Roavina

City guide · South Korea

Seoul

A photograph of Seoul
Photograph · USAGI_POST · CC0

Seoul is South Korea's capital, spread across both banks of the Han River. The historic palace city lies north of the river around Jongno, Gwanghwamun and Namsan, while later commercial and residential centres extend south into Gangnam and east and west along the metropolitan rail corridors. The city is best approached as linked districts rather than one continuous centre: royal palaces and traditional neighbourhoods, central markets and museums, riverside areas, university quarters, and the newer southern business districts each form practical sightseeing clusters.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information
Language spoken
Korean
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+82
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
South Korean won (KRW)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112 police · 119 fire and ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Seoul

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Subway, bus and walking
  1. January: recurring difficult conditions
  2. February: recurring difficult conditions
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  7. July: recurring difficult conditions
  8. August: recurring difficult conditions
  9. September: good time to visit — current month
  10. October: best time to visit
  11. November: good time to visit
  12. December: recurring difficult conditions
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Category

Historic monuments 28 Museums 21 Places of worship 5 Nature sites 14 Viewpoints 4 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 7 Entertainment 3 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 1 Art and culture 18 Activities 0

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0

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Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

More city guides

How the city is laid out

The Han River is the clearest dividing line. North of it, the palace-and-Namsan core includes Gwanghwamun, Jongno, Bukchon, Insadong, Dongdaemun and Myeongdong. Westward, Hongdae and the university districts form another cluster; Yeouido occupies an island in the river. South of the Han, Gangnam, Apgujeong and Samseong are modern commercial areas with their own attractions. Seoul's official visitor maps divide suggested routes into the downtown palace and Namsan area, Apgujeong, Gangnam and Samseong, which is a useful way to avoid repeated cross-city travel.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Use the subway as the default between districts and walk within each cluster. Stations and lines are colour-coded, exits are numbered, and major information appears in Korean and English. A Tmoney transport card can be used across the network; single-journey passes are also available from station machines. Buses reach areas beyond convenient rail stops, but the official visitor guide notes that they can be harder for first-time visitors despite colour-coded route types. Check the official transport page for current operating information before travel.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Seoul?

A fixed stay length is not recorded. Allocate time by district: the palace core, central markets and museums, a western neighbourhood such as Hongdae, and the southern districts if they match your interests.

What divides northern and southern Seoul?

The Han River. The older palace city and Namsan are north of it, while Gangnam, Apgujeong and Samseong form major visitor clusters on the south side.

Is Seoul's subway suitable for first-time visitors?

Yes. Lines are colour-coded, station exits are numbered, and major signs use Korean and English. The official tourism guide recommends the subway as one of the most efficient ways to cross the city.

Should I use buses or the subway?

Use the subway for most cross-city journeys. Buses are useful for areas between stations, but route information can be less intuitive for a first visit even though services are colour-coded.

Can I cover the palaces and Gangnam in one walking route?

No. They sit in different city clusters on opposite sides of the Han River. Use the subway between them and reserve walking for the sights within each district.