Seoul Itinerary: 3 Days for First-Timers (Plus 5- and 7-Day Versions)

This Seoul itinerary is built for a first trip: 3 days that cover the palaces, the hanok lanes, a market dinner, the trendy east side, Namsan’s night view and Hongdae, with extra days for a 5-day or 7-day trip. Each day stays in one part of the city, so you spend your time walking around neighborhoods, not sitting on the subway. We give realistic times between stops, what’s closed on which day, a rough budget, and what to swap in when it rains.

Last checked: October 2026. Opening hours and prices are the ones we confirmed for our individual guides; they change, so check each linked guide before you go. Dollar figures use about 1,330 KRW = 1 USD (October 2026).

This guide contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

First time in Korea? Start here: our step-by-step guide from landing to your first day. This itinerary is the next step.

Seoul itinerary at a glance

Before Day 1: get a transit card (T-money card guide), sort out mobile data (eSIM vs SIM card) and install the apps that actually work in Korea (essential Korea travel apps). For the airport trip, see Incheon Airport to Seoul; for choosing a base, see where to stay in Seoul. This plan assumes a hotel around Myeongdong, Jongno or Seoul Station. If you stay in Hongdae, just flip the order of Day 3.

Check closed days before you fix the order

• Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays. If Day 1 falls on a Tuesday, swap it with Day 2, or start at Changdeokgung instead (closed on Mondays).
• DMZ tours don’t run on Mondays (or on weekday public holidays and Seollal and Chuseok).
• Bukchon’s red zone is open to tourists only from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and visiting outside those hours can bring a 100,000 KRW (~$75) fine.
• Seongsu is best on weekdays. Many cafés open around 11:00 AM and weekend afternoons are packed.

Our Seoul subway guide covers fares, transfers and last trains. Use Naver Map in English for exact exits and walking routes; the times below are typical door-to-door estimates.

Seoul itinerary day 1: palaces, hanok lanes and a market dinner

Morning (9:00–12:00): Start at Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), which opens at 9:00 AM. Take Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5, or Line 5 to Gwanghwamun, Exit 2, if you want to stand at the gate for the 10:00 AM changing of the guard (free, about 20 minutes). The adult ticket is 3,000 KRW (~$2.3), and entry is free if you wear hanbok. Rental shops around the station open around 9:00. Allow 2–3 hours: the throne hall, Gyeonghoeru Pavilion on its pond, and Hyangwonjeong at the back.

Late morning to early afternoon (12:00–15:00): Leave by the east side and walk 15–20 minutes to Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을). It’s free, but keep to the 10 AM–5 PM window and keep your voice down: people live here. Walk the Bukchon-ro 11-gil rooftop view, then drift downhill to the cafés of Samcheong-dong for lunch.

Afternoon (15:00–18:00): From Anguk Station it’s about a 10-minute walk to Insadong (인사동), the pedestrian street of tea houses and craft shops, and another 5–10 minutes to Ikseon-dong (익선동), a cluster of hanok houses turned into cafés and small shops. If you want something hands-on, this is the area for a kimchi making class: many classes and the Museum Kimchikan are right here.

Evening (18:00–21:00): Walk about 15 minutes east (or ride Line 1 one stop from Jongno 3-ga to Jongno 5-ga) to Gwangjang Market (광장시장) for dinner: bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), mayak kimbap and noodle stalls under one roof. Then walk back west along Cheonggyecheon (청계천), the stream that runs through downtown. It’s lit up at night and ends at Cheonggye Plaza near Gwanghwamun.

Map — Gwangjang Market: Google Maps · Naver Map (Naver Map is still the most reliable app for walking, bus and subway directions in Korea)

Walking total: roughly 10–12 km, mostly flat except Bukchon. Wear real shoes.

→ Go deeper: Seoul palaces in one day (route with map) · Jongno guide · Gwangjang Market food guide

Seoul itinerary day 2: Seongsu, Seoul Forest and Gangnam

Morning (9:30–11:00): Take the subway to Seoul Forest Station (Suin-Bundang Line) or Ttukseom Station (Line 2) and start with a walk in Seoul Forest (서울숲) while the cafés are still closed. It’s an easy, flat park and quiet in the morning.

Late morning to early afternoon (11:00–15:00): Walk into Seongsu-dong (성수동), Seoul’s café and pop-up store district, as things open around 11:00. Start on Yeonmujang-gil near Seongsu Station Exits 3 and 4, have lunch, and check which brand pop-ups are on that week. The Olive Young N Seongsu store is here too if you want K-beauty without Myeongdong’s crowds (see what to buy at Olive Young).

