Seoul travel how many days

Here are our top pre-travel planning tips to help you thoroughly enjoy 4 days in Seoul:. This 4-day Seoul itinerary is jam-packed with unique things to do in Seoul.

However, if you prefer traveling at a slower pace, feel free to tailor this itinerary to suit your own needs and traveling style. This vibrant neighborhood has a huge pedestrian walkway and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.

There are many amazing things to do in Insadong and getting lost in the maze of secret alleys winding off from the main walkway is a huge must. Besides the excellent views, you can enjoy over the city, Bukchon is also the perfect place for a relaxing walkabout and, more importantly, a great way to get a closer look at traditional Korean houses, called hanok. Although most of these hanoks are privately owned today, many of them also serve as cultural hubs, guesthouses, eateries, and teahouses.

When visiting here, though, please remember to be respectful at all times. Culture seekers, history buffs, and avid photographers could easily work on spending at least hours here as there is plenty to keep you busy.

Seoul has no shortage of activities to keep culture seekers and history buffs enthralled. The city is home to five magnificent palaces, all equally worthy of your time. If you really only have one day to explore the palaces, be sure not to miss Gyeongbokgung and Changgyeonggung — two of the most important palaces in the city. It was built during the Joseon Dynasty in and is the most well-preserved palace in Seoul. Another fun activity not to miss while visiting here is the changing of the guards.

You can witness this age-old tradition in front of the main gate, twice a day at 10 am and 2 pm. Top Tips: Gyeongbokgung is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Seoul. Therefore , expect tons of tourists no matter which time of day you visit.

Luckily the grounds are enormous, so the crowds do disperse rather quickly past the main entrance. Changdeokgung Palace is yet another palace worthy of adding to your Seoul itinerary. Built in , Changdeokgung mainly served as the second royal villa where many kings lived during the Joseon Dynasty. Although the palace was destroyed during the Japanese invasion, it was reconstructed in and then served as the main palace for over years.

Changdeokgung is a great place to enjoy gentle strolls through the spacious and beautiful gardens. A visit to the Secret Garden additional charge , which runs through the valley, is yet another must while here. Spend day 3 of your Seoul itinerary exploring a slice of nature within the city, hunting for street art and practicing your haggling skills at the largest traditional market in the city.

Start your day with a visit to Mt. Keep in mind that meat is typically expensive in Korea, so expect Korean BBQ to be one of your more expensive meals. You can get a small discount at Yeontabal if you purchase a voucher through Klook. Myeongdong Kyoja is widely regarded as having the best kalguksu in the city. Kalguksu is a noodle dish consisting of handmade, knife-cut wheat flour noodles served in a large bowl with broth and other ingredients.

Myeongdong Kyoja has been in business for over 50 years and is located in the heart of Myeongdong. Serious yum. There are many recommended chimaek restaurants in Seoul, one of them being Oksang Dalbit in Hongdae.

We skipped out on ganjang gejang on our first visit to Korea so I made sure to try it on our next trip. Ganjang gejang is raw crab marinated in soy sauce. Considered by many to be the ultimate Korean dish, I waited over two years to try it and the experience blew me away. If you like crab, then you have to try this dish. Like Korean bbq, ganjang gejang is expensive so expect to pay at least KRW 30, per small crab.

We had it at Wonjo Masan Halmae Agujjim. It includes plenty of other restaurant recommendations like where to find the best gomtang beef bone soup , the most authentic Jeonju bibimbap, and cheap but delicious Korean BBQ.

For your convenience, I created a map so you get a better sense of where everything is. All the places recommended in this guide are pinned on this map. Click on the link to open an interactive version of the map in a new window. We never took a taxi and the only times we ever got on a bus was to go to places outside of Seoul like Paju, Suwon, and Jinhae.

Whenever I include directions in our Seoul travel guides, I always try to indicate Line and Exit numbers. It can be used to transfer between subway lines, buses, or from subway to bus and vice versa within a transfer time limit at no extra charge. The card itself costs KRW 2, and it can be purchased at most convenience stores and subway stations. You can top it up with any amount at recharge stations found at every subway stop.

