A market breakfast, a stream walk, and Namsan at dusk

Central Seoul from the ground up — street food at a century-old market, a sunken stream through the middle of the city, and the classic tower view as the lights come on.

Morning — a traditional market

Begin where locals have eaten for a hundred years: one of the old covered markets, where the draw is the food stalls. Pull up a stool and graze — mung-bean pancakes griddled to order, knife-cut noodles, little seaweed-rolled bites, whatever the next stall is frying. It is loud, cheap, and the best breakfast in the city. (A note: the most famous market has become very famous; bring some cash, glance at prices, and you will eat brilliantly.)

Midday — the stream

A few minutes away, a restored stream runs below street level straight through downtown — a long, green, walkable corridor of water and stepping stones with the city humming above. It is the locals’ favourite lunchtime escape, and a calm way to cross the centre on foot rather than underground. Follow it as far as suits, then surface for the afternoon.

Afternoon — Myeongdong

Surface into Myeongdong, the city’s buzziest shopping district: skincare and cosmetics shops stacked several storeys high, fashion, and after dark a street-food gauntlet — sweet filled pancakes, spicy rice cakes, fried things on sticks. Even if shopping is not your thing, it is a fun, neon hour and well placed for the evening’s main event.

Evening — the tower

Make your way up Namsan, the wooded hill in the middle of the city, to N Seoul Tower. Take the cable car or walk one of the pine trails up — either way the reward is the whole sprawling city laid out below. Time it for sunset into dusk, when the grid lights up; it is the classic Seoul view for a reason. Linger for the blue hour before heading down to dinner.