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Seoul, South Korea Travel Guide

Gyeongbokgung, hanok alleys and kimchi

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Why visit Seoul

Seoul layers five centuries of palaces with the world’s most plugged-in urban culture: Gyeongbokgung’s changing of the guard, Bukchon’s hanok alleys and the neon of Gangnam and Hongdae. The food runs from 24-hour barbecue joints to street stalls selling tteokbokki and fried chicken with beer - the national pairing. Night markets, jjimjilbang spas and a DMZ tour keep day three full.

Last updated Aug 17, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

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Worth booking before you go

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Lock in the hotel first Live prices for Seoul, South Korea - best-rate guarantee, free cancellation on most rooms. Search hotels on Booking Trains, buses & ferries in one place 12Go sells the seats local operators won't show you online, in English. Search routes on 12Go Skip the ticket queue Tiqets gets instant mobile tickets for the museums and landmarks worth pre-booking. Browse Tiqets attractions

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Airport transfer in Seoul

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Car rental in Seoul

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Things to do in Seoul

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Hotels in Seoul

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Plan your Seoul trip

Every link below uses the dates and travelers set in the bar above.

Budget estimate

€630–€1,330 for 2 travelers · 7 nights

Typical daily budget: €45–€95 per person

Per person per day: food + local transport + activities (stays & flights excluded).

Open the full budget calculator Seoul cost breakdown

Tipping in South Korea

Restaurants: No tipping. Not part of local culture; service charge (if any) is already in the price.

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Know before you go to South Korea

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Seoul travel guides

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Sep 13, 2026

A Food Lover's Guide to Milan, Tokyo & Seoul: What to Eat and Where

Jul 10, 2026

Best time to visit Seoul

Most pleasant months: May–Sep (averaging 16–25°C). Coldest month January (-3°C), warmest August (25°C).

Monthly mean air temperature for Seoul, South Korea, NASA POWER climatology (T2M), fetched 2026-09-22. Daytime highs run several degrees higher; rainfall is not in this table, so check the live forecast before you book.

Weather decides when a city shines - and when it empties out. We pull 30-year climate averages for Seoul to show which months are warm, dry and worth booking.

Check live weather for Seoul

Getting there and around Seoul

Flight searches for Seoul use the airport code ICN. Each link below opens a search already filled in for Seoul; add your dates and origin in the trip bar at the top and they carry through.

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Bus corridors we track to and from Seoul

Editorial starting fares and journey times, not live quotes. See the bus fare index.

3 days in Seoul: what to eat & see

D1 Day 1

Morning

Gyeongbokgung Palace & guard change

Afternoon

Bukchon hanok village

Bibimbap

Evening

Myeongdong street food

Tteokbokki

D2 Day 2

Morning

DMZ/JSA tour (book ahead)

Afternoon

Insadong craft street

Samgyetang

Evening

Gangnam dinner & COEX

Korean BBQ (Bulgogi)

D3 Day 3

Morning

N Seoul Tower & cable car

Afternoon

Hongdae street art & cafés

Seolleongtang

Evening

Han River night market & fried chicken

Dakgalbi

Eat your way through Seoul

Browse all South Korea food

These are the dishes to hunt down in Seoul - not just the country's greatest hits. Tap a dish to see where it's made best, then compare a stay in the same neighbourhood with your dates.

Drinks & Beverages

Hwachae

Chilled Korean summer fruit punch set in a shared bowl - cinnamon-ginger rice-punch syrup with floating fruit, nuts and edible petals.

South Korea · Countrywide (Seoul and Gyeongsang provinces in particular)

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Street Food

Tteokbokki

Chewy Korean rice cakes in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce - the nation's beloved street food.

South Korea · Nationwide

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Soups & Stews

Seolleongtang

Milky ox-bone broth simmered for hours.

South Korea · Seoul

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Rice Dishes

Injeolmi

Injeolmi is a soft, chewy Korean rice cake of pounded glutinous rice rolled in roasted soybean flour, eaten fresh at markets and ancestral rites.

South Korea · Nationwide (Seoul markets and provincial tteok shops)

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Desserts & Sweets

Gamjajeon

Gamjajeon is a beloved pancake, traditional to South Korea.

South Korea

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Soups & Stews

Naengguk

A family of cold Korean summer soups - chilled broth, thin noodles or puréed soybean, and a clean, vinegar-sharp finish designed to refresh in hot weather.

South Korea · Nationwide South Korea, with strong roots in Seoul and the northern provinces

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