Another option is to get a Korea Tour Card which is a variation of the T-money card. It has the same benefits as the T-money card, plus it gives you small discounts at some tourist spots, shopping centers, restaurants, and theaters.

Seoul is a massive city with much to see. Be sure to click through to our full 5-day Seoul itinerary for more details. I was a bit surprised after our first trip to Seoul in because the city turned out to be less expensive than I thought. But that was probably because we ate street food most of the time and only visited a handful of restaurants. In reality, Seoul is more like Osaka when it comes to travel costs. This takes into account your accommodations, transportation, modest meals, and pocket wifi rental.

Some people may find trip planning a little tedious or daunting. This free trip planning can make it easier and more fun. What Sygic Travel does is allow you to visualize everything on a map, so you can easily group places of interest by location and put them all together in an efficient itinerary.

Check out my article on the Sygic Travel app for more information. We never go anywhere now without renting a pocket wifi device first.

You can stay connected in Seoul by renting a pocket wifi device or buying a sim card. We always rent pocket wifi devices but sim cards are perfectly fine too. Regardless of your preference, you can rent a pocket wifi device or buy a sim card through Klook.

If you want to visit as many palaces as you can in Seoul, then you should definitely get an integrated palace ticket. Entrance to four major palaces — Changdeokgung including Huwon , Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung — plus Jongmyo Shrine will normally cost you a total of KRW 17, for adults. I love going through e-commerce sites to find travel deals. They have the widest selection at the best prices. We buy insurance from World Nomads or SafetyWing. Check out my article on why we buy travel insurance for more information.

You can follow the links to get a free quote from World Nomads or SafetyWing. Be sure to bring the right power adapters for your devices. By no means am I an expert on Seoul but I do hope that you find this guide helpful. If you have any questions, then please feel free to ask us in the comment section below. These are some of the things we brought with us to Seoul. We only recommend products and services that we use ourselves and firmly believe in. Seoul Olympic Park , often referred to as Olpark, is absolutely enormous and a popular date spot for the Seoul residents.

It's also popular with families with small children, people playing sports and couples strolling. There are bikes, kites, balls, and skates, all of which visitors can rent at a low price.

It costs about 15, won to rent the bike for an hour. The park is divided into several zones and houses impressive leisure facilities legacy of the games.

But besides the 6 sports stadiums that are all still in use, you also find a large collection of art and sculptures.

At the entrance of the park, near the peace square, is the winged world peace gate that symbolizes the ability of the Korean people and peace and harmony.

Recent efforts have also succeeded in re-introducing animals like raccoons, ducks, woodpeckers, pheasants and many more.

The vast area covers approximately 1. The center occupies three floors in the Samsung Electronics building. All Samsung devices are available for purchase but ironically foreigners can often find Samsung devices cheaper in their home countries. Line 2 Gangnam Station subway line 2, Shinbundang Line exit 8. Lotte World Adventure in Jamsil, just outside Gangnam, is the world's largest indoor amusement park. It's a Korean version of Disneyland and a great place to go if you're traveling with kids.

The park can get crowded, certainly during holidays and on weekends when you may have to queue for 90 to minutes for some of the popular attractions. The magic castle on the magic island looks like an exact copy of Disney's castle. You can buy a combi-ticket to visit all three parks on the same day but in Lotte World Adventure and Magic Island you can easily spend a day.

Check prices and availability: Dicount and combi tickets for Lotte World. The Lotte World Tower completed in is Seoul's tallest tower and is ranked as the 5th tallest building in the world.

The top floors of this floor skyscraper house Seoul Sky, the highest observation platform on Seoul which is also the world's highest glass-floored observation deck. Tickets are not cheap but worth every cent as Seoul Sky offers a great experience and a fantastic view over Seoul. If you have 7 days in Seoul we would recommend you to take some day trips from Seoul. One of the highlights of our Seoul trip was a day trip to Seoraksan National Park.

