Seoul

Good to know

1. 1Seoul has been the capital for over six hundred years, since the Joseon dynasty made it the seat of the kingdom in the late 14th century. Five grand palaces from that era still stand in the central districts.
2. 2The Han River runs through the middle of the city and splits it into northern and southern halves. Locals spend warm evenings on its riverside parks, often with food delivered straight to the grass.
3. 3Korean is written in Hangul, an alphabet created in the 15th century under King Sejong. It is built from a small set of letters and is one of the easier scripts to learn well enough to sound out signs and menus.
4. 4Meals are built around rice and shared side dishes, with kimchi on almost every table. Korean barbecue, stews, and street snacks such as tteokbokki are all part of everyday eating.
5. 5Traditional houses called hanok survive in neighbourhoods like Bukchon, and some are now guesthouses or tea rooms. They have heated floors, a system called ondol, that is still used in modern homes.
6. 6The currency is the South Korean won, and many people pay by card or phone even for small purchases.

Tips for a first visit

• Get a rechargeable transport card as soon as you arrive. It works on the subway and buses, and you can top it up at convenience stores.
• Use a map app that works well in Korea, since some international apps give limited walking and transit directions there. Local ones are more reliable for routes and bus times.
• Carry some cash for market stalls and the occasional small vendor, though cards are accepted nearly everywhere else.
• Take off your shoes when you enter a home, a guesthouse room, or many traditional restaurants where you sit on the floor.
• Pour drinks for others at the table and use both hands when giving or receiving something from an older person. It is a small gesture that is noticed and appreciated.
• Try a meal at a small neighbourhood restaurant that serves one dish, such as a stew or noodles. These places are often the best food you will have.

When to go

Spring, from April into May, brings cherry blossoms and mild days, and autumn has clear skies and strong colour in the hills. Summer is hot and humid with a rainy spell in mid-summer, and winter is cold and dry, which suits those who do not mind bundling up and enjoy hot food and heated floors.

From the airport

Most visitors land at Incheon International Airport, which lies west of the city on an island and is linked to the centre by an airport railway line, by long-distance buses, and by taxis. The train or bus usually takes somewhere between about an hour and an hour and a quarter depending on where you are heading, and a taxi takes a similar time when the roads are clear. Gimpo Airport, used mostly for domestic and some short regional flights, is much closer to the centre and connects by subway.