The business district

The most anonymous and least visited of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces (even locals who work in the area may struggle to point you towards it) is Gyeonghuigung (경희궁; Tues–Sun 9am–6pm; free), which was built in 1616. Lonely and a little forlorn, it’s a pretty place nonetheless, and may be the palace for you if crowds, souvenir shops and camera-dodging aren’t to your liking. Unlike other palaces, you’ll be able to enter the throne room – bare but for the throne, but worth a look – before scrambling up to the halls of the upper level, which are backed with grass and rock.

Running between the palaces of Gyeonghuigung and Deoksugung is Jeongdonggil (정동길), a quiet, shaded road that’s a world removed from the bustle of the City Hall area. You may notice a near-total lack of couples on this road, as Seoulites have long held the superstition that those who walk here will soon break up. Along this road is the large, modern Seoul Museum of Art (서울 시립 미술관; Tues–Sun 10am–10pm; W700); it’s well worth popping in for a look at what is almost always a fresh, high-quality exhibition of art from around the world. Continuing further up the road, you’ll find a few restaurants and cafés, as well as Chongdong Theatre, which puts on regular pansori performances. There’s also an array of underground shopping arcades in and around City Hall station – one heads towards Myeongdong, while another heads east for a number of kilometres under the main road of Euljiro.

Its small size, central location and easy access – take exit two from City Hall subway station – ensure that Deoksugung (덕수궁) is often very busy. This was the last of Seoul’s Famous Five palaces to be built, and it became the country’s seat of power almost by default when the Japanese destroyed Gyeongbokgung in 1592, and then again when King Gojong fled here after the assassination of his wife Myeongsong in 1895. Not quite as splendid as the other palaces, Deoksugung is overlooked by the tall grey towers of the City Hall business and embassy area, and includes a couple of Western-style buildings, dating back to when the “Hermit Kingdom” in the latter part of the Joseon dynasty was being forcibly opened up to trade. These neoclassical structures remain the most notable on the complex. At the end of a gorgeous rose garden is Seokjojeon, which was designed by an English architect and built by the Japanese in 1910; the first Western-style building in the country, it was actually used as the royal home for a short time. The second structure, completed in 1938, was designed and built by the Japanese; inside you’ll find the National Museum for Contemporary Art (덕수궁 미술관), whose exhibits are usually quality works from local artists, more often than not blending elements of traditional and modern Korean styles.

With a justifiable claim to being the most popular shopping area in the country, Myeongdong (명동) is a dense lattice of streets that runs from the east–west thoroughfare of Euljiro to the northern slopes of Namsan peak. Though visitors to the area are primarily concerned with shopping or eating, there are a couple of sights in the area that are worth a glance while you’re here. Most central is the large Myeongdong Cathedral (명동 성당); completed in 1898, it was Korea’s first large Christian place of worship, and remains the symbol of the country’s ever-growing Catholic community. It wouldn’t win any prizes for design in Europe, but in Seoul the towering spire and red brick walls are appealingly incongruous. Nearby is the Bank of Korea Museum (한국 은행 화폐금융 박물관), though the notes and coins on display are less interesting than the building itself, which was designed and built by the Japanese in the first years of their occupation.

East of central Myeongdong is Namsangol (남산골), a small display village filled with traditional hanok buildings; though a much more interesting and entertaining folk village can be found just south of Seoul, this is a more than acceptable solution for those with little time.

South of Myeongdong station the roads rise up, eventually coming to a stop at the feet of Namsan (남산), Seoul’s resident mountain. There are spectacular views of the city from the 265m-high peak, and yet more from the characteristic N-Seoul Tower, which sits at the summit. Namsan once marked the natural boundary of a city that has long since swelled over the edges and across the river – some sections of the city wall can still be seen on the mountain, as can the remains of fire beacons that formed part of a national communication system during the Joseon period. These were used to relay warnings across the land – one flame lit meant that all was well, while up to five were lit to signify varying degrees of unrest; the message was repeated along chains of beacons that stretched across the peninsula. Namsan’s own are located just above the upper terminal of a cable car that carries most visitors up to the summit. The base is an uphill slog south of Myeongdong: leave the subway station through exit three, keep going up and you can’t miss it.

N-Seoul Tower

The N-Seoul Tower (N-서울 타워) sits proudly on Namsan’s crown, newly renovated and recently renamed (“Seoul Tower” clearly wasn’t trendy enough). Inside there’s a viewing platform and a pricey restaurant. For many, the views from the tower’s base are good enough, and coming here to see the sunset is recommended – the grey mass of daytime Seoul turns in no time into a pulsating neon spectacle.