Seoul
Palaces and hanok lanes on one side of the river, neon and K-pop on the other.
Seoul fills a basin of granite hills on the Han river, with the Joseon palaces and the old hanok quarters north of the water and the towers of Gangnam to the south. It is a city of mountains inside its limits, markets that never close, barbecue smoke and a pop culture that has gone around the world.
Why go
For the palaces — Gyeongbokgung with its changing of the guard, the secret garden of Changdeokgung — and for Bukchon's lanes of tiled roofs between them; then for the food, from a bowl of bibimbap at Gwangjang market to a late barbecue in a side street.
And for the pace and polish of a modern Asian capital: the design of Dongdaemun, the cafés of Seongsu, the shopping of Myeongdong and Gangnam, the mountain trails of Bukhansan an hour from the centre by subway.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01Gyeongbokgung and the palaces
The main palace with its throne hall, pavilions and the guard ceremony at the gate, and Changdeokgung with its secret garden a short walk east. Visitors in rented hanbok walk the courtyards.
02Bukchon Hanok Village
Lanes of traditional wooden houses on the hill between the two palaces, with tea houses, craft workshops and the tower on Namsan in the view.
03Insadong and Ikseondong
The old street of galleries, calligraphy brushes and tea rooms, and the narrow hanok alleys of Ikseondong next to it, now full of cafés and small restaurants.
04The markets and the food
Gwangjang for mung-bean pancakes and raw beef at the stalls, Namdaemun for everything else, Noryangjin for fish, and any street for barbecue, fried chicken and soju.
05Namsan and the Han river
The tower on the wooded hill in the centre, walked or reached by cable car, and the parks along the river with cyclists, picnics and the bridges lit at night.
06Hongdae, Seongsu and Gangnam
Student nightlife and buskers around the university at Hongdae, warehouse cafés and design shops in Seongsu, and the towers, boutiques and entertainment companies of Gangnam.
07The DMZ and Bukhansan
A guided half-day to the border zone north of the city, and the granite peaks of Bukhansan national park for a hike with the city below.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
Jongno and Insadong
The old centre around the palaces and Bukchon: hanok guesthouses, tea houses and history on foot.
Myeongdong and Jung-gu
The shopping and street-food district below Namsan, central and well connected.
Hongdae and Mapo
Young, loud and creative, near the river and the university, with the airport train stopping nearby.
Gangnam
South of the river: business hotels, department stores and the newest restaurants and clubs.
When to go: Seoul
- AutumnSeptember – November
- Clear skies, crisp air and the maples turning red in the palace gardens and on the mountains. The season most would choose.
- SpringApril and May
- Cherry blossom along the river and in the parks, mild days and some yellow dust from the west.
- SummerJune – August
- Hot and humid with a rainy season in July. Air-conditioned museums, night markets and the river after dark.
- WinterDecember – March
- Cold, dry and often sunny, with snow on the palace roofs and skiing a couple of hours away. Heated floors and hot stews are the compensation.
Getting there
Airports
Two airports in our search serve Seoul. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- ICNIncheon International
- GMPGimpo International
Distance from
- SINSingapore4,660 km
- BOMMumbai5,600 km
- DXBDubai6,770 km
- SYDSydney8,340 km
- LHRLondon8,880 km
- CDGParis8,940 km
- JFKNew York11,070 km
- JNBJohannesburg12,470 km
Getting around: Seoul
The subway is vast, clean and signed in English, and reaches both airports; a T-money card covers subway, buses and taxis. The express train from Incheon takes under an hour.
Taxis are plentiful and reasonable; ride-hailing works through local apps. The old centre is walkable and the river parks are made for cycling.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- South Korea
- Currency
- KRW · South Korean Won
- Languages
- Korean
- Time zone
- Korean Standard Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +82
The atlas
Seoul in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in Seoul, month by month
- Jan1°
- Feb3°
- Mar9°
- Apr15°
- May21°
- Jun25°
- Jul27°
- Aug28°
- Sept24°
- Oct18°
- Nov11°
- Dec3°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
Good for going, on these averages: May, June, September and October.
Mean highs run from 1°C in January to 28°C in August, with about 1,241 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for SeoulModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBSeoul
6,770 km
8 hrs 45 mins · Estimate
From AUHSeoul
6,880 km
8 hrs 50 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near Seoul
In pictures: Seoul
Plan this trip: Seoul
Open the trip builder with Seoul already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
