Accommodation in Jung-gu from AU$143

Seoul is such a colourful mixed bag that it’s hard to say where exactly the city centre is – but if you had to make the choice, it would no doubt be the Jung-gu District. It also happens to be the bottom half of the city’s historic core, so you’ve got the best of both the old and new Seoul all around you if you stay in one of our Jung-gu hotels. You can jump from seeing national treasures like the eye-catching and angular Great South Gate to shopping in the trendy and buzzing Myeongdong area with no effort at all.

The South Gate is known locally as Namdaemun and is pretty much in the middle of Jung-gu District. It may contrast with the modern high-rise buildings but this stone gate and wooden pagoda used to be the main entrance in the fortress wall around the city – one of its main purposes was to keep Siberian tigers out.

Nearby to the east of the landmark is the Namdaemun Market, selling trinkets, souvenirs, cheap shoes and clothing as well as easy food like noodles and skewered barbecued meat. It isn’t the place to go for branded goods but is a nice relaxing way to spend an afternoon, especially because generally the sellers wait patiently until they see you are interested. However, other Seoul shopping experiences pale in comparison to what you get at Dongdaemun Market. The area is actually a collection of over 20 multilevel shopping complexes with all the latest fashionable items. What it does share with its history as a marketplace is its opening hours, which go from midday until the early morning hours, and in some cases all night. Talk about shop ‘til you drop!

One sight you can see from almost any vantage point in all of Seoul is the N Seoul Tower, perched atop Namsan Mountain in the district’s southeast. It really is worth a visit, and the cable-car ride to the top is not the only way to reach it, but the most recommended. You’ll be able to take in the dry forest hillside, which is even more spectacular from the top of the tower. The leaves paint the mountain green in spring and summer, hues of orange and red in the fall, then completely white on winter days with snowfall, and you can enjoy a panoramic view of the whole city. Another pleasant surprise is the tower’s teddy bear museum, which features illustrations depicting aspects of Korean culture but with teddy bears taking the place of humans.

In north Jung-gu you can stop by the Deoksugung palace compound, a cool collection of traditional buildings set within open, paved courtyards and simple gardens with tall, green trees. What you may notice here are slight hints of western architecture in the use of pillars within the structures and the lanes running at right angles with trees on either side, similar to parks in the west. For a real taste of ancient royal palaces you have to go further north into the Jongno District.

So there you have it, the heart of modern Seoul, and what we mention above is only the beginning! Find out just how spectacular it is from one of our Jung-gu accommodation choices after booking a flight to Seoul.