In This Guide
How to spend 2 days in Seoul? Whether it’s a weekend break or making the most of a long layover, this itinerary covers all the main sights of Seoul that you can’t miss.
If you’re planning to spend 2 days in Seoul, South Korea, this is the itinerary for you.
Seoul as a Layover Destination: I visited Seoul as a layover stop between the UK and New Zealand: visiting a new place is a great way to break up the long journey.
You can dress up in Korean hanbok outfits to explore Gyeongbokgung palace, see ancient Joseon hanok houses and feast on world-famous Korean barbecue, followed by insane nightlife in Hongdae or Euljiro.
The biggest challenge of visiting Seoul for just 48 hours, whether you’re on a work trip, weekend break or making the most of a long layover, is choosing what to see and do.
Read on for my guide on how to spend 2 days in Seoul. It covers the best things to do in Seoul, where to eat and essential travel tips to maximise your time in this incredible city!
2 days in Seoul is enough to get a good feel for the city, see the main historical sights and have some fantastic food (Korean BBQ is a must!). So yes, if you have the chance I’d say 2 days in Seoul is absolutely worth it.
But, Seoul is a massive city, so don’t try to be too ambitious with squeezing everything in. I’ve grouped this itinerary by area to minimise travel time (even with the amazing subway you still need to allow plenty of time to get from A to B). I’ve also marked several items on the itinerary as optional or alternative.
If you have longer, check out my 3 days in Seoul itinerary.
More practical guidance at the end of this post.
My favourite breakfast in Seoul was Eggdrop. It’s filling but also easy to grab on the go, so perfect if you want to get going in the morning! I was based in Hongdae, but Eggdrop is a chain and you can also find it in other areas like Myeongdong, Gangnam and Samcheong-dong.
Ordering from a machine is actually quite fun too, and suits Seoul’s whole futuristic city vibe. (It also makes ordering much easier for tourists who don’t speak Korean!)
One of my favourite things about visiting Seoul is that you’re actively encouraged to dress up in traditional Korean outfits. This is called hanbok.
Women wear a voluminous wrap skirt (chima) with a jacket (jeogori). Men wear loose trousers (baji) with a jacket (jeogori) and a waistcoat (magoja) or a long coat (durumagi).
Entry to the following five of Seoul’s royal palaces is free if you’re wearing a hanbok. Most people also keep the hanbok on to visit Bukchon Hanok historical village too.
You can book your hanbok in advance by the hour or for a full day.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is an absolute must-do in Seoul and was the highlight of my time there.
This colourful and ancient palace complex dates back to 1395 and represents the pinnacle of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897).
Gyeongbokgung Palace was nearly completely destroyed during the Japanese colonisation of Korea.
Nowadays it has been lovingly restored, with multiple ornately decorated buildings and extensive grounds with gardens and lakes.
Time your visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace for the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony: 10am and 2pm daily at the Gwanghwamun Gate (main gate) area. Duration 20 mins.
Dress up in a traditional Hanbok outfit for free admission! This is my favourite thing about visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace as all the other visitors become part of the attraction, adding to the atmosphere rather than taking away from it.
I recommend wearing comfy shoes as you can spend hours walking around.
Alternatively, you can book a guided tour that includes Gyeongbokgung Palace if you’d like someone to come with you to explain the history of what you’re seeing.
It’s quite a large palace complex so I personally find it nice to have someone to help me understand what I’m looking at, and learning from locals is much more fun than just reading up on stuff.
Read my detailed post about visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Seoul is famous for its quirky cafe scene. And after a morning of history (and lots of walking!), it’s time for a break.
One particularly nice concept cafe is Nuldam Cafe, where you can write letters to your future self. The cafe will then post the letter to you at an agreed date in the future.
Nuldam cafe is 100% vegan and located a 2-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Palace. They are used to visitors wearing hanok outfits.
Keep your hanbok outfit on to walk over to Bukchon Hanok Village 20-25 minute walk).
This area of Seoul is home to traditional Korean houses (hanok) dating back over 600 years that 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.
From here you can see the N Seoul Tower (Namsan Seoul Tower) in the distance, a striking contrast between old and new.
Tip: If you didn’t already rent a hanbok for the palace, you can alternatively hire a hanbok from Hanboknam Bukchon. You get free hair styling too, and lockers are provided.
Important! There is now a tourist curfew from 5pm to 10am daily in Bukchon Hanok Village to combat overtourism. Older guides will recommend visiting early in the morning, but since 2024/25 visitors are not allowed in this area before 10am or after 5pm. The fine for breaking this rule is 100,000 KRW (£58/$72).
Read my detailed Bukchon Hanok Village guide for how to legally avoid these restrictions.
Fuel yourself up again with delicious pastries from Cafe Onion, just a 10-15 minute walk from Bukchon Hanok Village.
This cafe is laid out like a traditional 14th century hanok with beautiful wooden beams and a sloped roof.
There is a huge selection of sweet treats to choose from. Just grab a tray and select what you like. They’re famous for their Italian-style pandoro topped with a mountain of powdered sugar.
