Seoul
Palaces at the foot of the mountains, a tower of 101 storeys across the river, forty-two starred kitchens, and a business aviation centre at Gimpo, half an hour from the centre.
- Arrival
- Incheon International · ICN
- To the city
- About 45 to 90 minutes by car from Incheon; 30 to 40 from Gimpo
- Private jets
- Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center (GMP)
- Best time
- April to May · September to October
The city
Old palaces, new towers, two seasons.
Seoul keeps its past at Gwanghwamun, where the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace lie below the hills, and its present south of the Han River in Gangnam, where most of the two-star restaurants are. Namsan rises between the two, with the Shilla on its slopes; at Jamsil the Lotte World Tower goes up 101 storeys, with a starred restaurant on the 81st.
Come in spring or autumn. April and May bring blossom and highs of 17 to 23 °C; September and October are dry and clear at 20 to 25 °C. The monsoon sets in during late June, and July alone brings more than 350 mm of rain. Winter highs sit near freezing.
Arriving
Incheon for airlines, Gimpo for jets.
Incheon International, on an island about 52 km west of the city, takes the long-haul flights; the drive is 45 to 90 minutes. Gimpo, about 16 km south-west of the centre, is the older airport and the one for private jets.
- Beijing 1 h 35
- Tokyo 1 h 50
- Ho Chi Minh City 5 h 00
- Riyadh 10 h 00 long-range jet
- Lisbon 13 h 45 long-range jet
When to go
April to May, and September to October.
Four sharp seasons. Come for the cherry blossom in April and May, at 17 to 23 °C, or for the ginkgo-yellow weeks of September and October, at 20 to 25 °C, when October is nearly dry. The monsoon arrives in late June; July and August bring 358 and 288 mm. January highs average 1 °C.
- 1° J 22
- 3° F 26
- 10° M 45
- 17° A 102
- 23° M 90
- 26° J 133
- 28° J 358
- 29° A 288
- 25° S 161
- 20° O 49
- 11° N 48
- 4° D 21
What to see and do
Days in and around Seoul.
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Landmark
Gyeongbokgung
The main palace of the Joseon kings at Gwanghwamun, with the mountains behind it.
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Landmark
Namsan
The wooded hill in the city centre, with gardens on its slopes and the skyline all round.
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Landmark
Lotte World Tower
One hundred and one storeys at Jamsil, with a hotel and a starred restaurant high in it.
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Culture
National Museum of Korea
Permanent galleries at Yongsan trace Korean art and archaeology, free to enter and open until 9pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Official site -
Culture
Leeum Museum of Art
Buildings by Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas in Hannam dong house traditional Korean art in one wing and modern and contemporary work in the other.
Official site -
Nature
Changdeokgung Secret Garden
Entry to the royal garden behind Changdeokgung Palace is by timed reservation, released six days ahead through the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center.
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Culture
Jongmyo Shrine
Its main hall, 101 metres long, reopened in April 2025 after a five year restoration and again holds the spirit tablets of 49 Joseon royals.
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Nature
Bukhansan National Park
From the Bukhansanseong entrance a trail of about 8 km return climbs to Baegundae, the 836 metre summit above the city.
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Opera & music
Seoul Arts Center
Home to the Korea National Opera and Korea National Ballet, the Seocho complex has a 2,305 seat opera theatre and a 2,523 seat concert hall.
Official site -
Food & wine
Gwangjang Market
Trading since 1905 near Jongno 5 ga, the market is known for its mung bean pancakes, mayak gimbap and knife cut noodles.
Where to stay
From the palace gates to Gangnam.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Four Seasons Hotel Seoul Rooms that look straight onto the palace grounds, Yu Yuan with one star, and two Keys since 2026.
- The Shilla Seoul On the slopes of Namsan among gardens, with La Yeon and its two stars on the 23rd floor.
- Fairmont Ambassador Seoul A marble staircase in the lobby, the Han River and The Hyundai Seoul close by.
- Park Hyatt Seoul Ten rooms to a floor across 24 storeys opposite COEX, with the lobby at the very top.
- Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul Rooms and suites on the side of Namsan, most of them with their own relaxation pool.
- Conrad Seoul Opened in 2012 inside the IFC complex, with 434 rooms and a 25-metre indoor pool.
- Grand Hyatt Seoul Below Namsan since 1978, with 615 rooms, an ice rink and JJ Mahoney's, a club since 1988.
- The Grand Lotte Seoul The former Lotte Hotel Seoul took this name in August 2026 after a refit of its main tower; Pierre Gagnaire cooks on the 35th floor of the Executive Tower.
- The Westin Josun Seoul Opened in 1914 as the Chosen Hotel on the site of the Hwangudan altar and rebuilt in 1970, it is the oldest hotel still trading in Korea.
- Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Linked to Samseong station and COEX since 1988, with its rooms refitted in 2020.
- Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences Built in 2021 by Seokchon Lake, where some rooms look across the water to the Lotte World Tower.
- JW Marriott Hotel Seoul Above the Express Bus Terminal since 2000; the sauna runs on hot spring water found during the building works.
- Andaz Seoul Gangnam Hyatt's first Andaz in Korea, 241 rooms on the site of an old KT telecom office, open since 2019.
- Grand Walkerhill Seoul A 1963 resort hotel on the eastern edge of the city, its rooms facing the Han River or Achasan.
- Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery Korea's first MGallery, opened in 2022 with 196 rooms looking over the Han River to Bamseom, and an infinity pool facing the water.
- Vista Walkerhill Seoul Built in 2004 as Asia's first W hotel and renamed in 2017, it has an indoor pool above the Han River and an 800-year-old olive tree in the lobby.
- Mondrian Seoul Itaewon The Capital Hotel of 1988 became the first Mondrian in Asia in 2020; 295 rooms, and a pool and lounge on the fifth floor.
- The Westin Seoul Parnas Opened in 1999 as the InterContinental Seoul COEX and reopened under the Westin name in September 2025, with 564 rooms by Bongeunsa temple.
- SIGNIEL Seoul High in the 101-storey Lotte World Tower, with Bicena and its star on the 81st floor.
- Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam Art Deco lines south of the river, and Eatanic Garden with one star in the building.
Where to dine
Mingles and the two-star ten.
From the MICHELIN Guide 2026, shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these restaurants.
- Mingles Three Michelin stars Korean ₩₩₩₩ Dosan-daero, Gangnam
- La Yeon Two Michelin stars Korean contemporary ₩₩₩₩ The Shilla Seoul, 23rd floor
- Mosu Two Michelin stars Modern ₩₩₩₩ Hoenamu-ro, Yongsan
- Kwonsooksoo Two Michelin stars Korean ₩₩₩₩ Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam
- Evett Two Michelin stars Innovative, Korean ₩₩₩₩ Dosan-daero, Gangnam
- alla prima Two Michelin stars Innovative ₩₩₩₩ Hakdong-ro, Gangnam
- Soigné Two Michelin stars Contemporary ₩₩₩₩ Sinsa Square, Gangnam-daero
- Mitou Two Michelin stars Japanese ₩₩₩₩ Dosan-daero, Gangnam
- Restaurant Allen Two Michelin stars Contemporary ₩₩₩₩ Centerfield East, Teheran-ro, Gangnam
Flying to Seoul?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.