Seoul

The restored 14th-century Joseon dynasty palace sprawls across 57 acres in central Seoul, with the hourly changing-of-the-guard ceremony performed in full historical costume.

A dense hillside neighbourhood of 900-plus traditional tile-roofed hanok homes sandwiched between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces, best explored at dawn before tour groups arrive.

Perched atop Namsan Mountain at 479 metres above sea level, the observation deck offers a 360-degree panorama that makes the Han River's true scale unmistakable against the basin of surrounding hills.

Zaha Hadid's curvilinear aluminium-clad landmark houses design exhibitions and is surrounded by the 24-hour fabric and fashion wholesale markets that make this district hum through the night.

A steep residential alley on the eastern slope of Naksan Hill lined with folk-art murals, including the famous Fish Steps staircase, attracting local artists and almost no tour buses.

A former 1970s overpass reborn as an elevated garden walkway planted with 24,000 trees and shrubs sorted by Korean alphabet, connecting Seoul Station to the surrounding districts with city views at eye level.

Seoul's oldest continuously operating covered market, founded in 1905, where stalls on the central food strip serve hand-rolled mayak gimbap, bindaetteok mung-bean pancakes, and raw yukhoe beef by the mouthful.

A permit-required forested ridge walk along the old Seoul city wall directly behind Gyeongbokgung, with Cold War-era bullet holes still visible in the guard post from the 1968 North Korean infiltration.

Occupying the 23rd floor of The Shilla hotel with views across Namsan, this Michelin three-star dining room elevates royal Joseon court cuisine through seasonal tasting menus of striking visual precision.

Chef Kang Min-goo's Michelin two-star restaurant in Cheongdam-dong fuses Korean fermentation techniques—doenjang, ganjang, gochujang aged in-house—with French structure in a minimalist ten-course format.

The flagship Michelin two-star Seoul location of Yim Jung-sik's contemporary Korean kitchen plates dishes like slow-cooked hanwoo short rib with perilla oil in an elegant Cheongdam dining room.

A Michelin three-star institution in Gangnam that presents traditional Korean cuisine across a multi-course menu, serving each dish in custom celadon pottery sourced from master craftspeople.

Seoul's pioneering craft brewery in Mapo-gu pours its own IPAs, saisons, and seasonal stouts alongside inventive Korean bar snacks in a loud, industrial taproom popular with expats and locals alike.

A two-floor Itaewon bar with 30 rotating taps of Korean craft beer and imports, with a streetside terrace that fills fast on Friday evenings.

A flagship brewpub in Itaewon from one of Seoul's most respected craft beer producers, where fresh-poured pale ales and porters are served with wood-fired pizza until late.

A neighbourhood bottle-shop bar near Huam-dong with a fridge of Korean and international craft cans, low-key wooden interiors, and a loyal local crowd that lingers over cheese boards until midnight.

A sophisticated Cheongdam-dong jazz bar with nightly live performances from Korean and international musicians in a low-lit, leather-booth setting that dates back to 1993.

A Hongdae experimental music and club venue run by DJ Peggy Gou's former collaborators, hosting underground electronic acts and local DJ collectives in an intimate basement with a reputation for serious sound curation.

One of Hongdae's longest-running underground clubs, running hip-hop, R&B, and trap nights in a basement venue where the crowd stays until 6 a.m. on weekends.