How to spend a day in Seoul: 24 hour itinerary. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is an incredible place to visit. A fascinating mix of old and new, modern and traditional. Centuries old palaces and temples sit next to towering skyscrapers. There’s so much packed into one city that it can be hard to choose what to do. However, efficient public transport means that it’s quite easy to fit a lot into one day, making it the perfect city for a 24 hour layover. If you have longer, check out my other post How to Spend 3 Days in Seoul South Korea: Epic Itinerary. Read on for how to spend a day in Seoul: 24 hour itinerary.
Remember to buy travel insurance for your trip. Receive a 5% discount on Heymondo travel insurance
How to Spend a Day in Seoul: 24 Hour Itinerary – Map
24 Hour Itinerary for Seoul, South Korea
Morning
Gyeongbokgung Palace
(Opens at 9am). If you’re into history and culture, and only have time to go to one place in Seoul, make it Gyeongbokgung Palace. The entire palace complex is massive, and comprises multiple ornately decorated buildings and extensive parklands. It was originally built in 1395 and has over 7000 rooms. A large part of the fun is getting to dress up in a traditional Korean Hanbok outfit. And the fact that most of the other tourists are also dressing up in historical Korean costume means that they become part of the fun! Make sure to watch the changing of the guard ceremony (10am). Read my detailed post about visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace here.
The palace is open every day apart from Tuesdays. You can either wander around by yourself or book onto a guided tour. These tours are free of charge and start at 11am at the Gyeongbokgung Palace Information Center just inside the Heungnyemun Gate.
Alternatively you can pay for a smaller group / private tour: book a guided tour of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Lunch
Try Korean Food in Insadong
You’ll probably be peckish after wandering around the palace grounds all morning. Head to the nearby Insadong district where you’ll find a huge number of restaurants to choose from. This neighbourhood has a vibrant atmosphere and is fun just to wander around. I can recommend trying Mandu, which are traditional Korean dumplings.
Afternoon
Bukchon Hanok Historical Village
Another stand out historical location is Bukchon Hanok Historical Village. Here you can see traditional old-style Korean houses. These buildings date back over 600 years and have been lovingly restored, giving you an idea of what life was like in days gone by. These are real houses where people still live, so please be respectful. The famous street with views over the rooftops is called Bukchon-ro 11ga-gil.
Tea and pastries at Cafe Onion Anguk: Hanok-themed Cafe
Designed like a 14th century Hanok, you can enjoy tea and sweet treats while sitting cross-legged on cushions on the floor at traditional low tables. In these areas you’ll need to remove your shoes. There is a huge selection of cakes and pastries to choose from – just grab a tray and select what you like. They’ve become Insta-famous for their Italian-style pandoro topped with a mountain of powdered sugar.
Evening
Either: Watch the sun set from N-Seoul Tower
If you’re good with heights, the N-Seoul Tower is a fantastic place to enjoy 360-degree views all over the entire city. The observation deck is located at the top of the Lotte World Tower – one of the tallest buildings in the world! There’s also a glass floor for the really brave.
Or: Check out Starfield Library
This takes a little longer to get to as it’s located in the Gangnam District on the other side of the river, but the journey (about 45 minutes) is pretty straightforward by metro / subway. If you’re into books this indoor library is amazing to see. You may already actually recognise Starfield Library’s impressive 42 foot tall towering shelves and escalators as it seems to have become pretty Insta and TikTok famous! Read my more detailed post.
Check out my book recommendations – themed by countries around the world
Nighttime
Korean BBQ and Food Tour
The most famous Korean evening meal is the Korean BBQ. This is a social event in Korea, so if you’re travelling on your own, the best way to experience it is to book onto a group tour. This way you can meet fellow travellers and sample a whole range of different dishes. Book an Immersive Korean BBQ, Market, and Secret Pub Experience in Seoul. Popular restaurant areas are Myeongdong and Hongdae (see below).
Enjoy the Nightlife in Hongdae
After spending a busy day in Seoul, Hongdae is the neighbourhood to have fun. This area of the city comes alive at night, and there’s something for everyone. Even the shops are open until 10pm and blast out music. Karaoke is popular and the streets have almost a fairground-like vibe. One thing that I noticed is there are photobooths on every corner where you can get some fun passport-style snaps – they have props like hats and headbands. You can dance the night away in clubs until the early hours. Just be aware that many clubs have a very strict door policy and will turn people away for all sorts of reasons.
Practical Guidance for Seoul, South Korea
Hopefully you have found this guide on How to Spend a Day in Seoul: 24 Hour Itinerary useful. I have also included some practical guidance below so that you can get the boring stuff sorted and make the most of your trip!
Where to Stay in Seoul?
If you’re staying the night in Seoul, I recommend picking a central district that has some attractions in it so that you minimise travel time (see transport in Seoul below). Some good areas are:
- Hongdae (this is where I stayed and it’s a very cool neighbourhood)
- Myeongdong (good for shopping and near Gyeongbokgung Palace)
- Gangnam (a luxury area and near Starfield Library)
- Itaewon (near lots of good restaurants and cafes)
- Insadong (another good area for culture)
How to get from Seoul Airport to the City Centre
Transport from the airport to the city centre takes about 45 minutes, meaning that you can visit the city centre on a long layover.
Most flights to the South Korean capital will land at Incheon International Airport. The rest will be to Gimpo International Airport, which is mostly for domestic flights but does serve some short-haul international routes.
The best way to get from Incheon International Airport or Gimpo International Airport to Seoul itself is to take the Subway / Airport Railroad Express (AREX) Train. The journey takes about 45 minutes. The subway / train station is inside the airport itself. You’re best off buying a transportation card that you can then top up as much as you need for the rest of your time in Seoul. You’ll need to get cash out. When I was there they did not take card. The AREX runs from 5:30am until midnight. There is also the “K Airport Limousine Bus”, which operates all day and has a night service between 23:30pm-03:40am.
Transport in Seoul
Seoul is a very easy city to get around. I highly recommend using the metro / subway system as it’s clean and efficient. Most of the signs are in both Korean and English. The metro runs from 5:30am until midnight. You’re best off buying a transportation card that you can then top up as much as you need. Note that you will need physical cash (Korean Won). I purchased mine at the airport subway station before getting the train into the city. It is also possible to buy single journey tickets but this will end up more expensive and time consuming.
Withdrawing Cash in Seoul in Korean Won (KRW)
To withdraw cash at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into Korean Won (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then withdraw cash in Korea without hidden fees. Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).
Get your WISE card here.
Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have travel insurance to cover you for your trip. I can highly recommend Heymondo. I use them to cover me for all my trips and their app is very easy to use. As a Call of the World reader you get 5% off below.
Purchase Heymondo travel insurance with a 5% discount.
Read my other posts about South Korea.
Read my recommendations for books set in South Korea.
Want more travel tips & inspiration? Follow along on Instagram 💛
Thanks for reading How to Spend a Day in Seoul: 24 Hour Itinerary!
Leave a Reply