Itinerary for Seoul

Written by Jasmine

Last updated June 2025

I’m on a pretty good streak of visiting Seoul at least once a year for the past 4 years, so these recommendations are accumulated from all of those visits, curated from wandering and from friends, locals, and other creators I follow.

Disclaimer: Seoul is a very trendy city and as a result, business turnover can be quite high (especially with cafes). Some of my favorite spots to visit from 2021 were no longer there when I went back to visit in 2024. Double check the recommendations in this list to make sure the businesses are still open!

General things to note if you’re a first time visitor: 

  • You can pick up a T-Money subway card at any convenience store—you can’t get them at the subway.

  • Download Naver Maps — it’s a must for getting around. Google Maps doesn’t work as well for getting you from point A to point B (we have our bookmarks saved though in Google Maps since it’s more accessible, so just copy/paste location names into Naver).

  • Download Kakao Taxi — this will be your equivalent to Uber/Lyft to call a car. You can pay with credit card after you’re done with the ride. 

Neighborhoods to stay:

  • I love staying around the Hannam area (and personally like to avoid Airbnb’s around Itaewon—I find they’re usually a little mustier and less well kept relative to the price). 

  • If you want to stay on the west-side, I would recommend Hapjeong or Yeonnam, which are both near Hongdae but not in the middle of it.

Top things to do

1. Bike and/or picnic along the Han River

One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new city is to bike around and the Han River trails make it so easy to do that. The Han River is the big river that splits Seoul into two parts, so naturally there are a ton of parks on either the north side or the south side to hang out. If you want to stay on the north side and rent a bike, I like Ichon Hangang Park. If you’re a HYBE fan, this is also near the office haha.

However, the north side isn’t the vibiest for a picnic—for that I would recommend the south side at Yeouido Hangang Park or Banpo Hangang Park. Bike rentals are available at both locations!

Note: bike rentals usually aren’t available during the winter (~Nov - Feb) 

2. Eat at a Korean food market

This is a great way to sample a bunch of Korean food, especially if you’re less familiar! Gwangjang Market can fulfill all of your Korean street food cravings & more. Mangwon Market is more lowkey and smaller, but slightly less touristy but after going to both I prefer Gwangjang—it has better food stalls IMO and with a lot of locals so it doesn’t feel like a tourist trap. I got my Korean kitchen goods at Mangwon Market. Slot this in as one of your lunch/daytime activities—Gwangjang closes at 6pm and in general I find it more lively during the day. Make sure to have cash on hand.

3. Go shopping in Hannam, Seongsu, and Sinsa

I’ve been visiting Korea every year for the past 4 years mostly to shop lol. I usually plan a dedicated shopping day for each of these neighborhoods. Check out the Google maps you’ll see a bunch of spots to visit but you’ll do just fine with wandering around! 

In Hannam:

In Seongsu:

In Sinsa:

  • For cafes/snack

  • For dinner

    • Sinsajeon (Korean pancakes and makgeolli), Yujeong (BBQ Pork Belly spot, you will love it if you’re a BTS fan lol)

4. Drink soju and eat bar snacks in a tent

If you want a local “late night street food & soju in a tent” experience, go to the Jongno 3-ga subway stop Exit 3 or Exit 7 and there’s normally a bunch around if you wander.

Nearby is a place called “Meat Alley” where you’ll find a ton of restaurants, especially Korean BBQ. You can start there then head to any of the tents to drink.

I really like Ojugine (오죽이네) for dakdoritang (spicy chicken soup).

5. Visit a palace and explore northern Seoul

Something I find quite charming about Seoul is how their historic palaces are tightly integrated within its modern city. You can pick one of the palaces—I recommend either Gyeongbokgung (the “main” royal palace and arguably the most lively) or Changdeokgung (has a secret garden).

It’s pretty common for tourists to find a nearby hanbok shop (traditional Korean wear) to rent an outfit and walk around for pictures.

While you’re up there, explore the surrounding northern Seoul neighborhoods: Jongno, Euljiro, and Insadong. Check out my maps for cafes, shops, and restaurants to visit.

