25 Places to Go in 2025 Spotlight: Seoul

Seoul’s neighborhoods are like little cities. From Hongdae, the lively student area packed with coffee shops and design stores, to Isadong, where you can explore the historical parts of the city, to Gangnam, the neighborhood famed for its stylish wealthy residents, there’s a lot to explore. You could fill your boots walking (and eating your way around) the city’s street food markets, green spaces draped in cherry blossom come spring, ancient tea houses, and vintage and beauty stores, then leave feeling there’s so much more to discover.

Seoul has plenty of budget-friendly hotels and homestays to choose from. If you’d prefer to experience a more traditional stay rather than a science-fiction-esque hotel, look to one of Matador’s top hotel picks of 2024: Bukchon Binkwan, in the Bukchon Hanok Village neighborhood. Only a handful of suites are available, and accommodations are simple but authentic. The courtyard looks out over Seoul’s skyline, and you can partake in various cultural experiences, including a Korean-style breakfast, a tea ceremony, and spa treatments, some of which are complimentary. The city is a place of contrast; it’s boisterous and unassuming, traditional and new age. Staying somewhere like Bukchon Binkwan allows you to enjoy the more peaceful side of Seoul while staying close to major attractions such as the Gyeongbokgung and Changgyeonggung Palaces.

Being the capital and the primary entry point to South Korea, you can make Seoul your base for further exploration. An hour from the heart of downtown (and accessible by public transportation) is Bukhansan National Park, where you can hike to the summit of Baegundae Peak in under two hours. But don’t set a limit there; the countryside of mountain villages and scenic routes beg to be explored on a road trip. Spring brings flowers in bloom, and fall a collage of autumn hues. Believe it or not, South Korea also has year-round surf. Two hours from Seoul is the surf town of Yangyang, popular with surfers and those wanting an easy beach escape. Locals surf year-round (even when the sand is blanketed in snow), and come summer, the coastal vacation spot heats up with beach parties and laid-back vibes.