Where to Start When Visiting Seoul

On a trip to Asia in October, my husband and I want to visit Seoul, but we know nothing about where to stay or to go. Can you offer suggestions? - A. S., Pasadena, Calif.

You probably ought to start at the Korean National Tourism Organization, which has offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. It offers a lot of information, both online and in brochures; call (800) 868-7567 or go to http://www.tour2korea.com/ or www.visitseoul.net/english.

Most of the major attractions are on the north side of the Han River, mainly in the Jongno-gu and Jung-gu areas of central Seoul. Many hotels there cater to tourists and are close to three subway lines, according to Sung-Kyung Kim, a spokeswoman in the New York office, who pointed to the Sofitel Ambassador (http://www.ambatel.com/) as an example. An interactive map and search function at http://www.visitseoul.net/ can help in finding hotels.

Grace M. Kim, a spokeswoman in the Los Angeles office, suggested a home-stay program for a fuller Korean experience.

Getting to the city center from Inchon Airport by taxi will cost at least $50, but many hotels offer free shuttles. There is also a bus twice an hour that costs about $12 to the Sofitel, at 1,025 won to the dollar.

Subways cost about $1 up to 7.4 miles and prepaid discount passes are available. Buses are about 50 cents, and regular taxis are about $1.60 for the first mile and $1.50 for each additional mile (so-called deluxe taxis charge $4 for the first 1.86 miles).

You can get an overview of the city a couple of ways - including quite literally at the 1,200-foot-tall Seoul Tower, Namdaemun-ro 1-ga, Jung-gu, in Namsan Park.

The Seoul City Tour Bus (82-2) 777-6090 has two routes ($5 each) past the major attractions. Passengers can get off at any stop, then reboard. The 35-seat buses have headsets that play timed information in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese and French. They run every 30 minutes.

You can also see the city from the river on the two-hour Hangang River Cruise for about $9 (food and drinks are sold).

Here are some of Seoul's major sites:

Gyeongbokgung Palace, just north of downtown, (82-2) 732-1931, was the main (and grandest) palace of the Chosun (or Joseon) Dynasty (1392-1910). Built in 1395, destroyed in 1592, rebuilt, then largely torn down during the Japanese colonization last century, it was restored in the last 15 years.

The palace includes the National Folk Museum, (82-2) 723-2272, http://www.nfm.go.kr/, modeled partly after the Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, center of the Shilla dynasty (57 B.C. to A.D. 935). Three large exhibition halls depict traditional life in different eras, supplemented by paintings, farm implements and other artifacts. Admission is about 70 cents.

Opposite City Hall is the Deoksugung Palace, (82-2) 771-9951. It includes the Royal Museum, with art and artifacts of royalty; admission $1. In the same complex is the National Museum of Contemporary Art, (82-2) 779-5310, http://www.moca.go.kr/.

A popular place for antiques and historic shops is Insadong, an arts district north of downtown. A thoroughly modern arts center, the Insa Arts Alley, sits across the street from the Insa Art Center.

You can get an introduction to Korean food and culture at Korea House, http://www.koreahouse.or.kr/, (82-2) 2266-9101. A traditional royal dinner costs $27 and a performance of folk dancing and music $28.

If you do want to get out of the city, a twist would be a tour to the Demilitarized Zone along the border with North Korea. Half- and full-day tours cost $45 to $77. Information at http://www.dmzpaju.com/ as well as www.tour2korea.com (Sightseeing).

Finding a Guide on an Istanbul Layover

In September, I will have a layover in Istanbul. How can I find a guide, preferably female, with expertise on the Ottoman Empire? - B. G, Bloomington, Ind.

The Federation of Turkish Tourist Guide Associations, which goes by the acronym Tureb, says it represents seven guilds and associations with a total membership of 9,000 licensed guides. In an interview and a follow-up e-mail message, Serif Yenen, Tureb's president, said the best place to find a guide was at http://www.turkishguides.org/.

This site lists hundreds of guides and a search function allows for several criteria, including language and types of tours. If a guide has a Web site it gives a link, or you can get in touch by e-mail. Mr. Yenen said guide fees were generally $100 to $250 a day.

Tureb's main Web site is http://www.tureb.org.tr/; its phone number is (90-212) 292-0520.