Seoul folds five-century-old royal palaces into a hyper-modern skyline of 24-hour markets, skincare shops and neighbourhoods that each feel like a different city. It's easy to navigate, endlessly walkable, and just as good for street food at 1am as it is for a palace stroll at dawn.
Month by month
Best: March, April, May, September, October, November
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Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
How long to stay
4–6 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 14h from the US East Coast, 11.5h from Europe, 8h from South Asia.
Good to know
- Get a T-money card for subway, bus and even taxi payments.
- Tipping isn't expected anywhere, including restaurants and taxis.
- Renting a hanbok near a palace gets you free admission and great photos.
Plan a trip to Seoul
Pick your dates and Offdays builds a day-by-day itinerary from Seoul's best places.
Destination