Seoul has more pleasures than a Korean meal has side dishes. The city has thumping clubs, and cages for thumping baseballs. There’s delicious food both on the street and in the ‘straunt. Thoughtful and playful design turn up everywhere, especially in fashion, accessories, stationery and cafés, and there are even more art galleries than there are Family Marts. From China’s east coast, flights to other countries don’t come much briefer or cheaper – so what are you waiting for?

With both an efficient subway system and moderately-priced taxis, Seoul is a pleasure to explore. Here are four facets of the city you can enjoy on a single trip.

1. Seoul for Culture

The cultural heart of Seoul is a smallish triangle near the city centre, with Deoksu Palace, Insadong and Gyeongbok Palace at its three corners. You can walk between any two of these in under half an hour, but taxis and nearby metro stations mean you certainly don’t have to.

Insadong is known for its arts and crafts stalls, souvenir shops, cafés, and traditional restaurants serving the likes of bibimbap and bulgogi. It’s a great place to pick up knick knacks – metal chopsticks, wooden masks, paper crafts, you name it. There are also funkier, contemporary items available. Look especially for the quirky indoor/outdoor Ssamzie spiral mall, about halfway down Insadong gil.
Ssamzie. Line 3 to Anguk Station, Exit 6

North of Insadong is Samcheong-dong, a collection of narrow streets winding their way up gentle hills to a less touristy gathering of coffee shops, quality hand crafted wares and art galleries. Stop in at the avant garde Art Sonje gallery. On our visit, an artist explained her kleptomania for coffee cups, which she swaps with others she has already stolen, as analogous to countries pilfering cultural artefacts in earlier centuries. Surprisingly, we were told that no coffee cups had been stolen from the gallery café.

To the west of Samcheong-dong is Gyeongbokgung, the Palace of Shining Happiness, Seoul’s grandest palace. Built in 1394, the palace was burnt down by the Japanese in 1592. For 300 years it lay in ruins before being rebuilt. In the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945) it was significantly demolished again, but now it is gradually being restored to its former glory. Stay to watch the changing of the bow-and-arrow-armed guard.
Gyeongbokgung. Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5

South of Gyengbokgung lie the beautiful grounds of Deoksugung, the Palace of Virtuous Longevity. The complex was first a villa but became a palace in 1593 when King Seonjo’s palaces were destroyed by the Japanese and he needed somewhere to crash. Now it’s a mishmash of Eastern and Western architectural styles – a grand, wooden audience hall sits beside a Russian-designed tea house, complete with columns. The Deoksugung Museum of Art is in the grounds, and just five minutes’ walk takes you to the exciting Seoul Art Museum.
Deoksugung. Line 1 or 2 to City Hall Station, Exit 2