Ideas for weekend away from HK: Seoul Part 2: Things to do!

• Gyeongbok Palace is great for kids. It’s a huge palace complex in front of the mountains, with lots of courtyards to run around in, and big stone steps to clamber up to peer into the inner chambers. My eldest son was a little disappointed that we didn’t find the King’s bedroom, but other than that they really enjoyed it. If you can time your visit to catch the changing of the guard it is worth it, as the guards have fantastic bright robes and strange musical instruments. If you’ve ever seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, this may seem like a somewhat slovenly affair in comparison, as the guards shamble rather than march in time, but it’s great fun guessing whether their beards are real or stick-on. There is a lovely lake with a banqueting pavilion in the middle (for the Kings) and a cafe overlooking it (for us). Definitely a must-see.

• From the palace it’s a short walk until you reach Bukchon Village where the streets are full of Western and Korean cafes and lovely trendy little boutiques. The traditional Korean lunch we had was reasonably priced and the children enjoyed sitting on cushions on the floor rather than chairs.
• The vibrant Hongdae area of town around the university is fascinating for an evening wander: packed with bars, barbeque joints and boutiques that spill out onto the streets selling the most beautiful shoes which I could never fit my big Western hooves into, but lovely to look at all the same. It was refreshing to see a lot of street art and very well received street performances.
• My blonde boys did get a lot of unwanted attention from Korean ladies, and quite a few tried to grab their arms and faces, which they hated. The attention seems entirely friendly, but overwhelming for little ones.