It offers some of the most beautiful sceneries of Korea and is a must-visit if you are 7 days in Seoul. The easiest way to reach Seoraksan National Park is by car or on an organized day trip from Seoul. If you have a car, it's a 3h easy drive to the Park along the Yeongdong Highway road You would first need to take a bus from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho from where you continue your trip to the park with bus number 7 or The first part from Seoul to Sokcho takes 2 hours and a half and it takes an additional 45 minutes to get from Sokcho to the park.

You can choose from a whole selection of hikes, the shortest take just a few hours the longest treks take 3 days.

We hiked to the top of the Ulsanbawi Rock , it took us somewhere between 3 to 4 hours. The description on the national park's website lists 2 hours and 20 minutes but that's quite a challenge knowing that the last kilometer of the hike is one giant flight of stairs that takes you steeply uphill along the mountainside. It's possible to get an impression of the park in one long day. The interesting and impressive hikes will probably all take you up rocks or mountains and will require at least 4 hours.

If you're spending the night in Sokcho and want to combine your visit to the park with some other nearby activities you may find some inspiration and reviews on Tripadvisor. The Kensington Stars hotel lies a 5 min walk from the entrance to the National Park. Clean but quite old rooms with small bathrooms. Fabulous view from the rooftop cafe. We stayed in the Ramada Sokcho hotel. It was a minute drive to the park.

We had a big comfortable room with a balcony where we could see how the boats sailed in and out of the harbor. A great place to stay if you like seafood. Boats arriving at the port drop their catch at one of the many seafood restaurants along the pier. Here you can find all our Korea travel posts. We are going to Seoul in a week and im still not quite organized with our itinerary. Pls help me maximize our time, i tried to google which one is closest to one tourist destination but getting confused.

We are planning to take train and will be staying in Myeongdong. I'm sorry, we were traveling ourselves so we just saw your message now. Hopefully, it turned out fine and you had a wonderful time in Seoul. This is the best- by far- guide I've seen online. I am planning to visit South Korea in December by myself.

So, for a first timer like me, this is very helpful! Thanks a lot for your kind words. We do our best to provide in-depth information. We are happy you appreciate it. Great post! It is so in-depth, and I really appreciate that. I completely agree with you that having or more days in Seoul is best for exploring the city. There is so much to see and so many different neighbourhoods that having only 3 days would be so hectic. I was there for a week my first visit and 5 days my second visit and still feel like there is so much more to see.

Yes to your suggestion to bring cash. I thought I could take cash out of an ATM on my first trip and was horribly wrong. It was incredibly stressful, and I ended up paying a large fee to take cash from my credit card because it was the only thing that worked. Cash really is king! Seoul represents the futuristic race South Korea has run over the past years. In this Seoul travel blog post, we share an epic Seoul itinerary for 3 to 7 days. Table of Contents.

The purpose of this group is to help you plan an amazing vacation to Korea. You can ask questions and exchange tips with fellow travelers.

South-Korea essentials If you want to score cheap flights to Seoul, click here. Cherry blossoms South Korea. Read Also:. Palace Detail. You can buy your M-pass card at Incheon airport or at Seoul station. Cash only. The hotel staff is always friendly and willing to help and most of them speak English. Nice rooms with great service. Friendly and helpful staff. Jogyesa temple. Perfect for first-time visitors who want to discover Seoul in one day.

Visiting the DMZ will be one of the highlights of your Seoul itinerary. Nanta show. Lots of fun and perfect for the whole family! Pathway to Mt. Gyeongbokgung Palace is a must-visit during your Seoul itinerary. Don't forget to put Bukchon Hanok Village on your Seoul itinerary. There are many small alleyways and long roads for great pictures. Bukchon lies on a hill, so there will be some uphill climbing involved. Gwangjang market. Seoul tower. Make sure you have some spare cash for the street food as credit cards are usually not accepted.

Itaewon comes alive at night and the streets are bustling with people, young and old! There are also scores of clubs and noraebangs karaoke bars that are open throughout the night. Alternatively, you were the responsible one and woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready for another day of seeing all the top Seoul attractions.

