3 Days in Seoul: A First-Timer's Itinerary

Three days is enough to fall for Seoul — if you don’t try to see everything. This itinerary skips the checklist sprint and focuses on one area per day, so you spend your time walking neighborhoods instead of sitting on the subway.

Day 1: The historic core

Start at Gyeongbokgung Palace right when it opens at 9:00. Rent a hanbok (traditional Korean dress) from one of the shops nearby and your palace admission is free. Give yourself two hours, then walk east into Bukchon Hanok Village — a residential hillside of traditional wooden houses. Keep your voice down; people actually live here.

For lunch, head down into Insadong for a traditional set meal, then spend the afternoon between the tea houses and craft shops. End the day at Gwangjang Market with bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and a round of makgeolli (rice wine).

Day 2: Old meets new

Take the subway to Seongsu-dong, Seoul’s converted-warehouse café district, and spend the morning wandering. Cross the river to Jamsil in the afternoon if you want the Lotte World Tower observation deck, or stay north and walk the Cheonggyecheon stream downtown.

In the evening, climb (or cable-car) up Namsan for the N Seoul Tower night view. Go up about an hour before sunset so you catch the city in both light and dark.

Day 3: Pick your Seoul

• Shoppers: Hongdae in the morning, Myeongdong in the afternoon.
• History buffs: Changdeokgung Palace and its Secret Garden (book the garden tour ahead).
• Food people: A street food crawl through Mangwon Market, then a bakery tour of Yeonnam-dong.

Whatever you choose, finish with Korean BBQ — see our beginner’s guide for how to order without stress.