The best experience is to sit cross-legged on cushions at traditional low tables. In these areas you’ll need to remove your shoes. There are some higher tables too if you prefer.
Changdeokgung Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This used to be a royal residence during the Joseon Dynasty.
The best things about Changdeokgung Palace is the secret garden at the heart of the palace, which used to be used for royal ceremonies.
You can explore the main palace independently, but you need to book a mandatory 90-minute guided tour in advance to see the garden.
Jongmyo Shrine is an ancient Confucian royal ancestral shrine, and the oldest in Korea. Its purpose is to honour ancestors and past kings.
Jongmyo Shrine is another UNESCO World Heritage, and the spiritual atmosphere makes it a peaceful place to visit. It is located in the grounds of Changdeokgung Palace.
You’re not allowed to explore Jongmyo Shrine independently on weekdays, so you need to join a mandatory 1 hour guided tour.
You can buy the ticket on arrival for KRW 1,000. English language tours are at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm.
Tip: join a combined Changdeokgung Palace & Jongmyo Shrine Walking Tour to learn about the history in more detail.
From Jongmyo Shrine it’s a short walk to Ikseon-dong Hanok Village.
This area is a maze of narrow alleyways lined with 1920s-40s hanok buildings and filled with modern, creative businesses, bars and cafes.
It is a great area for food as there are plenty of restaurants and traditional teahouses packed into the narrow streets.
You can taste tteok (rice cakes) and hotteok (sweet pancakes) or opt for some savoury Korean dumplings.
From Ikseon-dong it’s just another 10-15 minutes on to Insadong.
This area has a modern, urban feel with creative boutique shops and a thriving art and antique scene. Perfect for finding Korean handicrafts and souvenirs.
Insadong is known for shopping as there are loads of cute shops and boutiques.
Both Insadong and Ikseon-dong are known for their quirky cafe scenes, including an eclectic mix of unique, cute, classy, fun and/or downright bizarre cafes such as:
Tapgol Park in Insadong is where the 01 March 1919 Independence Movement began. There is the beautiful painted Palgakjeong Pavilion, and also statues of independence activist Son Byeong-hee and the poet Han Yong-un.
Tapgol Park has become a symbol of resistance against the Japanese occupation of Korea. It was also a filming location in season 2 of Squid Game.
Jogyesa Temple is set right in the middle of Insadong district. It’s a beautiful building with colourful lattice work, and is an important temple of Korean Buddhism and dates back to the 14th century.
Jogyesa temple is free to visit.
Tip: The main hall is beautifully lit at nighttime, so visiting after around 8pm is lovely. You could switch this with visiting the taproom below and come here afterwards.
Kiwa Taproom is a real hidden gem, and perfect for a beer after a long day of walking!
The taproom is in a hanok building with a traditional tiled roof (giwa). The beer menu has a good selection and changes on a regular basis.
Take the subway to the next point on the itinerary: You’ll now be located back near Gyeongbokgung Palace, where you can get the subway down to Myeongdong Night Market:
Myeongdong Night Market is one of the best places to go if you want to try out South Korean street food. From fried chicken to grilled squid, pork belly to baked cheese, you can find everything.
Visit between 5pm and 10pm when all the stalls are set up. Popular dishes to try at Myeongdong Night Market are:
This area is also one of Seoul’s main shopping districts, and everything’s open late so you can browse some K-Pop merch after munching your way through the tasty food on offer.
To get to Myeongdong Night Market take the subway to Euljiro 1-ga Station (Exits 5–7) or Myeongdong Station (Exits 5–8). Remember to bring cash.
Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain is a real extravaganza with jets of water lit up in different colours and timed with the music.
The show lasts 20 minutes and is on 4 times a day between April and October:
Timings:
Watch the show from Moonlight Square (Dalbit Plaza), the picnic areas of Banpo Hangang Park or see it from underneath by standing on Jamsu Bridge (the bridge below Banpo Bridge).
It’s possible to get breakfast early in Gangnam because of all the office workers arriving from the nearby Samseong and Seolleung stations.
Options include:
Starfield Library is one of the most impressive modern libraries around, and I was very excited to check it out during my visit to Seoul.
Getting there: It’s a bit out of the way, but easy on the subway. From central Seoul, hop onto Subway Line 2 (the green loop line) and ride it straight to Samseong Station. Take Exit 5 or 6, which connects directly into the underground part of Starfield COEX Mall.
If you want to take photos, it’s best to arrive here in the morning when it opens at 10am. 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.
Located in the middle of the COEX shopping mall, Starfield Library is open to the public and free of charge. Read my more detailed post about visiting Starfield Library in Seoul.
Do you also like reading? Join me in some armchair travelling by reading books set in various different countries all around the world.
If you visited Starfield library in the morning, take the following subway route to Namsan Mountain:
If you walk towards Namsan Cable Car, there’s first a free funicular lift to take you from street level up to the cable car itself.
