Seoul

Seoul has become one of the most exciting food cities in Asia. A generation of chefs has taken the foundations of Korean cooking, the jang sauces, the fermented vegetables, the temple and court traditions, and brought them into contemporary tasting menus, while the city’s markets and small specialist restaurants remain as rewarding as ever.

The city itself is layered: Joseon-dynasty palaces and hanok neighbourhoods north of the Han River, design-driven Gangnam and Seongsu to the south and east, and mountains visible from almost everywhere.

Spring, from April to early June, and autumn, from September to November, are the most pleasant seasons, with mild temperatures and clear skies; autumn foliage on the city’s mountains is a highlight. Summer is hot and humid, with a monsoon season in July. Winters are cold and dry, often well below freezing.

The Seoul Metropolitan Subway is extensive, clean and signposted in English, and a rechargeable T-money card works on subways, buses and in many taxis. Incheon International Airport is linked to the city by the AREX airport railway; Gimpo Airport, closer to the centre, handles mainly domestic and regional flights. Taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced.

Gwanghwamun and Jongno place you close to the palaces and the historic centre; Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is a natural base here. On the slopes of Namsan, The Shilla Seoul is one of the city’s classic addresses, while Signiel Seoul occupies the upper floors of Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, south of the river.

Cheongdam and the surrounding Gangnam districts concentrate many of the city’s leading contemporary Korean restaurants, among them Mingles and Jungsik. For refined Korean cooking in a hotel setting, La Yeon at The Shilla is a long-standing reference. Traditional markets such as Gwangjang offer the opposite experience: stalls devoted to bindaetteok, noodles and raw beef.

Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, with its Secret Garden, are the essential palaces; Bukchon’s hanok lanes lie between them. Leeum Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, with buildings by Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas, is essential for art and architecture, and Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza is a striking landmark. A walk up Namsan or along the Cheonggyecheon stream offers a slower view of the city.

The currency is the Korean won. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including small restaurants. Tipping is not customary. Popular restaurants often take reservations through Korean platforms or by phone well in advance, so hotel concierges are useful. Many visitors need a K-ETA electronic travel authorisation or a visa depending on nationality; requirements should be checked before travel.