In Seoul, smoking is heavily regulated: in several areas of the city it is forbidden to smoke on the street, and dedicated glass booths have been created where people must go inside to smoke. They can be found mainly near stations and public areas, and are part of the city's effort to keep the streets cleaner and more liveable.
Of South Korea I visited Seoul, a beautiful, intense and contrasting city where futuristic skyscrapers and ancient temples coexist just a few minutes apart. It is an enormous metropolis, yet at the same time surprisingly orderly and easy to navigate, with neighbourhoods that completely change atmosphere from one area to the next.
One of the most beautiful things about Seoul is precisely this balance between modernity and tradition. On one side there are areas like Gangnam, with lights, shopping centres and glass towers that look like they have come from the future. On the other there are neighbourhoods like Bukchon Hanok Village, where you walk among traditional Korean houses, curved rooftops and quiet alleyways that make you feel as though you are in another era.
One of the best moments is definitely climbing Mount Bukhansan, which sits right on the edge of the city. It is incredible because in very little time you go from urban chaos to total nature. The climb winds through rocks, pine trees and views over the city that grow more and more spectacular the higher you go.
Food is also a fundamental part of the experience. Seoul is a paradise for anyone who loves to eat: street food everywhere, night markets and iconic dishes such as bibimbap, kimchi, tteokbokki and Korean barbecue, where the meat is cooked right at the table. Every meal is a social experience, to be shared and savoured slowly, even in the small local restaurants hidden among the streets.
Seoul is a city that manages to be chaotic and harmonious at the same time, traditional and ultra-modern, and perhaps it is precisely this mix that makes it so special.