Then take the cable car (under 5 mins) to the top of Namsan Mountain for beautiful panoramic views over Seoul. (It’s also possible to walk up via the Namsan trail if you prefer: 30-40 mins).
Rising above the city from the peak of Namsan Mountain, N Seoul Tower is one of South Korea’s most recognisable landmarks. And climbing it to see Seoul from above gives you a unique perspective on the city’s incredible sprawl.
You can visit year-round, with opening hours running from 10:30am to 10:30pm on weekdays and 10:00am to 11:00pm on weekends (last admission is typically one hour before closing).
As well as an observation deck, the tower has cafes, souvenir shops and the famous love locks fence.
Namsangol Hanok Village is located at the base of Namsan Mountain and has 5 beautifully restored traditional hanok houses from the Joseon Dynasty.
The houses were relocated here from various locations around the city to protect them. It is much quieter than the more famous Bukchon Hanok Village.
You can watch various performances such as taekwondo demonstrations in the village. Or try out activities like the board game yunnori or folding traditional Korean paper (hanji).
Namsangol Hanok Village is free to visit. Closed on Tuesdays.
Korean barbecue is an absolute must when visiting Seoul. Restaurants can be found in all areas of the city. I was staying in Hongdae and there were countless BBQ restaurants there.
Korean BBQ is traditionally a social meal in Korea, so it’s best to be in a group of at least 3-4 people as otherwise some restaurants may not let you in. (Although there do seem to be more now catering to smaller groups/people on their own).
Solo traveller? Don’t fret, you can book yourself onto a Korean BBQ group dinner:
Seoul comes alive at night. Many shops are open until 10pm or later and districts like Hongdae and Euljiro are even more busy at nighttime than during the day.
Hongdae:
My hotel (L7 Hongdae by Lotte) was in Hongdae and the streets were EMPTY when I set off in the morning, and absolutely buzzing when I got back in the evening!
Karaoke is popular and the streets have almost a fairground-like vibe. One thing that I noticed is there are photo booths on every corner where you can get some fun passport-style snaps with props like hats and headbands.
Euljiro:
Euljiro looks like nothing during the day but is the place to go out at night in Seoul (and known as “Hipjiro” apparently!).
Take the subway to Euljiro 3-ga Station and Exit 3 for the famous Nogari Alley.
Euljiro is full of hidden speakeasies, so you can have fun looking for hidden bars between all the industrial print shops and welding workshops:
I recommend picking a central district of Seoul that has some attractions in it so that you minimise travel time. My preferred areas are:
Personally I chose to stay in Hongdae because everything opens late in Seoul, meaning I had plenty of time in the morning to take the subway to the historical sites in the city centre. There’s great nightlife in Hongdae, so I chose to book a hotel within walking distance of that so that I wouldn’t need to spend ages getting home after dinner/drinks. But if that’s not a priority then I would recommend Myeongdong/Insadong area instead as that’s more central.
See my separate post What Area of Seoul Should I Stay In? for a full comparison of the different neighbourhoods you can stay in.
South Korea visa rules vary by country so make sure to check the rules for your country of citizenship.
If you’re eligible for visa-free entry, you generally need to apply for a K-ETA via the official K-ETA website.
British nationals are temporarily exempt until 31 December 2026.
Most visitors to Seoul will land at Incheon International Airport (ICN). From the airport, it’s an easy 45-minute train or bus ride into the heart of the city.
There are two airport trains, both leave from inside the airport building itself:
Tickets are available online or at station ticket machines.
If you’re arriving late or simple want a hassle free journey to your accommodation, I recommend booking a pickup transfer in advance using Welcome Pickups.
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.
1. The regular transport pass is called the T-Money transportation card. You can then top up as much as you need.
Credit/debit card transaction fees are quite high (3.75% – 5% service fee), so you’re better off topping up with 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.
2. Alternatively you can get a Climate Companion Card. This is a pass for a fixed price that allows unlimited transport on the subway and buses:
| Pass Type | Price |
|---|---|
| 1-day Pass | KRW 5,000 |
| 2-day Pass | KRW 8,000 |
| 3-day Pass | KRW 10,000 |
| 5-day Pass | KRW 15,000 |
| 7-day Pass | KRW 20,000 |
Credit/Debit cards are widely accepted in Seoul. However, you will need cash for topping up your transport card at better rates, and for the street food markets like Myeongdong Night Market.
To withdraw cash in local currency 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.
I highly recommend getting an eSIM with Airalo. You can set it up before you travel. The main advantages of purchasing an eSIM (enter the referral code ROWAN1271 for a discount) are:
Get your Airalo eSIM here. Enter the referral code ROWAN1271 for a discount.
I recommend downloading the following apps before your trip to Seoul:
Plan Your Trip to Seoul: Useful Travel Resources
Check out my favourite travel resources page that I use to make sure all my trips go smoothly, from the best currency exchange apps to travel insurance, my preferred eSIMs and the walking tours I use to explore new cities and meet other travellers and everything in between.
Hover over/press each icon to discover more.
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