🇰🇷 3 Days in Seoul | Detailed Itinerary
Let's dive in to the Seoul itinerary! But first..
Where to stay in Seoul
If you havn't yet figured out where you're staying in Seoul, refer to this FREE guide:
How to get around Seoul
Buy a T-money card for public transport
A T-money card is a prepaid card you can use for public transport, convenience stores, shopping and paying for some tourist attractions in Korea. It's super convenient, and you can travel anywhere with just a tap. No need for carrying cash or exact change.
You can get these at any convenience stores in Incheon airport or Seoul - the basic card costs about 2500 KRW (ours cost 4000 KRW each because they had these cute animal prints on them).
🟢 Each person needs to buy an individual card for themselves
🟢 You can reload your card at any convenience store, or at the kiosks locations in any subway station.
🟢 One-way fare for the subway costs about 1,250 KRW on T-money (the regular fare is 1,350 KRW) - so a top up of 20,000 KRW per card will last you a good 3-4 days at least
Itinerary
Smile - you're in Seoul! Wake up fresh and early, and get ready to explore the vibrant, bustling city.
Day 1
Plan for the day
📌 Picnic at Yeouido Hangang Park
📌 Hongdae
📌 Myeongdong
Yeouido Hangang Park 🌸
Now find the nearest subway station, and catch a ride to Yeouido. Destination...
If you're going during cherry blossom season, it's very likely the place will be super packed - especially on weekends! Don't be intimidated. Swim through the crowds till you reach the riverside park (it's a short walk from the subway station), and then find a nice, cosy spot to settle down.
What the locals like to do here is pack a picnic - and we suggest you do that as well. Carry a blanket (optional), buy some snacks, drinks and carry a bag for your trash (it's super hard to find public bins in Seoul).
Another typical Korean thing to do is go to the nearest convenience store and make yourself some instant ramyeon - then bring it back to your spot and enjoy. Or order yourself some fried chicken. Eating ramyeon or fried chicken near the Han river is a must-do activity!
If you're bored of sitting around, you can rent some bicycles nearby, or take a walk along the riverside - or head on over to the nearby IFC Mall or Hyundai Seoul Mall for some shopping.
Unfortunately, when we went, the "I SEOUL U" sign was gone, so we didn't get a photo with it. But we're pleased to report that the cherry blossoms were blooming in full swing - and it was quite a sight to behold!
Hongdae 🫶
Hongdae is a super cool neighbourhood. Full of pubs, eateries, street shopping, and busking on the weekends. I doubt you'll get bored here.
🛍️ If you're planning to buy trendy Korean clothes, do it in Hongdae. Personally, I found this the best area for shopping in Seoul.
Walk around, try out a photobooth, do some shopping, or step in for a drink or a bite at one of the many cosy eateries. If you're there on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday - head over to one of the many designated busking zones to catch a performance or two.
Myeongdong🍦
This place is full of street vendors selling yummy street food and snacks, as well as a whole area lined up with shops for almost everything you can ask for. Cosmetics, jewellery, clothes, shoes, you name it.
I personally didn't like the clothes here much (Hongdae was better) but the street snacking is a big YES.
The Shopping Centre beneath Myeongdong station is where K-Pop loves will find memorabilia, souvenirs and albums from their favourite K-Pop idol groups - at insanely cheap prices.
End the day with a nice Korean stew and a bottle or two of soju!
📙 For detailed tips on what to eat in Seoul, and where, check out my Seoul Food guide here:
Day 2
Plan for the day
📌 Gwangjang Traditional Market
📌 Cheonggyecheon Stream
📌 Namsan Park + N-Seoul Tower
Gwangjang Market🍜
Get the taste of real Korea at Gwangjang traditional market.
From utensils, to meat and fish, to fresh fruits and vegetables - you'll find everything you need to fully settled down and start a life here (I wish). And at insanely low prices!
Definitely use the opportunity to buy some authentic Korean kitchenware from here! 🍽️ You'll find earthen stew pots, bowls, chopsticks and long handled soup spoons, as well as.. you guessed it.. the one and only golden ramyeon pot that you see in every K-drama ever!
Cheonggyecheon Stream 🌊
Just a stone's throw away, right outside the Gwangjang Market complex, is the bubbly and serene Cheonggyecheon Stream, another great photo spot for dramaholics.
This is a great place to just take a break, stop for a moment, breathe and take in the fact that you're actually in Seoul and everything is real. Yes, you did it! You made it to Korea!
Rest your feet, clear your head, enjoy the sound of the bubbling water and continue on your journey!
Namsan Park + N-Seoul Tower⛰️
The tower is location on top of Namsan mountain. To go up, I suggest using the cable car one way.
Now, I've gotta be honest here.. I'm not much of a sucker for "great views" like other people are. But even I was blown away by what I saw from the window of that cable car. So this is definitely a must-do.
Now, don't buy a roundtrip ticket. Because Namsan boasts some of the prettiest trails, it's best to climb down by foot later.
On the observation deck, you'll also find the Love Lock Bridge, where hundreds of locks have been left over the years. If you want to go to the higher floors of the tower, you'll need another ticket. I think it's okay to skip this, if you want.
While walking down, there are many trails to choose from. And you can pick whichever seems interesting to you. Whichever you may choose, the downward hike will still be memorable.
Day 3
Plan for the day
📌 Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village
📌 Itaewon
Gyeongbokgung Palace ⛩️
For our first stop today, we travel back in time. Savour a taste of the Joseon dynasty by exploring this majestic and beautiful historical site.
The best time to go is in the morning or afternoon, so that you can can catch the guard changing ceremony that happens at 10am and 2pm (except Tuesdays).
And we're not just going to explore - no, we're getting into character. That's right, before entering the palace, first we're going to rent Hanboks! (Bonus tip, entry to the palace is free if you're wearing hanbok).
The hanbok is the traditional clothing of the Korean people. And all around the palace you'll find many places renting these out to tourists and locals (and no, it's not cultural appropriation, ffs).
Rentals are on an hourly basis so it can cost around 15,000 - 25,000 KRW depending on how many hours you rent for.
In my opinion, 2-3 hours is enough time to explore the palace and walk around in the nearby Bukchon Hanok Village - where you'll find many traditional houses and architecture, giving you the feeling of being transported back to the Joseon dynasty.
💡If you're a K-drama fan, you'll find a handful of True Beauty filming locations in this area. Search for "Choa" near Anguk Station, as well as "Socho Gallery".
For lunch, quickly change out of your Hanboks, and sit down for a traditional Korean ginseng chicken soup called Samgyetang.
📙 Check out the Food Guide for more details:
Drinks at Itaewon
And what better way to end a fantastic trip than a couple of drinks?
Itaewon is known for it's pubs, nightlife and drinking culture - if you're a drama fan you know it from the iconic Itaewon Class K-drama.
It's also the place where most foreigners, tourists and backpackers flock to - so you'll see a lot of them here! The whole area is lined with pubs, restaurants and eateries - and it has a unique vibe of youth and exuberance. And that's why Itaewon is the perfect place to end your last day in Seoul.
And there you have it - the fully fleshed out, comprehensive plan to making the most of Seoul in 3 very short days!
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