Seoul

April-May and September-November are the two golden windows. Spring brings cherry blossoms to Yeouido and the palaces; autumn turns Namsan and Nami Island red and gold with crisp 15-20°C days.

Avoid late July and August — hot, humid and rainy at once. Winter (December-February) drops well below zero, but flights and hotels are cheapest, and it is the season for nearby ski resorts and steaming street food, if you pack properly.

Buy a T-money card at any convenience store and tap onto the metro and buses. The Seoul Metro is vast, cheap (about ₩1,500 / $1 per ride), fully signed in English and runs till around midnight.

From Incheon airport, the AREX all-stop train reaches Seoul Station in about an hour for roughly ₩4,450 ($3). Card payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash only for market stalls. Google Maps is unreliable for walking directions in Korea — download Naver Map instead, plus Papago for translation.

Myeongdong is the first-timer default: mid-range hotels, the night market on your doorstep, direct airport buses, and two metro lines. Hongdae suits night owls and younger travellers — indie music, cheap eats and clubs around Hongik University, about 20 minutes from the palaces by metro.

Insadong and the wider Jongno area put Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon within walking distance, with traditional hanok guesthouses as the atmospheric option. Gangnam has the newest luxury hotels and the COEX mall, but it sits south of the river, 30-40 minutes from the old-city sights — pick it for shopping and K-pop landmarks, not palace mornings. If in doubt, any hotel within a 5-minute walk of a metro station works — the network reaches everything on this page.

Seoul is an easy family city, and the theme-park choice comes down to age and weather. Lotte World's indoor half suits under-8s and rainy days, and you sleep in the city; Everland has the bigger rides but adds about an hour of travel each way — with young children, Lotte World usually wins. N Seoul Tower makes a good family evening (cable car up, love-lock terrace, free views at the base), and the Han River parks are the local secret: rent bikes, order fried chicken to the riverbank, let kids run.

Stay in Myeongdong — the same first-timer logic as Where to stay above, with flat streets and the direct airport bus. Two honest notes: metro transfers can mean long corridors and stairs, so check lift exits with a stroller, and palace courtyards are gravel — hard going for wheels. Keep one big park day, then alternate light days: markets in the evening, palaces before lunch.

Seoul sits between Bangkok and Tokyo on price. Rough guide:

• Street-food snack: ₩4,000-₩7,000 ($3-$5)
• Korean BBQ dinner per person: roughly ₩15,000-₩25,000 ($10-$17)
• Coffee: about ₩5,000 ($3.50)
• Metro ride: about ₩1,500 ($1)
• Palace entry: about ₩3,000 ($2)
• Everland day ticket: around ₩56,000 ($37)
• Mid-range double room: roughly ₩120,000-₩200,000 ($83-$140) a night

Sightseeing is the bargain — palaces, markets, hanok lanes and hiking trails cost little or nothing. Theme parks, observation decks and shopping are where budgets stretch, so decide on those before you land. Cards work almost everywhere, including most market stalls; a small amount of cash covers the rest.

Many visitors make Seoul the whole trip — 5 days here with day trips beats rushing between cities. If you have 8+ days, add Busan (2.5 hours by KTX train) for beaches and seafood markets, or fly an hour south to Jeju for the volcanic island.

Seoul also pairs naturally with Japan on one long East Asia holiday — Tokyo is a 2.5-hour flight away. See things to do in Tokyo if you are considering the combination, and our South Korea page for entry rules and money tips.