What to Do in Seoul: 10 Highlights of the Korean Capital

Seoul is huge, fast and surprisingly green, a city where a 600-year-old palace sits a metro stop from a neon shopping district. First-timers can feel they are missing something because there is so much of it. There is no need to.

Here are the highlights that genuinely earn your time, how I would rank them, and a three-day plan that links them without zigzagging across the city.

The neighbourhoods to know

Seoul makes more sense once you map it by district. A quick lay of the land:

• Jongno and Gwanghwamun: the historic heart, where the palaces and hanok villages cluster. Base yourself near here for a first trip.
• Myeongdong: central, packed with shopping, cosmetics shops and evening street food.
• Hongdae: young, creative, the best nightlife and live music, around Hongik University.
• Gangnam: south of the river, polished and upmarket, for high-end shopping and clubs.
• Itaewon: the international district, diverse food and bars.

My take on where to stay: pick Jongno or Myeongdong for a first visit. You will be walking distance from the palaces and on the metro lines that reach everything else.

The royal palaces

Seoul has five grand Joseon-era palaces, and you do not need all five. Two are essential.

Gyeongbokgung is the largest and the one to prioritise, the original royal seat with its sweeping courtyards and the mountain rising behind. Time your visit for the changing of the guard ceremony at the main gate, and note it usually closes on Tuesdays. A money-saving local trick: rent a hanbok, the traditional dress, from a nearby shop and you get in free, which is why you see so many visitors in costume.

Changdeokgung is the quieter, arguably more beautiful one, a UNESCO site whose Secret Garden (Huwon) is the highlight. Access to the garden is by timed guided tour only, so book that slot when you arrive. If you must choose one palace, do Gyeongbokgung for grandeur; add Changdeokgung if you have the morning.

Bukchon Hanok Village

Between the two palaces sits Bukchon Hanok Village, a hillside of preserved traditional hanok houses with curved tiled roofs and lanes that frame the city skyline. It is genuinely lovely and genuinely residential, which matters: real people live here.

Be a considerate guest. Visiting hours are posted as 10:00 to 17:00 to protect residents from constant noise, signs ask for quiet, and early on a weekday morning is both the most respectful time and the one with the best light and fewest crowds.

Myeongdong and shopping

Myeongdong is shopping central, famous for Korean cosmetics and fashion, but the real draw after dark is the street food. The evening stalls turn out everything from skewered cheese lobster to tornado potatoes, grilled scallops and egg bread. Come hungry around dusk, graze your way down the street, and treat the shopping as the side dish. For traditional goods and a more local feel, the nearby Insadong lane and Gwangjang Market, a legendary old food market, are better value.

Nightlife in Hongdae and Gangnam

Seoul comes alive at night, and the two poles could not be more different. Hongdae is the young, indie heart of the city, with free street performances most weekends, live music, cheap bars and a buzz that runs late. Gangnam, across the river, is the polished, pricier scene of upscale clubs and bars. My steer for most visitors: start in Hongdae for energy and value, save Gangnam for one upmarket night if it suits you.

A DMZ day trip

The Demilitarised Zone on the border with North Korea is Seoul’s most striking excursion, and one you cannot do alone, so book an organised tour. Most include the Third Infiltration Tunnel, dug by the North and now walkable, and the Dora Observatory, where you look across the border into North Korea. It is sobering, fascinating and well worth a half or full day. Bring your passport, it is required, and book ahead because tours sell out and some sites close on Mondays.

Seoul in 3 days

Short on time? This plan groups the sights by area so you walk more and commute less.

Getting around and staying connected

Seoul’s metro is one of the best in the world: fast, spotless, cheap and signed in English. Get a T-money card, tap in and out, and use the Naver Map or Subway Korea app to plan routes and exits. Remember that Google Maps is restricted in Korea and will not give you walking or transit directions, so those local apps are not optional.

To use them, plus Papago for menus and Kakao T for the occasional taxi, you need data from the moment you arrive. Rather than hunt for a SIM at Incheon, activate an eSIM for South Korea before you fly. You are online as you step off the plane, on Korea’s 4G/5G network, among the fastest anywhere.

With Orange, the service from a brand trusted by over 300 million customers, you travel with peace of mind: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 human support, and a full refund if you never use your eSIM.