. You can also dress up in a hanbok yourself at a special tourist tent near the palace. The standard palace tour includes a guide and may be predictable, but it’s worth it. The royal lifestyle isn’t for us just yet — we continue walking onward.

Seoul Plaza

The next stop is City Hall at Seoul Plaza, directly south along the wide central boulevard of Gwanghwamun, lined with statues of great historical figures. The square in front of City Hall was recently redesigned and is a landmark in itself. Across to the west stands the smaller palace, with the same beautiful historic buildings. The contrast between them and the surrounding skyscrapers pulls us back to the present.

Namsan

The walk will take us higher, toward the top of the ever-present Mount Nam (Namsan, 남산), one of the city’s symbols. Head southeast along Sogong-ro Boulevard to reach the cable car at the mountain’s base. Up top, the highlights are the hundreds-of-meters-high N Tower, medieval watch posts, and the “locks of love.” From here, you can admire the vast scale of the city glowing in the soft sunset light.

View from Namsan toward Central Seoul

After all these impressions, you now have a first feel for central Seoul. All that’s left is to try three essentials in a restaurant in Myeong-dong: grilled bacon, kimchi (spicy fermented cabbage), and soju (the local spirit). The next day, you can continue southeast — across the Han River — to the area around the Olympic Stadium.

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Previous travel story from the series: One Day on Foot in Tokyo.