Trailing, ever-present, behind Japan in the race for the world’s most modern society is South Korea, a quietly-developing nation of quirky, intelligent fashionistas with a culture all their own. Seoul is the humming capital of South Korea – a massive metro area of more than 10 million people – one of the largest cities on earth. Seoul teeters between its long history crowned by the temples and shrines that still give the city an air of serenity, and the modern buzz of international commerce that characterizes South Korea today.

Gyeonbok Palace

For hundreds of years, this sprawling ornate palace complex was the seat of Korea’s Joseon imperial governments. The original palace was constructed in the 1390s and reconstructed in 1867. Sadly, the palace was terribly damaged during war, so it is still undergoing refurbishment. Today, it is open for tourism as the Joseon Palace Museum, and houses the Korean Folk Museum, as well. The palace consists of a number of stacked pagoda-style gates at various ends of the complex, and the interior comprises several courtyards layered within one another.

Cheonggye Stream

Though it has flowed through Seoul for centuries, this small river was converted into a public green space just five years ago, when it opened as a public park and recreation area in September 2005. When Seoul was first developing, Cheonggye Stream was covered by infrastructure, and later an elevated highway was built over it. When the government decided to reconvert the area to a green space, the highway was removed and parklands were installed down both sides of the river, as well as a walking path, bridges and gardens.

Bukchon

To get a feel for a more historic side of Seoul, wander through this neat series of suburbs where imperial officials and royalty once resided. Some of the traditional Korean houses, known as hanok, are preserved well here – many still inhabited by local residents. This area is also a haven for fashion and food and is developing into one of the best preserved cultural centers in Seoul.

Namdaemun Market

One of the largest and oldest markets in Seoul, this pedestrian-only shopping district nods to a time when Seoul was less car-friendly. Hundreds of shops, stalls and vendors line the narrow streets of the congested Namdaemun Market, and here you can find all types of goods, particularly handbags, shoes and clothing.

Namsan Tower

This hilltop tower offers wonderful vistas of the Seoul city scape from the vantage point of a small mountain near the city center. Namsan Tower, also known as N Seoul Tower, was once the tallest building in Asia and has an observatory deck that allows circular views of the entire city. The tower can be reached by a variety of modes, but the coolest is a cable car that speeds you up the south slope of the hill, with stunning views of downtown Seoul as you go.

Chains of Love

While visiting Namsan, you’ll want to partake in this strangely romantic tradition, whereby lovers place padlocks along the chain link fence that surrounds the base of the tower. Each couple brings two locks and chains them together to the fence to symbolize their eternal love. The fence now has thousands of locks hooked to it, creating a truly unique artistic installation that also has a nice meaning.