One day in Seoul: the best itinerary

One day in Seoul is a city-centre day. The historic core sits within 3 km: Gyeongbokgung palace, the Bukchon hanok lanes above it, Insadong's tea shops and craft streets, then the Cheonggyecheon stream down to Myeongdong. You can walk most of it and use the subway for the two long hops.

The evening belongs to Namsan. Ride the cable car or walk up from Myeongdong, watch the city lights come on, then eat in Myeongdong or in the Gwangjang Market food alleys if you want a market dinner instead of a shopping street.

Budget roughly ₩40,000–70,000 (about $30–50) for one day on the ground, excluding your hotel: palace ticket, two subway rides, lunch, tower ticket and dinner. Add ₩10,000–15,000 if you take taxis instead of the subway.

Palaces and museums in Seoul commonly take a weekly rest day, and Tuesday is the usual one for the main palace complex. Public holidays change everything: during Seollal and Chuseok many restaurants and shops close for three days, while palaces often stay open and can be free.

From Incheon Airport (ICN), the AREX train reaches Seoul Station in about 43 minutes on the express or about 60 minutes all-stop. From Gimpo (GMP), the same line takes roughly 20–25 minutes to Seoul Station. Land before 22:00 if you want the train rather than a late taxi.

Inside the city, the subway covers every stop on this route and runs from about 05:30 to midnight. Buy a T-money card at a convenience store, tap in and out, and use Naver Map or Kakao Map for live directions; Google Maps walking routes are limited in Korea.

If your flight lands in the morning, drop bags at your hotel or a station locker and start at the palace. If you land in the afternoon, reverse the plan: Myeongdong and Namsan first, palace the next morning if you have one.

Buy the palace ticket at the gate; there is no need to pre-book for a single day. Wearing a rented hanbok gets you free entry to several palaces, which is worth it only if you already wanted the photos.

Eat lunch before 12:00 or after 13:30 to avoid queues in Insadong. In Gwangjang Market, sit at a stall with a free stool and pay in cash; some stalls take cards, many do not.

Carry a small amount of cash, a charged phone and a power bank. Fine dust can spike in March and April, so check the air quality reading in the morning and shift to indoor stops such as a museum or a mall if it is bad.