Seoul in 3 Days: An Itinerary for a First Visit

Three days in Seoul work when each day stays in one part of the city. Day one walks the palace district from west to east, day two leaves the city for the border, and day three climbs Namsan from the markets below it.

The order depends on the day you start. Gyeongbokgung closes on Tuesdays and Changdeokgung on Mondays, and day one uses both. Paju City closes its DMZ tourism course on Mondays, on weekday public holidays and on Seollal and Chuseok day, so check that your tour runs on the date you pick.

Starting on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, follow the days as written. Starting on a Sunday, swap days two and three so the DMZ does not fall on Monday. Starting on a Monday or Tuesday, run the three days in reverse, and the palaces land on Wednesday or Thursday.

Before day one: a base on Line 3 or Line 4

Day one starts at Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3, and day three starts at Hoehyeon Station on Line 4. A hotel a few minutes from either line keeps those early starts short. Each ride costs from 1,550 won on a transit card, and the rules for changing lines are in Seoul subway fares and transfers.

Related guideWhere to Stay in Seoul: Choosing an Area, Not a HotelSeoul is large and its sights are scattered, so the neighbourhood decides your trip more than the hotel does. What each main area is good and bad at.

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Day 1: Two palaces, Bukchon and a market dinner

Rent hanbok for the whole day. It gets you into Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung free, where adult tickets are otherwise 3,000 won each, and the rental shops sit beside Gyeongbokgung Station, where the day begins.

Be at Gyeongbokgung when it opens at 9am, coming out of exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station. In September and October the palace is open until 6pm, and from November until 5pm, with last entry an hour before closing. Stay for the changing of the royal guard at 10am, which lasts about 20 minutes.

Leave the palace in the late morning and walk east into Bukchon. The red zone around Bukchon-ro 11-gil admits tourists only from 10am to 5pm, with a 100,000 won fine outside those hours, so the middle of the day is the right time for its lanes. Have lunch on the streets that run down to Anguk Station.

Changdeokgung is 364m from exit 3 of Anguk Station, and the afternoon belongs to its Secret Garden. The garden is seen only on a guided tour, and the English tours run at 14:30 and 15:30 from March to November, with 10:30 and 11:30 in the morning. Each tour takes 100 people, 50 booked online and 50 sold on site on the day.

The garden ticket is 5,000 won for adults and is not covered by hanbok, and you need a Changdeokgung entry ticket as well, which hanbok does cover. The palace grounds stay open until 6pm in September and October, with last entry at 5pm.

For dinner, take Line 3 one stop from Anguk to Jongno 3-ga, change to Line 1 and ride one stop to Jongno 5-ga. Exit 8 leads to Gwangjang Market, known for mung bean pancakes, mayak gimbap and beef tartare. The market's shops close at 6pm, but its food street stays open until 11pm, every day of the year. If you would rather end the day at a barbecue table, what to order at Korean BBQ explains the cuts and how ordering works.

Related guideHanbok Rental Near Gyeongbokgung: Free Entry and the RulesHanbok gets you into Seoul's main palaces free if it has a wrap collar and a top with a skirt or trousers. Where to rent, what is included, and Bukchon's 5pm rule.

Day 2: The DMZ, then Hongdae after dark

Give the daylight hours to a DMZ tour. The border area can only be seen on a tour or on Paju City's own shuttle, and what each tour actually reaches, and why the Joint Security Area is not on any of them, is set out in the DMZ guide. Bring your original passport: Paju City refuses copies, photos and expired passports.

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Once the tour is back in Seoul, head to Hongdae, the university district. Hongik University Station is served by Line 2, the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and the airport railroad, and the streets start 50m from exit 4. The evening is the point: live music venues, street performers, restaurants and bars keep the area busy long after the palace district has gone quiet.

K-pop fans can swap a daytime slot for a weekly music show recording. K-pop music show tickets lists which show records on which day and how visitors get in.

Day 3: Namdaemun Market, Myeongdong and Namsan

Start at Namdaemun Market, reached from exit 5 of Hoehyeon Station on Line 4. Opening hours vary by shop and the market closes on Sundays, so on a Sunday skip it and begin in Myeongdong.

Myeongdong is the next stop north on Line 4, and it fills the middle of the day with shopping and street food. In the late afternoon, leave from exit 3 of Myeongdong Station and walk 10 to 15 minutes to the Namsan cable car. The cable car runs from 10am to 11pm, costs 15,000 won return or 12,000 won one way for adults, and reaches the top in about three minutes.

At the top, N Seoul Tower's observatory costs 29,000 won for adults. It is open from 10am to 10:30pm on weekdays and to 11pm at weekends and on public holidays, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Go up before sunset and stay until the city lights come on, then take the cable car down to Myeongdong for dinner.

If you fly out the next morning, the airport railroad is covered in Incheon Airport to Seoul. With more days to spare, the best day trips from Seoul ranks what to add, and Korea in 7 days carries the trip south by KTX.

The rest of the city is covered in the Seoul travel guide.