One week, two halves: three days in the Gangwon mountains around Yongpyong and Alpensia, four days in Seoul for palaces, street food and shopping. A day-by-day plan.
You have one week. You want to ski, but you also want to see Seoul, eat barbecue and visit a palace. This plan splits the trip into three days in the mountains and four in the city, which is enough snow to improve without wearing yourself out.
Fly into Incheon and take an airport limousine bus to a hotel in central Seoul. Myeongdong is a convenient base because ski shuttles and airport buses stop nearby. In the evening, walk the street food stalls: try hotteok (a sweet filled pancake) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes). It is a gentle way to get used to the cold.
Start at Gyeongbokgung Palace. Visitors wearing hanbok get in free, and rental shops near the palace offer warm winter versions. Note that the palace is closed on Tuesdays, so swap days if you need to. Spend the afternoon in Insadong for tea houses and craft shops, then head to Hongdae in the evening for street performers and late shopping.
Take a morning ski shuttle bus from central Seoul to Yongpyong or Alpensia. The ride usually takes about three hours depending on traffic. Check in, rent your gear, and spend a couple of easy hours warming up on gentle runs. In the evening, find a Korean barbecue restaurant in the resort village or in Hoenggye town.
Ski all day, stop for a bowl of ramyeon at a mountain restaurant, and decide in the evening between night skiing and a soak at a water park such as Alpensia's Ocean 700. If you are not a skier, the non-ski activities guide covers the cable car, sledding and the nearby sheep farms.
Get on the first lift for the quietest runs of the trip, return your rentals around lunchtime, and take an afternoon bus back to Seoul. Spend the evening in Gangnam for dinner.
Visit the Starfield Library inside the COEX Mall, a huge open reading space with tall bookshelves. In the late afternoon go up to Seoul Sky at Lotte World Tower for the sunset. Finish with shopping at Dongdaemun, where several fashion malls stay open late.
Have a last coffee, then take the airport limousine bus back to Incheon. Leave plenty of time if roads are icy.
Most visitors are worn out after three days on Korean groomers, and the city half makes the trip feel complete. If you want more snow time, extend the mountain section and see our guide to getting to the resorts without a car. If you are carrying big bags, read the heavy luggage transport guide before you book buses.