Seoul - The heart and soul

Seoul is a modern day sprawling metropolis

Seoul is South Korea's heartbeat.

It is the country's political, economic and cultural centre.

And the 600-year-old capital blends ancient and modern side by side.

Seoul has also already impressed on the global sporting senses when it hosted the 1988 Olympics.

Area facts

Population: 10.5m

Province: Gyeonggi-do

Location: North west

Sights: Gyeongbokgung

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Some classifications rank Seoul as the fifth largest city in the world

And for visitors there is a wealth of sights, sounds and smells for the senses to savour.

So much so that many people rarely venture beyond the city, leaving with the impression that Seoul is South Korea.

More than 10 million people live in the city, and more than half the country's population live in the city and its surrounding suburbs.

The locals are renowned as being smart and shrewd, are also good talkers and welcome visitors with open arms.

There are more than 300 theatres, art galleries and museums to cater for all tastes, plus a plethora of historic monuments.

What is more is that the whole experience is made more agreeable courtesy of a transport system that would put the best in the west to shame.

The 26-year-old metro system has eight lines stretching 287km with 262 stations.

For good measure there are 400 bus routes snaking around the city supporting a fleet of more than 8,500 vehicles.

With the River Han bisecting the city and mountains climbing away on the horizon, the city is highly picturesque.

As it is at closer quarters, where Namsan mountain provides the focal point of the city, the Seoul Tower dominating the skyline from its peak and botanical gardens providing the scenery at its base.

Tradition in the city is rich and there is a royal element to much of it.

Festival fun

Sajik Taeje

Held every October, the ceremony is held at the Sajiktan Altar where people pray for the country's continuing stability

There are regular re-enactments of the Royal Marriage between Emperor King Gojon and Empress Myeongseong and the Changing of the Royal Guard.

The three most striking attractions are Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and Jogyesa.

Gyeongbokgung, built early in King Taejo's reign in 1395, is the most representative palace of the Josean Dynasty.

Changdeokgung is the best preserved of the palaces of the era and its gardens provide an escape from the speed of the city.

Unlike either of the palaces, Jogyesa temple is a working centre as the headquarters of the Korean Buddhist Order Jogye - the largest Buddhist sect in Korea.

For the more urbane, the city has world renowned shopping districts such as Namdaemun Market, Dongdaemum Market, Itaewon, Myeongdong and Insa-dong.

Namdaemun is Korea's largest conventional market, a famous tourist hot spot and also serves as a yardstick to the nation's economy.