Afternoon (15:00–18:00): Stay on Line 2 from Seongsu to Jamsil (about 10–15 minutes) for Lotte World Tower (롯데월드타워), Korea’s tallest building, and the walking path around Seokchon Lake next to it. With kids, the indoor Lotte World theme park is in the same complex. Or ride three stops further on Line 2 to Samseong for Starfield Library in COEX Mall, the free library with towering walls of books, and Bongeunsa Temple across the road.

Evening (18:00–21:00): Dinner in Gangnam or Jamsil, then watch the city lights from the riverside. On a clear evening the Han River parks are where Seoul goes to sit outside with convenience-store ramyeon and chicken. In cold weather, finish indoors at COEX instead.

Map — Lotte World Tower: Google Maps · Naver Map (Naver Map is still the most reliable app for walking, bus and subway directions in Korea)

Seoul itinerary day 3: Myeongdong, Hongdae and N Seoul Tower at night

Morning (10:00–12:30): Start in Myeongdong (명동), Line 4. The big Olive Young Myeongdong Town store opens at 10:00 and has a global lounge and tax refund on the 2nd floor. Bring your physical passport (tax refund guide). Namdaemun Market, the old wholesale market, is a 10–15 minute walk west for snacks and cheap souvenirs.

Afternoon (13:00–17:00): Walk to Euljiro 1-ga Station and ride Line 2 west to Hongik University Station (about 25 minutes door to door). Explore Hongdae (홍대): street fashion, indie shops and buskers on weekends. Then walk the Gyeongui Line Forest Park (경의선숲길), a long, narrow park on an old rail line, into the cafés of Yeonnam-dong (연남동). Carrying bags on your last day? See Hongdae luggage storage.

Sunset and evening (17:30–21:30): Ride Line 2 back toward the center and head up Namsan for sunset at N Seoul Tower (N서울타워). The cable car station is a 10–15 minute uphill walk from Myeongdong Station; the queue can take an hour on weekend evenings, so the 01A or 01B Namsan bus (1,400 KRW, ~$1, card only) is the backup. The plaza and love locks are free. The observatory costs 29,000 KRW (~$22) for adults and is open until 22:30 on weekdays and 23:00 on weekends. Finish with Myeongdong’s evening street food stalls.

Map — N Seoul Tower: Google Maps · Naver Map (Naver Map is still the most reliable app for walking, bus and subway directions in Korea)

Flying out on Day 3 or 4? Leave bags in a locker in the morning (Myeongdong luggage storage, or Seoul Station right next to the airport train).

→ Go deeper: Myeongdong guide · Hongdae guide · Itaewon guide

Seoul itinerary 5 days: add the DMZ and a day trip

Do Days 1–3 above, then add these two days. With 5 days you can slow down a little, too: Seongsu and Hongdae both deserve longer than a few hours.

Day 4: DMZ morning, Seoul afternoon

Morning (7:30–14:00): Join a half-day DMZ tour from Seoul. Most go to Imjingak, the Third Infiltration Tunnel and Dora Observatory, about 1–1.5 hours north. Group tours run roughly $40–60 with pickup near the main hotel areas. Bring your physical passport, and don’t book for a Monday. Note that civilian JSA (Panmunjom) tours have been suspended since July 2023, and we haven’t found an official reopening for foreigners.

Afternoon and evening: Back in the city by mid-afternoon: take a kimchi making class if you skipped it on Day 1, revisit a neighborhood you liked, or catch up on shopping.

Day 5: a Gyeonggi-do day trip, or a seasonal day

Seoul is surrounded by Gyeonggi-do (경기도), where most easy day trips are (things to do in Gyeonggi-do). Pick one:

• Suwon Hwaseong Fortress (수원 화성): a UNESCO-listed fortress with a walk of about 5.7 km on its walls. It’s reachable by subway and train from Seoul. Allow a full day.
• Korean Folk Village, Yongin: traditional houses, craft demonstrations and performances. A good choice with kids.
• Anseong Farmland: feeding animals and seasonal flower fields, about an hour south. We went ourselves in October 2026.
• In autumn: stay in the city for the foliage (see the seasonal section below).
• In winter: a ski day trip near Seoul, with shuttle buses from the city.

Seoul itinerary 7 days: museums, the river and a farther trip

Seven days means you can see Seoul at a normal pace. Do the 5-day plan, then:

Day 6: National Museum, Yongsan and the Han River

Morning: The National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관) at Ichon Station (Line 4 and the Gyeongui–Jungang Line) is huge, and its permanent exhibition is free. Two to three hours covers the highlights.

