City guide · South Korea
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 Namsa...
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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.
Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
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.
Checked 2026-08-26
November · November drops Seoul to an 11.9°C mean high and has 51.1 mm of rain over 8.8 days.
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남산골한옥마을
Namsangol Hanok Village is a cultural heritage site in Seoul preserving traditional Korean hanok houses. Located at the northern base of Namsan Mountain, the village was established to showcase restored Joseon-period residences relocated from various parts of the city.
명동대성당
Myeongdong Cathedral, known locally as 명동대성당, stands as a prominent Catholic cathedral in the Myeongdong district of Seoul, South Korea. The structure represents an important historical and religious landmark within the capital.
서울역사박물관
Seoul Museum of History, known locally as 서울역사박물관, is a municipal museum devoted to the history of Seoul. The museum presents the capital as a changing city, linking earlier settlements, dynastic development, modern transformation and metropolitan life.
서울시립미술관
The Seoul Museum of Art, known locally as Seoul City Museum of Art or 서울시립미술관, is a public art museum operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
흥인지문
Heunginjimun, known locally as 흥인지문, is one of the Eight Gates of Seoul in the Fortress Wall of Seoul, South Korea. It is commonly referred to as Dongdaemun, meaning Great East Gate.
삼릉공원 / 서울 선릉과 정릉
국립민속박물관
The National Folk Museum of Korea is a national museum located in Seoul, South Korea. It is situated within the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of the major royal palaces of the Joseon dynasty.
국립현대미술관 서울관
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA Seoul) is a branch of South Korea's national museum system dedicated to contemporary art. Located in the Samcheong-dong area near Gyeongbokgung Palace, it occupies a renovated military compound.
남산
Namsan is a wooded mountain in central Seoul and one of the city’s most recognizable natural landmarks. Its slopes rise amid the capital’s dense neighborhoods, giving visitors a chance to combine urban sightseeing with a substantial outdoor walk.
북한산(백운대)
하늘공원
World Cup Park is a large public green space in western Seoul, created on a former landfill site during the urban improvements associated with the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
올림픽공원
Olympic Park is a major public park in Seoul, South Korea, established for the 1988 Summer Olympics. The local name is 올림픽공원. It occupies a large site in the Songpa-gu district and serves as a legacy venue from the Games.
서울숲
Seoul Forest is a major urban park located in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The local name is 서울숲. It was developed on former landfill and industrial sites, transforming degraded land into substantial green space.
송파나루공원
Seokchon Lake Park, also known as 송파나루공원, is a public park in Seoul's Songpa district built around Seokchon Lake. It offers water views and landscaped walking space beside one of the city's busiest commercial and entertainment areas.
서울식물원
Seoul Botanic Park, also called 서울식물원, is a large botanical garden in western Seoul. It gives visitors a plant-focused break from the city's dense streets, combining conservation, education, landscaped gardens, and recreation.
여의도한강공원 멀티플라자
63
63 Square, long known as the 63 Building, is a gold-clad skyscraper on Yeouido island overlooking the Han River.
롯데월드
Lotte World is a major recreation complex in Seoul, South Korea. The local name is 롯데월드. It comprises both indoor and outdoor facilities, with the indoor portion known as Lotte World Adventure and the outdoor portion called Magic Island.
홍대거리
코엑스 아쿠아리움 (COEX Aquarium)
COEX Aquarium is an indoor aquatic attraction within COEX Mall in Seoul’s Gangnam district. It forms part of a large commercial and leisure complex containing shopping, convention facilities, hotels, and entertainment.
Starfield Library (Byeolmadang Library) is a library set in the central atrium of Starfield COEX Mall, an underground shopping mall in Samseong-dong in Seoul's Gangnam District.
이슬람교서울중앙성원
Seoul Central Mosque is a working mosque on a hillside in Itaewon, Seoul, with the Korean name 이슬람교서울중앙성원. Its significance is religious and communal: it serves worshippers and forms part of Itaewon’s international Muslim community.
국립고궁박물관
The National Palace Museum of Korea is a Seoul museum devoted to the Joseon Dynasty and Korean imperial court. Near Gyeongbokgung Palace, it brings together objects connected with royal ceremonies, court life, administration, art, and palace culture.
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
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
Suggested stay for a first visit: 4–5 days. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
