Seoul
Few cities pivot between centuries as easily as Seoul. In one afternoon you can stand in a 600-year-old palace courtyard as the guard changes in Joseon-dynasty costume, then ride a spotless metro to a district of glass towers, K-pop billboards and all-night street food. It’s a huge, fast, exhilarating capital — and, for the visitor, a remarkably easy and inexpensive one, with world-class public transport, low crime, and a digital fluency that makes it feel effortless once you’ve found your feet. This is the natural base for any first trip to Korea.
A little background
Seoul has been the capital of Korea for over six centuries, since the founding of the Joseon dynasty in 1392, and today it anchors a metropolitan area of some 25 million people — about half the country. It straddles the Han River, with the historic core and its grand palaces on the north bank and the gleaming modern districts like Gangnam to the south. It’s a city defined by contrasts: ancient and hyper-modern, serene temple and neon nightlife, all packed together and connected by one of the best transit systems on earth.
A reminder on Entry Requirements
Entry: K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card. Good news for 2026 — most of our readers (UK, Ireland, the EU, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) can enter visa-free for up to 90 days and are currently exempt from the K-ETA travel authorisation, under a waiver running to 31 December 2026. One step still applies: because you won’t be holding a K-ETA, you must submit the free online e-Arrival Card within three days before you arrive — only travellers who hold a valid K-ETA are exempt from it. Use only the official k-eta.go.kr site; third-party sites charge for what is free. For the full entry rules, including what changes from 2027, see our Visiting South Korea guide, which is the place we keep these details up to date.
Places you don't want to miss
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The grandest of Seoul’s five Joseon palaces, with its sweeping throne hall and the popular changing of the guard ceremony. (Note wear a rented hanbok traditional dress – and get in for free).
Bukchon Hanok Village
A hillside neighbourhood of preserved traditional *hanok* houses between two palaces — beautiful, and, like Kyoto’s Gion, a living residential area, so tread quietly and respect the signs and residents’ privacy
Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden
UNESCO-listed palace whose rear garden (Huwon), visited by guided tour, is among the most serene spots in the city.
Insadong and Bukchon
The traditional heart for tea houses, galleries, calligraphy and craft shops — the place to slow down and browse
Myeongdong
The frenetic shopping and street-food district — cosmetics, fashion and an evening food market that’s an attraction in itself.
Gangnam
The affluent district south of the river — designer shopping, the COEX mall and aquarium, and the K-pop industry’s home turf.
Namsan and the N Seoul Tower
The mountain and tower at the city’s centre, reached by cable car, for the definitive panorama — best at dusk.
A DMZ day trip.
An hour away, the North Korean border, is an extraordinary day trip (requires a booked tour).
Getting there and around
Seoul is served by Incheon International Airport (one of the world’s best, about an hour west) and the closer Gimpo for some regional flights; the AREX train and limousine buses connect Incheon to the city. Once there, the metro is the answer to almost everything — vast, cheap, punctual, signed in English, and tap-in-tap-out with a T-money card. Taxis are plentiful and reasonable (the Kakao T app is the local ride-hailing standard). High-speed KTX trains run from Seoul to Busan, Gyeongju and beyond in a couple of hours.
Cost and hours
Seoul is inexpensive for a major capital — street food, metro fares and palace entries all cost little (the palaces are around ₩3,000, or free in hanbok). Most palaces are closed on a Monday or Tuesday (it varies by site, so check the one you want), so plan around that. Allow at least three to four days for the city itself, more if you add a DMZ tour or day trips. The entry admin — submit the free e-Arrival Card before you fly, then buy a T-money card on arrival — is quick and easily done.