City guide
Seoul Travel Guide: Six centuries of palaces inside a 24-hour megacity
Seoul is the capital of South Korea, a megacity of 9.5 million known for five Joseon-dynasty palaces, Bukchon Hanok Village, Myeongdong’s shopping and street food, Hongdae’s nightlife and the N Seoul Tower. Its subway system is among the world’s best, and the city genuinely runs 24 hours.
Seoul at a glance
| Timezone | KST (UTC+9) |
|---|---|
| Currency | South Korean Won (KRW) |
| Languages | Korean |
| Population | 9.5 million |
| Coordinates | 37.5665, 126.9780 |
Why visit Seoul
Seoul is five grand palaces wrapped in a hyper-modern megacity: hanok rooftops under the N Seoul Tower, 4am noodle shops, skincare emporiums the size of stadiums, and subway stations that are cleaner than most airports. It is Asia’s most underrated great city — and its most caffeinated.
When to visit Seoul
Seoul’s two coronations are cherry-blossom early April and golden late October. Summer is a humid monsoon; winter is Siberian-cold but clear, cheap and crowd-free.
Book hanbok-friendly palace days and foliage-weekend hotels well ahead for April and late October; Chuseok week shifts yearly. Read the full month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Seoul.
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Seoul travel questions
What is the best month to visit Seoul?
October is the best month to visit Seoul — peak autumn colour in the palaces and crisp 10–20°C days. Early April is the cherry-blossom equal. Avoid July–August monsoon heat; winter is very cold but bright, cheap and crowd-free.
Last reviewed and updated: by the AmazingAsia editorial team. See our editorial policy.