Madrid to Seoul Flights

  About Madrid

Madrid is one of the hottest holiday destinations in Spain and no, and we are not talking about the weather here. It's not as popular as Barcelona, but it is definitely a city that you must visit. Spain is one of the cheapest holiday destinations in Europe compared to other countries and is worth every penny spent. Madrid is an architectural marvel and is also known for its rich culture. You will occasionally run into an old Spanish Grandma or another local who is all excited to help you with directions or hand you a list of the best attractions to visit in the city. There are high chances of you befriending a lot of locals and staying in touch with them later on through social media. Not to mention, the city is musically inclined, and you will find yourself attending quite a few music festivals here. Of course, Madrid is also popular for its food, and you will want to visit the city again just for the gastronomic experience.

Best Time to Visit Madrid

Summer is one of the most popular times for tourists to plan a vacation to Madrid. However, a lot of local shops are shut during this time since the owners also take a vacation. If you don't mind the scorching heat, this is the best time to fly to Madrid. The temperature ranges from 15 to 31 degree Celsius in summer. You might also want to book your hotel in Madrid well in advance if you are planning to visit the city in summer. You can attend quite a few festivals and events during summers like the International Gay Pride, Mad Cool Festival, Feria del Libro and Veranos de la Villa. Tourists also prefer taking a taxi to get around the city instead of walking around to avoid the heat.

September to November is the autumn season in Madrid and quite pleasant, too. The temperature ranges from 6 to 26 degree Celsius, and this is also when most locals return from their vacations. The shops remain open, and you get to enjoy the highlights of the city at its best. You can also attend the Autumn Festival that happens in October and November. December to February are the coldest months in Madrid. The temperature ranges from 2 to 12 degree Celsius, January being the coldest month. This is also the best time to book a hotel in Madrid or get cheap flight tickets to Madrid since it is not a high season.

Spring season is from March to May and is a pleasant time to head to Madrid. It is right before the high season, so the locals are preparing to welcome a lot of tourists. The hotel prices are low this season and flight tickets are also pretty cheap. The temperature ranges from 5 to 21 degree Celsius and a lot of tourist spots are also open. The best part is that you get to hog the city to yourself since it is not very crowded.

Places to Visit in Madrid

Plaza Mayor, originally called Plaza del Arrabal, is a major tourist attraction in Madrid. You will find yourself admiring the architecture of the place and take lots of pictures. Royal Palace of Madrid is yet another tourist spot that has a lot of historical importance. It was built right where the Moorish Castle was destroyed in 1734 after a tragic fire broke out. It is one of the most important tourist spots in the city. You can also visit the National Museum of History, called the Museo Nacional Del Prado. It houses some of the best masterpieces by renowned artists like Van Dyck, Goya, El Greco, Rembrandt and so on. You will find paintings that date back to the 11th and 18th century. The Temple of Debod was a gift to the city by former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. Catch the best of artist Francisco Goya's paintings at the Royal Chapel of St Anthony of La Florida. The church also has the remains of the artist who was buried in front of the altar.

Teatro Real, or the Royal Theatre, is considered to be one of the best opera houses in all of Europe. It has a seating capacity of 1745 people, and you can even get a guide to take you through the theatre. You can also visit the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a monument that took approximately 20 years to construct. Watch some of the most beautiful fountains at the Plaza de Cibeles. It is also home to the bank of Spain, Linares Palace and Buenavista Palace. Madrid also has a happening nightlife scene. You can head to Barrio de La Latina for some delectable tapas, go dancing and have some amazing beer. However, if crowded places are a deal-breaker for you, you might want to steer clear of visiting the place on weekends.

Things to do in Madrid

You can go on a guided tour of the city. Reserve a day for museums, another day for art tours and a few days to sit back, relax and party. Madrid's nightlife scene is quite exciting. Make sure you visit museums like Museo del Prado, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Museo Sorolla and Museo Reina Sofia. It would be advisable to hire a guide for your museum tour. You'll get to know a lot more interesting facts about the city. You will find yourself appreciating the architecture, and you will be amazed at everything that you see in the museums. If you want to spend your evening relaxing at El Retiro, one of the most beautiful parks in Madrid. You can either plan a picnic on the grass or go boating around the lake in the park. If you are at Plaza Mayor, make sure you try the squid roll here. You will find a lot of restaurants here that serve delicious squid rolls. It is one of the most popular dishes to try here. You can head to Gran Via for a shopping spree and to La Latina for some tapas. Madrid is also easily accessible to other cities in Spain, and you can also cover other major cities in Spain like Barcelona, Seville, Granada, Ibiza and more. Madrid is a place you can visit with your family or your friends. You can also pack your bags and head for a solo trip to Madrid.

