Office workers carry coffee across Gwanghwamun Square while the palace gate of Gyeongbokgung rises behind them. Stretches of the old city wall climb past apartment blocks on the hills, and in Bukchon families still live in tiled hanok houses on lanes where royal relatives and officials once lived.
Beyond the palaces, Cheonggyecheon stream runs cool beneath downtown towers, Gwangjang Market sizzles with mung bean pancakes, and younger neighborhoods fill old factories with cafés and studios. Summers are hot and wet with monsoon rain, winters are cold and dry, and spring and autumn bring crisp blue days. A Local Friend walks at your side, stopping when you stop and turning down whichever lane caught your eye.
