A promotional poster for "2026 Seoul Edition 25," featuring tourist attractions across Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A promotional poster for "2026 Seoul Edition 25," featuring tourist attractions across Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

For those who find weekends uneventful or feel reluctant to travel far, Seoul's own neighborhoods may offer the answer. A new list highlights local attractions across the city that are easily reachable on foot.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that it has selected 25 representative local landmarks — one per district — under the "2026 Seoul Edition 25" program.

Seoul Edition 25 is a project that selects one landmark per district through expert review and online public voting, drawing from candidates recommended by residents and district offices.

Expert panels evaluated candidates on locality, appeal, scalability and sustainability, narrowing the field to 50 sites. An online vote held from June 6 to June 26 drew 33,911 participants.

The selected sites span alleyways, traditional markets, sunset and night-view spots, urban forests and walking paths, and cultural and historical spaces. The first group of picks includes Bongeunsa, Gwangnaru Bicycle Park, a hands-on forest rest area on Bukhansan, Seoul Botanic Park, Gwanaksan, Seoul Children's Grand Park, Gocheok Sky Dome, the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, Hwarangdae Railway Park, the Seoul Museum of Photography, Gyeongdong Market, Noryangjin Fish Market and Haneul Park.

The remaining selections are Seodaemun Prison History Hall, Maeheon Citizens' Forest, D Museum, Gilsangsa, Seokchon Lake, Yongwangsan Skywalk, Mullae Arts Village, Leeum Museum of Art, Eunpyeong Bukhansan Dulle-gil, Seo-sunra-gil, Euljiro Alley and Yongmasan Skywalk.

Bongeunsa received the most votes among individual sites. Several newly opened tourism and cultural venues also made the list, including Yongwangsan Skywalk, which opened in April; the Seoul Museum of Photography, which opened in May last year; and the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, which opened in March.

The city plans to develop the 25 sites into hubs for local tourism where visitors can experience, linger and explore. To that end, it will create experience programs tailored to each site's character, themed travel routes linking multiple sites around a common subject, and half-day or full-day itineraries connecting nearby commercial districts and tourism resources.

"We will weave Seoul Edition 25 tightly together with local commercial areas and hidden tourism assets, and build it into Seoul's signature local tourism brand — one where anyone can stay, enjoy and spend like a true Seoulite," said Jo Seong-ho, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Tourism and Sports Bureau.


ken@heraldcorp.com