Seoul

City guide · South Korea

Seoul

Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea.

4 ready itineraries · 3, 5, 7, 10-day plans

Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population.

Although Seoul's population peaked at over 10 million, it has gradually decreased since 2014, standing at about 9.6 million residents as of 2024. thumb|Deoksugung palace thumb|Opening at night of Gyeongbokgung Palace thumb|Gwanghwamun Seoul is a vast, vibrant cityscape, set against an airy backdrop of mountains. It includes a standout collection of attractions with a blend of old and new.

Best for
First-time visitors who want Seoul without a car. The 3-day plan stays inside walking range of Parks and mountains.
Skip if
Skip Seoul if you only want a beach week or an airport layover. This cluster is for people who will walk most days.

Pick a trip length

One plan per length — open it and walk the days in order.

5-day preview

Skim the walking days, then open the full plan.

Full plan
  1. 1

    Parks and mountains

    Walk Parks and mountains in Seoul. Start at Hangang Citizen's Park, then National Children's Science Center and Cecil Cinema);제일화재세실극장 (Jeilhwajaesesil Cinema. Stay on foot.

    Hangang Citizen's Park · National Children's Science Center · Cecil Cinema);제일화재세실극장 (Jeilhwajaesesil Cinema · Patriot An Junggeun Memorial Hall · …

  2. 2

    City

    Walk City in Seoul. Start at Korea Church 100 Junyeon Memorial Hall, then Gansong Art Museum and Savina Museum of Contemporary Art. Stay on foot.

    Korea Church 100 Junyeon Memorial Hall · Gansong Art Museum · Savina Museum of Contemporary Art · Baekak Art Museum · …

  3. 3

    City

    Walk City in Seoul. Start at Areuko Art Museum, then Insadong Korea Art Museum and Bon Gallery. Stay on foot.

    Areuko Art Museum · Insadong Korea Art Museum · Bon Gallery · Baekhaeyeong Gallery · …

  4. 4

    City

    Walk City in Seoul. Start at Urim Gallery, then Baroque Art Museum and Munhwailbo Gallery. Stay on foot.

    Urim Gallery · Baroque Art Museum · Munhwailbo Gallery

  5. 5

    Day trip toward DMZ (Korea)

    Leave Seoul for the day. Come back to the same bed.

    DMZ (Korea) · Panmunjeom · Gwacheon

Where to stay

Bases that fit the walking plan.

Full guide →

  • The centre

    3 to 5 nights

    First-time visitors

    Stay inside walking range of the first-day stops in Seoul.

Getting there & when to go

Lock timing and airport basics early.

Best time

Seoul works year-round for a walking trip. Shoulder months are easier on crowds and hills.

  • Shoulder months
  • High season
  • Low season
  • Rain days
Season guide →

Airport

Incheon International Airport (ICN)

Traffic jams are common in Seoul, but buses usually have their own lanes so they don't get stuck in traffic. The subway is a good choice too. Street and subway signage is usually written in English as well as Korean. Until 2011, Seoul (and South Korea as a whole) used an address system that was similar to that of Japan, where the streets did not have names and houses were numbered according to the position in the lot.

  • Public transit from ICN30 to 60 minutes · Local ticket price. Check the operator the week you fly.
  • Taxi or licensed ride hail20 to 45 minutes · Treat any number you see online as an estimate, not a quote.
Transfers →

Practical notes

Short reads before you book.

Understand

thumb|Gangnam district by night With over 10 million people, a figure that doubles if you include neighboring cities and suburbs, Seoul is the largest city in South Korea and unquestionably the economic, political and cultural hub of the nation. By some measures it is the second largest urban agglomeration on the planet, after Greater Tokyo.

Seoul is a favourite with tourists from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and, increasingly, the West, encouraged by the success of Korean pop culture. Aside from the native Korean, travelers will frequently overhear Japanese, Cantonese or Mandarin as well; many restaurants and stores, especially in the more touristy areas like Myeongdong, will have signs in Japanese and Chinese, as well as Korean and English.

Get in

Seoul ( for all airports) is served by two airports; Incheon International Airport serves most international flights, while Gimpo Airport mostly serves as Seoul's domestic airport, plus a smattering of international routes to China, Japan and Taiwan. thumb|240px|Incheon Airport Terminal 1 Most visitors arrive via ( ) on Yeongjong Island in the neighboring city of Incheon. The A'REX train connects the airport to Seoul Station (for further connections to KTX high-speed services) and Gimpo Airport (most domestic flights), operating from 05:20 until 00:00.

Two versions exist: express services to the city (every 40 minutes) take 43 minutes and cost ₩9,000 (with WiFi available on board); while all-stops services (every 6 minutes) take 53 minutes and cost ₩4,750.

Get around

Traffic jams are common in Seoul, but buses usually have their own lanes so they don't get stuck in traffic. The subway is a good choice too.

Street and subway signage is usually written in English as well as Korean. Until 2011, Seoul (and South Korea as a whole) used an address system that was similar to that of Japan, where the streets did not have names and houses were numbered according to the position in the lot.

Stay safe

Seoul is a remarkably safe city despite its size, comparable in safety to Hong Kong or Tokyo. Pickpocketing is not very common and violent crime is very rare.

There are very few places where CCTV cameras are absent. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas.

Related guides

Helpful next pages for Seoul.