Food and Restaurants in Madrid

Traditional Madrid food consists of meat, bread and cheese. It's best tasted in tapas, samples of small plates of Spanish dishes. They come free with the drinks that you order at the bars. Mercado de San Miguel, a popular market that is located right outside Plaza Mayor, offers tapas along with cocktails, dessert, coffee and produce stalls. You can head over to El Tigre if you want to try some complimentary tapas along with your favourite cocktail. The restaurant serves a large plate of tapas, and even though the place is quite loud, you will enjoy your time here. You can also try paella (which is rice with fish), croquetas (fried breadcrumb rolls dish that is filled with mashed potatoes, meat and cheese), Espanola (potato omelette that you will fall in love with) and gazpacho, which is cold soup. You cannot leave Madrid without trying the famous jamón Iberico, one of the most expensive hams in the world. You will also find a lot of Indian, Asian, Chinese and Latin American cuisine in Madrid. Kathmandu Tandoori House Nepali serves the best Indian and Nepali cuisine. You can head to Antonio of Italia a Tavola for authentic Italian food. If you want to try street food that's also healthy, you can try Azotea Forus Barcelo and to Empanadas Malvon Retiro for Argentinean cuisine. Gramabar is a popular spot for everyone who is in the mood for American, Caribbean and Venezuelan cuisine.

How to reach Madrid (Transportation)

Madrid International Airport is called Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport and is situated in the Barajas district. It is about 12 km away from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Madrid from India is excellent. Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Lufthansa, Air France are some of the airlines that fly to Madrid quite frequently with layovers at Istanbul, Cairo, Munich and Paris; these are the most popular routes to Madrid by air. If you book in advance, there are high chances that you get cheap flight tickets to Madrid. You will also come across decent flight deals to Madrid online. Madrid Airport is well-equipped with WiFi, lounges and also has a sleeping room in case you want to reach the airport early and wait for your flight. There are lots of taxi and bus services from the airport to your hotel. If you are on a Europe trip and Madrid is on your itinerary, you can also take the Eurail that connects to France and Italy as well. Though you can reach Madrid by rail and road from any other European country, taking a flight to Madrid is one of the most convenient ways to travel.

  About Seoul

The affluent city of Seoul is one of the largest cities and capital of South Korea. Defined by its vibrant culture, flourishing economy and striking infrastructure and architecture, the city easily becomes one of the best places to live in. Right from the clean and convenient Incheon airport to the towering yet scintillating structures of the skyscrapers in the city, Seoul is a city that you should definitely visit. From the city's nightlife fervour to the relics of ancient history, Seoul caters to the likes of all types of tourists.

Flight bookings to Seoul are decently priced from India. It also falls under one of the top places to visit for a budget-friendly experience from India. The lively and dynamic city life will certainly leave an impression on you. Not to mention how they have exquisite accommodations and hospitality too. You can book some lovely hotels in Seoul and enjoy the garden views of the city.

Best time to visit Seoul

Seoul enjoys multitudes of seasons, making some months perfect and others best avoided. Spring in Seoul between March to May is when the city witnesses the best of nature's delights. From lovely trees turning into beautiful shades of green to the blooming of the cherry blossoms, Seoul's Springtime is the best season to visit the city. The temperature is also at a pleasant 10 degree Celsius to 23 degree Celsius. It is recommended that you pack some parkas or winter jackets during your visit as the evenings will get quite cold. The flight tickets to Seoul is cheap during springtime, making travelling viable. Not to mention how the hotels also drop their prices. If you do a little scouting, you might even find some snazzy flight deals online to Seoul as well as affordable accommodation. Best would be to book hotels to Seoul in advance as the locals of South Korea might flock over to the city to experience the charming season. Since this is also the time when there are festivals celebrated, crowd from other parts of South Korea might travel to the city.

The second wave of season that would work in your favour is the autumn. Between September and November, the autumn season envelopes the city with scintillating atmosphere and lovely weather. Compared to the flight ticket prices to Seoul during summer or even winter, autumn will get you the best travel deals. Hotel prices also see a pleasant drop, enabling travelling convenient for travellers who wish to explore the city of Seoul. There are various high-priced and quaint hotels in Seoul that you can check into.

Places to visit in Seoul

As a city that witnesses approximately 10 million people from around the world, there are many beautiful tourist spots with off-beat city things. You will interestingly find a lot of gardens and parks interspersed with a fine culinary experience. The two famous things to see in Seoul is undoubtedly their well-maintained parks, temples, palaces and marketplace. Some of the perfect places to begin with in Seoul are from the serene gardens of Changdeok Palace, Bukhansan National Park and Namsan Park and N Seoul Town. While it might sound boring to indulge in garden-hopping as opposite to the possibility of seeing pristine structures and architectural delights. But you should know that these gardens have the power to transport you to a tranquil space amid a busy city. Bukchon Hanok Village would be a good neighbourhood to visit as it has some of the most expensive and private hanoks, basically traditional Korean-styled houses.

