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Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Gwanghwamun has everything you need for a convenient and culturally rich stay. On top of being walkable to historic sites and attractions such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Insadong, the venerated property pays homage to Korean heritage through original pieces by local artists like Choi Byung Hoon, chic accommodations kitted out with hanbok-inspired headboards and vintage pottery, a modern Korean sauna, and H. Bar, a cozy cocktail lab hidden within the hotel’s signature bar Charles H. Other vetted luxury hotels include JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, Conrad Seoul, and Park Hyatt Seoul.

Though Seoul is flooded with hanok (traditional Korean house) stays, Rakkojae Seoul stands out from the rest. Nestled in the heart of Bukchon, the tranquil 130-year-old property spread across five rooms remains true to its roots with traditional touches like hanji (paper made from mulberry tree bark) wallpaper, and floors warmed by ondol, an underfloor heating system.

The most unique place to stay in Seoul also happens to be the newest. With locations in Jongno and Sindang, A Better Place is a hospitality concept envisioned by the Seoul-based design studio Useful Workshop. The rooms and common spaces have been designed to feel warm, quiet, and purposeful with modular furniture—including the studio’s signature Edgeform Lounge, an aluminum sculptural chair—and a striking, but muted palette (Berlin red, apricot, butter yellow). It offers a hushed and stylish stay that feels far removed from Seoul’s hectic streets.

Want to discover a lesser-known side of Korean cuisine? Bypass the barbecue, and instead try Pyongyang naengmyeon, North Korean buckwheat noodles in an icy beef broth, from Wooraeok and Jinmi Pyeongyang Naengmyeon. Another affordable everyday staple, kalguksu, or knife noodle soup, represents comfort in a bowl. Though it’s doled out all across the city, Myeongdong Kyoja has been serving up some of the best since 1966. (You can even ask for a free second helping of noodles.) And for sluggish mornings following late nights, a bowl of gamjatang (spicy pork bone soup) from Seongsu’s Somunnan Gamjatang, a standby hangover remedy that’s open 24 hours, will fix you right up.

While Seoul is packed with reputable, high-end establishments—Michelin-starred Jungsik and Mingles are among the best for contemporary Korean fine dining—street food is where you can tap into the city’s culinary soul cheaply and easily. Established in 1905, Gwangjang Market is South Korea’s oldest and largest market, and is always filled with hungry locals and out-of-towners hovering over crispy bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and steaming bowls of kalguksu. Other markets you should have on your radar are the smaller-but-charming Mangwon Market and Tongin Market, and Noryangjin Fish Market, where you can shop the fresh seafood stalls, then have your selections prepared as you wish (raw, steamed, grilled) at one of its on-site restaurants.

Want to discover a lesser-known side of Korean cuisine? Bypass the barbecue, and instead try Pyongyang naengmyeon, North Korean buckwheat noodles in an icy beef broth, from Wooraeok and Jinmi Pyeongyang Naengmyeon. Another affordable everyday staple, kalguksu, or knife noodle soup, represents comfort in a bowl. Though it’s doled out all across the city, Myeongdong Kyoja has been serving up some of the best since 1966. (You can even ask for a free second helping of noodles.) And for sluggish mornings following late nights, a bowl of gamjatang (spicy pork bone soup) from Seongsu’s Somunnan Gamjatang, a standby hangover remedy that’s open 24 hours, will fix you right up.

While Seoul is packed with reputable, high-end establishments—Michelin-starred Jungsik and Mingles are among the best for contemporary Korean fine dining—street food is where you can tap into the city’s culinary soul cheaply and easily. Established in 1905, Gwangjang Market is South Korea’s oldest and largest market, and is always filled with hungry locals and out-of-towners hovering over crispy bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and steaming bowls of kalguksu. Other markets you should have on your radar are the smaller-but-charming Mangwon Market and Tongin Market, and Noryangjin Fish Market, where you can shop the fresh seafood stalls, then have your selections prepared as you wish (raw, steamed, grilled) at one of its on-site restaurants.