Seoul

A palace-and-barbecue capital that changes personality after dark.

Seoul keeps palaces in the middle of a city that stays out later than you planned. See one gate and one neighborhood market. Then let the night be barbecue, a convenience-store beer by the river, or a tiny room that only does one stew.

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Location

37.57° N, 126.98° EOpen in OpenStreetMap

Must-see spots

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Best time to visit

April–June, September–October

Trip planner

A Seoul itinerary

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Field guide

Seoul is huge and the transit is excellent. Pick two areas a day. The palaces and the nightlife are both real and they are not the same hour.

When to go

Spring cherry blossoms and autumn color are the classic visits. Summer is monsoon-wet and hot. Winter is cold, clear, and excellent for stew and baths. Golden weeks around lunar new year and Chuseok move the whole country.

Neighborhoods

Jongno for palaces and hanok streets. Hongdae or Itaewon if you want a younger night. Gangnam is polished and optional. Ikseon or a market alley for food. The river parks if the weather is kind.

Eating

Barbecue, stews, fried chicken as a second dinner, and a market pancake. Meals can be endless side dishes. Spice is negotiable less often than the menu suggests. Convenience stores are a legitimate late option.

Pack this in your notes

T-money card for the metro.
Many rooms seat you when your whole party is there.
English is common in some neighborhoods and scarce in others.
Winter wind between buildings is serious.

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Traveler reviews

Rate and review

Leila H.

8/10

A neighborhood week in Seoul

Barbecue you cook, in a room that is already loud. Best stretch: April–June. South Korea is expensive in the obvious places and generous if you leave the main square.

Dec 5, 2025

Hannah B.

10/10

Seoul is a walking city

A palace at opening, then a market lunch. Barbecue you cook, in a room that is already loud. A palace-and-barbecue capital that changes personality after dark. Eat where the room is full of locals and give Seoul more evenings than museums.

Nov 4, 2025

Sofia R.

10/10

Seoul is a walking city

The river or a night walk in a university neighborhood. A coffee or a bakery, because the city got serious about both. A palace-and-barbecue capital that changes personality after dark. Eat where the room is full of locals and give Seoul more evenings than museums.

Jan 6, 2025