Afternoon: Itaewon (이태원) is a short taxi ride away (or Line 4 to Samgakji, then Line 6): global food, vintage shops and the easiest place in Seoul to find halal food. The side streets are steep.

Evening: Yeouido Hangang Park (여의도한강공원), Yeouinaru Station on Line 5, for sunset by the river. Or take a Han River cruise from the Yeouido pier.

Day 7: one farther trip or a free day

• Nami Island (남이섬): the classic tree-lined island, best in autumn. It’s busy on weekends.
• Busan: if you’re continuing south, the KTX from Seoul to Busan takes under three hours. Many 7-day visitors spend their last nights there instead.
• A free day: go back to the neighborhood you liked most, or try a jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse) to rest your legs before the flight.

Seoul itinerary with kids: keep Days 1 and 3, swap Seongsu for Lotte World and Seoul Forest on Day 2, choose the Korean Folk Village or Anseong Farmland for the day trip, and skip the DMZ for younger children. Many families base themselves in Myeongdong or near Seoul Station, which keeps the transfers short (where to stay in Seoul).

Seasonal changes: autumn and winter

Autumn (mid-October to mid-November): the 2026 foliage forecasts put Seoul’s peak at roughly the last days of October into the first week of November. Add Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden (timed guided tours only, autumn slots sell out) to Day 1, and walk Namsan’s trails on Day 3. Our Seoul fall foliage 2026 guide has the spots and dates. Gyeongbokgung closes at 6:00 PM in September and October and at 5:00 PM from November.

Winter (December to February): days are short and the wind by the Han River is bitterly cold, so plan outdoor sights for midday and move the evening plans indoors (COEX, department stores, underground shopping). Gyeongbokgung closes at 5:00 PM, and last entry is an hour before closing. Swap Day 5 for a ski day. Check Korea weather by month and our Korea packing list for layers.

Rainy day alternatives in Seoul

• Starfield Library and COEX Mall (Samseong, Line 2): free, indoors, and connected to the station underground.
• National Museum of Korea: a free permanent exhibition that easily fills half a day.
• A kimchi making class or Museum Kimchikan in Insadong.
• Shopping: Olive Young stores, department stores, and the underground shopping arcade at the Express Bus Terminal (where to eat there).
• Palaces still work in light rain, with covered corridors and fewer people. The guard ceremony is cancelled in heavy rain, though.

How much does 3 days in Seoul cost?

Apart from the hotel, the 3-day plan costs little: about 25,000–75,000 KRW (~$19–56) per adult for transit and tickets over three days. The low end uses the Namsan bus and skips the observatory; the high end includes the cable car and the observatory. Food is where budgets differ. Market stalls and casual restaurants are cheap, and cafés in Seongsu are not. For cards, cash and WOWPASS, see money in Korea.

Accessibility: strollers and wheelchairs

• Easiest days: Day 2 (Seoul Forest, Lotte World Tower, COEX) is flat and almost all indoor or paved.
• Harder parts: Bukchon’s lanes are steep; Gyeongbokgung’s courtyards are gravel with raised gate thresholds; the Namsan staircase path is not an option. Use the cable car or the Namsan bus instead.
• Subway: most stations have at least one elevator, but often only at one or two exits. Naver Map shows which exit has it.
• Taxis are a fair shortcut between hills: show the Korean name in the boxes above.

FAQ

Is 3 days in Seoul enough?
For a first look, yes. Three days covers the palaces, Bukchon, a market, one trendy district, Namsan and Hongdae. You’ll be busy, though. Five days lets you add the DMZ and a day trip, and seven feels relaxed.

What is the best order for a Seoul itinerary?
Group your days by area and check closed days first: Gyeongbokgung closes on Tuesdays, Changdeokgung on Mondays, and DMZ tours don’t run on Mondays. Put Seongsu on a weekday if you can.

Do I need a pass for this Seoul itinerary?
No. A T-money card is enough for the subway and buses. Ticket prices here are low (the palace is 3,000 KRW), so most passes only pay off if you add several paid attractions.

Is this itinerary OK for kids?
Yes, with the swaps above: Lotte World or Seoul Forest instead of the Seongsu cafés, the Folk Village or Anseong Farmland for the day trip, and the Namsan bus instead of the walk up.

What should I do in Seoul on a rainy day?
COEX and Starfield Library, the National Museum of Korea, a kimchi class or K-beauty shopping. All are indoors and easy to reach by subway.

Sources: Korea Heritage Service – Royal Palaces (official) · N Seoul Tower (official) · Seoul Metro – English site · National Museum of Korea (official) · KAYAK – Seoul hotel prices (checked Oct 2026)
Photos: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bgag / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 · mauveine.kim / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 · Sgroey / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0