A jimjilbang is a traditional Korean bathhouse with hot and cold baths that are said to have healing and soothing properties. After spending time in the hot tubs, put on your jimjilbang pajamas, and head to communal saunas.

Weekly, and even daily visits to these bathhouses are part of most Koreans health and beauty routine so expect to see many Korean men and women here. The N-Seoul tower sits at m high and is yet another iconic landmark in Seoul, offering sweeping views of the city. Situated within walking distance from Myeongdong, the panoramic view from the top is gorgeous! Continue walking to the Pacific Hotel, where you follow the street on the right side for about 10 to 15 minutes. Walk the streets, indulge in delicious local street food, explore the hundreds of Korean beauty stores, and browse through the boutique outlets — Korean fashion is all the craze at the moment!

Itaewon or Hongdae are the places to go for that! These need to be purchased in advance as they sell out fast. You can pre-book your Nanta tickets here. If you have 7 days in Seoul, a visit to this iconic location should be on your travel itinerary.

The DMZ is only accessible by an organized tour, each of which offers different itineraries. These range from half-day tours which are best if you only have 6 days in Seoul to full days tours that cover more of the DMZ and the JSA.

Book your DMZ tour here! If you do the half-day tour, this is a great time to visit the other palaces in Seoul that I mentioned previously in this 7 days Seoul itinerary or enjoy a coffee at one of the many themed cafes. Planning a 7 day itinerary for Seoul allows you to see the best of what the city has to offer, at your own pace. This is where the wealthy reside and the streets are lined with luxury boutique stores, brand names, and sky-scrapers. Gangnam is also home to the Starfield Coex Library, a massive library with over 50 books!

Situated close to the Han River, Seoul Forest is one of the best places to visit in Seoul with kids thanks to the many deer and other animals that call it home. You can also rent bicycles and cycle through the forest, across the bridges and find a secret spot for a picnic breakfast.

To get to Seoul Forest, take the subway to Seoul Forest station and go out of exit 3. The entrance is a 5-minute walk away. Hongdae is a hip and happening neighborhood near Hongik University. The highlight of visiting Hongdae is the inspiring art and music scene where performers take to the streets and put on shows for the public.

Young girls pine over these K-pop performers and you can spend hours roaming the streets, enjoying the festive atmosphere. Trick Eye Museum is also found in Hongdae and is a hit for its optical illusions and 3D art which make for some fun photo ops.

Just like Itaewon, Hongdae is known as the party district and it only really starts to pick up after 5 pm so when planning your Seoul travel itinerary, head to Hongdae around sunset time.

Nami Island can easily be recognized by its picturesque tree-lined avenues and is famous for being the shooting location of several K-dramas, including Winter Sonata. The island is fun and quirky, and you can even take a zipline to reach its shores!

Other attractions near Nami Island include the Garden of Morning Calm which is one of the biggest and most beautiful gardens in all of South Korea. It boasts over 20 themed sections and is a popular spot for families to picnic and laze under the trees. Instagrammers will love Petite France thanks to its quaint buildings which provide the perfect backdrop for any photo. Here, you peddle across the countryside along discontinued train tracks.

The route takes you through themed tunnels and alongside a beautiful river before ending with a scenic train ride. If you choose to do this, you may only see Nami Island and one other attraction as your time will be limited.

The last day of your Seoul itinerary offers a mix of the old traditional Seoul, and the new, trendy developments. Insadong is another popular shopping neighborhood in Seoul, consisting of narrow alleys and clusters of traditional houses. You can also pop into the Kimchi Museum which has an impressive kimchi exhibition where you can learn more about the kimchi-making process. There are several themed cafes near Insadong but the Ddo-Ong Cafe, more commonly known as the Poop cafe, is arguably the most popular!

As you can tell by the name, your coffee is served in a toilet-shaped mug and your cake looks like, err, poop! Cafe Onion Anguk is another popular cafe near Insadong.

Set in a traditional hanok, this cafe looks like it comes straight from the Joseon dynasty.