The most enchanting aspect of Seoul is the meeting of millenniums - high-rise buildings towering above ancient temples, oases of serene gardens surrounded by shimmering skyscrapers, and palatial palaces hosting traditional ceremonies as they did centuries ago.

The construction of Changdeok Palace was started in 1405 by King T'aejong, and it was completed in 1412. In 1463, King Sejo expanded the palace and created Biwon (secret) Garden. Through the centuries of invasions, many of the buildings have burned and been rebuilt several times. Thirteen of Korea's kings lived here for a total of over 270 years. The palace grounds cover over 110 acres. Thirteen of the original buildings remain, with an additional 28 in Biwon Garden. Biwon is typical of palace backyards where kings and other members of the royal family would go to relax and entertain. In 1997, it was registered as a World Heritage.

To visit Changdeok Palace and Biwon Garden, you must be on a tour. Signs explaining each area are in Korean, English, and Japanese, so you do not necessarily need to take one in your native language. However, the tour guides often give information not contained in the sign boards, so you may miss out on some details. The tour covers about 2.5 km of walking and takes 80 minutes.

Changgyeong was originally built in 1104 as a summer palace for the kings of the Koryo Dynasty. When the capital was moved to Seoul in 1392, the reigning King lived here during the construction of the new Gyeongbok palace. Most of the buildings were burned in 1592, although most have been rebuilt at least once since then.

Located in downtown Seoul across the street from City Hall, Deoksu Palace vividly contrasts modern Seoul with traditional Korea. Built during the mid-fifteenth century, it is the smallest of Seoul's palaces. The palace contains many scenic areas and is a favorite among wedding photographers who can overrun the area on weekdays. Many local business men and women use the picnic area during lunch as a short escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown life.

This palace includes some of the best examples of royal architecture of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and has been designated as Historic Site by the central government for preservation and protection. Sokchon-jeon Hall now houses the Royal Museum.

The Changing of the Royal Guard is a colourful daily ritual. The unit watching the outer walls of the Royal Palaces arrives at the scene to relieve the unit watching the Palatial Gates, the ceremony starts. A combination of verbal orders, flags, and musical instruments is used. This ceremony is divided into three distinct parts, each of which is singled by corresponding drumbeats.

Built at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty this palace remained the main seat of power for Korea kings throughout much of the time to the present. Gyeongbok means Shining Happiness. The main gate, Kwanghwa-mun separates Gyeongbok Palace from one of the busiest areas of Seoul. Gyeongbok Palace was built as the primary palace of the Joseon Kingdom by its founder, King Taejo in 1395, the fourth year of his reign. It was destroyed during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and left in ruins for over 250 years. Starting in 1865, it was rebuilt to its original grandeur. 

The grounds encompass 419,100 square meters of halls, pavilions, offices, storerooms, gates and bridges.

To the far north on the palace grounds sits Hyangwon-jeong, a beautiful hexagonal pavilion surrounded by a lotus pond. This is one of the most painted and photographed places in Korea.

The Yolsang Chinwon Spring was here when the palace was built in 1395. Its water is so pure and cold that it is good for drinking. The National Folk Museum sits in the northern section of the palace. The museum has several exhibition halls which periodically change their exhibits, showing a wide selection of Korean culture and history.

Hangang Park located along the banks of the Han River is another wonderful place to relax, explore and view Seoul-dwellers enjoying themselves. The park boasts over 30 kilometres of smooth pathways, winding through beautiful gardens and sport grounds. Much of the city’s outdoor activities take place here as it becomes packed on weekends and holidays with joggers, cyclists, skaters, kite-flyers, and picnics.

Jongmyo Shrine was built at the same time as Gyeongbok Palace to hold the ancenstral tablets for the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Since then, all but two of the kings and their queens are enshrined here. According to Confucian tradition, the royal family would perform elaborate rituals here five times each year to pay respect to their royal ancestors. The tradition still holds today, although the Jongmyo Daeje (Royal Shrine Ritual) is only performed once each year in May. Dozens of descendents of the royal family gather in Joseon period court. The rituals are accompanied by traditional court music played by the Royal Court Orchestra.

At the Folk Village, traditional dress, buildings, and folk traditions are recreated, making it a pleasant daytrip a short 30 minute drive from Seoul. It’s a compact little village, in which the regional diversities in art, architecture, handicrafts and lifestyle of the Koreans are portrayed. In addition, there are performances of dances, music, tightrope walking, and enactments of weddings and funerals. All in all, the Korean Folk Village is a good place to visit if you’re interested in Korean culture, but don’t have the time or energy to go explore the entire country.

The National Theatre complex houses a main stage, two smaller stages, and a free outdoor performing area. During performances, a playroom for young children is available. Patrons can enjoy viewing displays associated with traditional performances, as well as sample traditional foods at the theatre's 'JeeHwa-ja' restaurant. As well as being Korea's top playhouse, the National Theatre hosts the National Ballet, National Opera, and the National Choir.

National War Museum is situated across the street from Korea's Department of Defense, and next to the U.S. Army's Yongsan Garrison - a fitting place for Korea's War Museum. Its impressive granite facade and surrounding park with vintage airplanes and tanks catch the eyes of people passing by along the main road. The museum’s six display rooms show an almost 5,000-year history of foreign invasions. The park surrounding the museum is filled with aircraft, tanks, and other fighting machines from the Korean War to the present. One of the most impressive fixtures is the vintage B-52. Just inside the entrance sit an M-47 "Patton" tank from the U.S. Army and a K-1 "88" tank from the Korean Army, silently guarding the museum. One of the most moving scenes is the statue of two brothers (one from the North, one from the South) meeting on the battlefield, a poignant reminder of the more than 10 million Korean families still separated by the Korean War.

