2. Bukchon Village
It's not hard to imagine the days of yore when you stroll through this utterly picturesque neighborhood. Flanked by two palaces — Gyeongbok Palace to the west and Changdeok Palace to the east — this village has the largest cluster of privately owned traditional Korean wooden homes or hanok in Seoul. Keep an eye out for the half-dozen or so alleys that have beautifully restored architectural features like small courtyards, decorative outer walls and dark tiled roofs. The neighborhood is also peppered with quaint cafés, art galleries and restaurants, including the popular Wood & Brick, which serves up divine lobster ravioli down the road from the Art Sonje Center gallery. The easiest way to get to Bukchon is to take subway line 3 to Anguk Station and take Exit 3.