While in Seoul, do not miss out their UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the oldest royal shrines preserved by the city. Jongmyo Shrine is known to be the oldest and a well-kept royal shrine complex from the Joseon dynasty. The location is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. You can also check out their cute Korean version of Disney World at Lotte World. The theme park boasts Korean kitsch but also has some fun adventure rides suitable for all ages.

Things to do in Seoul

Within the Bukhansan National Park, there are towering hills and even valleys that would deem perfect for some of you adventure junkies. You can also trek up to the Buddhist temples and the Bukhansanseong Fortress, all by following the trails in the park. To engage in some of their party cultures, you can check out Hondae, a hub and that flaunts the fun youth culture of South Korea. Dongdaemun Market is another amazing place for all you shopaholics. It is Seoul's very own mecca of shopping with exquisite brands and over 30,000 shops, wholesale stores and much more. In fact, to peruse through the market, you will have to carry a map with you, so that you don't get lost in the premise.

Food and Restaurants in Seoul

Seoul's culinary delights are something that you shouldn't miss. Take that leap of faith and experiment with your palette by downing some of the traditional Korean dishes. Straight from the Korean kitchen are dishes like hansik, kimchi, gochujang and samgyupsal, galbi, to name a few of them. Much of Korean cuisine has grilled food that goes down really well with some soju. The setting for these dishes is mostly some of the quaint restaurants with tabletop grill. The sizzling meat in front of you would certainly leave you drooling.

It is essential for you to first learn about Korean cuisine before experimenting as some of their dishes might not go down well with you. While the sizzling meat could make you go weak in the knees, some of you might want to get a whiff of the lovely rice bowl with aromatic vegetables and meat. Seoul's famous Bon Bibimbap will serve you some of their legendary bibimbap. A bibimbap consists of a rice bowl topped with vegetables, fried egg (optional), marinated meat and chilli paste for taste. Not only will these dishes do you good but won't burn a hole in your pocket.

For the best street food experience in Seoul, you should simply head to the Gwangjang Market where you will find dishes such as mandu (dumplings with ground meat or vegetables, depending on your choice), bindaeduk (friend pancakes) and jokbal (pigs' feet tossed in boiling soy sauce and ginger). To experience the restaurant-like setting, you should visit places such as Gusto Taco, Jangseng Geongangwon, 853, The Griffin Bar, Jihwaja, Innisfree Green Cafe, Yang Good, to name a few. The Korean-style food and savouries are a treat, especially if you've been following the Korean culture for too long. Seoul's food expedition would be quite rewarding.

How to reach Seoul (Transportation)

By Air

From India, there is impeccable flight connectivity to Seoul. Major metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, etc., have direct or layover flights to Seoul. To book a flight ticket to Seoul, you'll have to select Incheon International Airport, which is near the main city of Seoul. From the Seoul airport, there are inter-city buses that will take you to the main city. The city of Seoul is approximately 48 km away from Incheon airport. Hence, the provisions to facilitate buses from the airport has been made by the authorities. It takes close to 60 minutes to reach the main city of Seoul from the airport. Seoul-Incheon International Airport is touted to be one of the cleanest and best international transit airport globally. The efficiency of the airport can be witnessed as you take the international route to Seoul from India too. The flights to and from Seoul regularly fly in India. The demand for the South Korean city is quite high, making it one of the important international cities to connect for India.

The flight tickets from India to Seoul are also quite cheap and affordable. It costs approximately INR 37,000 - 40,000, round trip. Despite regular flight connectivity to Seoul, the flights from India do have to undergo layovers in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, etc. Air India is the only Indian airlines to have dedicated flights to Seoul from India. To enjoy cheap flight tickets to Seoul, you should opt for early booking. In fact, while you're at it, book your hotels in Seoul as well. You'll get the added benefit of booking flights to Seoul as well as accommodation. There are many flight deals online for Seoul as it is a popular city that sees decent demand from India. The flight duration to Seoul from India takes about 10 - 15 hours to reach.

By Water

There are cruises to Seoul by they are not connected from India. South Korea is an island country and hence, has cruises and ships as other modes of transport. However, the provision is not possible from India. There are regular ships and cruises voyaging to Seoul from Singapore, China and even Australia. IT should be noted though that travelling via waterways would take a lot of time. As long as you have the luxury of time and wealth, you can take up fancy cruises from the places mentioned. It is not a convenient mode of transport as you will have to change from flights to cruises or ships.