Covering over 1.5 million square meters and the ancient site of the Mongchon Toseong Fortress (with its moat dating back to the early Baekche Kingdom 57 B.C. - 668 A.D.), Olympic Park preserves the spirit of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The stadiums, arranged in a fan-shaped pattern around the park, were the main stages for the sports events. With extensive grassy fields, sculpture gardens, walking paths, and rest areas, the park is open all day as a multi-purpose area for leisure, sports, and cultural activities. Many people use the Olympic swimming pool, tennis courts, and three gymnasiums for many different types of sporting events and activities. In addition, classes in swimming, aerobics, physical fitness, table tennis, and others are offered on a regular basis. Every morning, hundreds of people come to the park for exercise and fitness. During Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the summer months, enjoy cycle racing at the velodrome track. In addition to sporting events, many of the stadiums are also used for concerts and other events that draw large crowds. Also within the park grounds is the Seoul Olympic Museum with commemorative monuments dedicated to preserving the inspiration of the Seoul Olympics. Over 200 sculptures made by 155 world-renowned artists are scattered around the park.

Songnisan National Park is another picturesque area and is known for its lovely mountains - great for trekking. It’s also known for the Popchusa temple, an ancient Buddhist shrine that was originally built sometime in the sixth century. The Japanese, who ruled the country for a long time, burnt down the structure in 1592. Locals restored it in 1624. The temple has a five-storey high pagoda, and a huge bronze Buddha (all of 33m high), the largest in the Orient. Worth a visit, especially if you’re keen on walking, mountains, Buddhism, or history.

Soraksan National Park is probably one of the most scenic places in the entire country- and perhaps the Korean peninsula even. It lies on the east coast, and is an area of mountains, thick forests, rivers, and spectacular waterfalls. The mountains of the park are great for trekking and skiing during the winters, while the beaches nearby offer lots of scope for swimmers in the summer.

Unhyeon Palace was the private house of Heungseon Taewon-kun, the father of King Kojong (the 26th monarch of the Joseon Kingdom). Born here, Kojong also lived here until the age of 12. Just before the wedding of King Kojong, the palace was known as the "Palace of the Queen" as it was used for the wedding preparations. The queen lived here during the time of preparation and was instructed in her future duties as the Queen. Nowadays, the palace is used as an exhibition area for traditional art performances, modern dances, and creative dances. One of the main attractions of the palace is its re-enactment of the Royal Marriage of King Kojong and Queen Myongsong twice each year.

Yeoido Park in the financial district is a centre for all kinds of activities such as sport, picnicking and relaxing among the trees and traditional gardens. The park is famous for cherry-blossom viewing parties in mid April. At that time, all roads are crowded with couples, friends, and families.

Get physical at Hangang Park on the Han river. With its 30 kilometers of paved pathways, you can enjoy walking, jogging, skating or cycling through parks and along the banks of the river. Or relax in the grass and watch the locals flying kites and picnicking with their families. Beautiful and active Yeoido Park rents bicycles and skates and offers its array of ponds, traditional gardens and a cultural plaza which hosts events and concerts for visitors.

Explore scenic Soraksan National Park. Bring your camera and wear your walking shoes to best enjoy this area of mountains, thick forests, rivers, and spectacular waterfalls. The mountains of the park are great for trekking and skiing during the winters, while the beaches nearby offer lots of scope for swimmers in the summer.

Get cultural at the Korean Folk Village where traditional dress, villages, and customs are recreated. In addition, there are performances of dances, music, tightrope walking, and enactments of weddings and funerals.

Check out the free performances at the National Theater in Normimadang. Colorful shows such as traditional dancing, drumming and theater are performed on the outdoor stage.

Observe the ancient ceremony of The Changing of the Royal Guard at Deoksu Palace. The unit watching the outer walls of the Royal Palaces arrives at the scene to relieve the unit watching the Palatial Gates in a tradition of verbal orders, flags, and musical instruments. Deoksu Palace grounds also offer a tranquil escape from the city, yet can get crowded on the weekends.

Visit magnificent Gyeongbok Palace with its 419,100 square meters of halls, pavilions, offices, storerooms, gates and bridges. Situated in the northern corner is a beautiful hexagonal pavilion surrounded by a lotus pond - one of the most painted and photographed places in Korea. The Korean Folk Museum is also housed within the palace grounds.

Amuse yourself at the gigantic Lotte World complex. An enormous amusement park and shopping complex, Lotte World houses an indoor ice skating rink, swimming pool, bowling alley, golf range, tennis courts, water park, museum, hotel, art gallery, and restaurants, among many other entertaining venues.

Dine with the birds on the 23rd floor of Jongo Tower in Jongmyo Park. This restaurant and café offers stupendous views of the city and surrounding mountains.

Check out the 'Other Side'! Panmunjeom is where the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separates North Korea from South Korea and can be visited on a full-day organized sightseeing tour from Seoul. Go on a tour that lets you walk into the Third Tunnel of Aggression (it was dug by North Korea to infiltrate the South) and offers the opportunity to stand on the Freedom Pavilion (where you can see North Korean soldiers looking at you through binoculars) and allows you to enter the room where the two sides still hold negotiations. 55km north of Seoul.