There is a popular string of alleys in Ikseon-dong which has a bunch of popular cafes and trinket shops—the cafes here are very photogenic but as a result they’re often quite crowded and touristy so plan accordingly if you want to visit.

One of my favorite spots to eat up there is Hwangsaengga Kalguksu for Michlin Bib Gourmand dumplings and knife cut noodles. And one of my favorite shops is the flagship of Andersson Bell which is a Seoul-based fashion label known for its fusion of Korean urban street style and Scandinavian design.

6. Go hiking and/or view the city from above

There are a lot of hiking options and viewpoints around the mountains of Seoul, here are a few:

  • Namsan Tower — This is an iconic tower that you’ve probably seen in tourist photos of Seoul. I like hiking here, but you can also take a gondola entrance near Myeongdong. If you’re hiking, my preferred entrance was near Hannam, route to “Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden.” It’s a very light hike, about 40 min.

  • Bukhansan National Park — Lots of trails and a pretty famous mountain area, but farther out.

    • If you do end up visiting Bukhansan, I would recommend making it a mini-day trip and stopping by Eunpyeong Hanok Village. It’s less touristy than other hanok villages, there’s a temple nearby, and you can go to 1in1jan (1인1잔) for coffee, desserts, and pictures of amazing views.

  • Seoul City Wall Hike — Relatively easy hike with a view of the city. You can also just hike parts of it instead of doing the whole thing.

7. Olive Young

This is pretty self explanatory lol. If you’re unfamiliar, this is Korea’s Sephora/Ulta but …way better. I’ll usually go on TikTok before I visit and look for the recent top rated Korean skincare, haircare, and makeup products to decide what to get (they have both men’s and women’s products!). There are Olive Young’s all over the city and most of them are open until 10pm/11pm so it’s pretty easy to slot into your itinerary.

8. Go out :)

Seoul’s night life is iconic. I like to go out in Itaewon and Apgujeong. Things change quickly and everyone parties differently so instead of giving some specific recommendations, I’ll recommend 2 Seoul-based creators who talk about upcoming parties and shows (check out their content when you’re visiting):

Buy hangover jellies/supplements at the convenience store.

9. Take a stroll in Seoul Forest

Seoul Forest is worth the visit and walk around, especially their Gingko Tree Forest. It’s near Seongsu so after walking around, you can head over to go shopping.

Other notes

  • Honorable Mentions

    • Dong-i’s Snack Shop (동이네분식) — Quite far out but if you’re up for the trip, some of the best ddeokbokki I’ve had in a very humble and cute snack shop

    • 1994SEOUL — This is a tea & tea snack tasting experience. I found it very theraputic and inspiring though it’s not the most casual ($80-$100). It’s not the most foreigner friendly (had to ask my friend in Seoul to make a reservation for me and they spoke mostly Korean, but had an English printout) but I really enjoyed it.

  • For nails: 5x5 or Abijou Nails — both have several locations

  • Skin clinic: The one I usually go to is Egg Clinic in Sinsa, recommended by friends/locals. They do have translators on site if you’re a foreigner but I would highly recommend doing research on treatments you want ahead of time and what to expect. 

  • For haircut: AKNACK (for an edgier haircut) or Chahong (for a bit more straightforward). Both places have multiple locations.

  • For sightseeing/other activities

    • Go to an amusement park—either Wolmido, Everland, or Lotte World. I found Lotte World way too crowded (even on a Monday) that it was basically impossible to get on rides, and found the rides at Wolmido more thrilling and entertaining.

    • Relax at a Korean bathhouse (Jimjilbang) — Not the most unique (you can find some pretty awesome places in LA or NYC) but a nice relaxing activity. I’ve been to Aquafield in Goyang (take a taxi!)

    • Museum San — If you’re up for a day trip, Museum San is great—structures and contemporary art.

    • Graphic in HBC — Nice bookstore borderline art museum for a chill reading & people watching activity

    • Coex Mall & Starfield Library in Gangnam — Popular tourist spot, especially for a photo. I personally think this is skippable but decide for yourself!

Seoul-based creators I follow for cafe/food/activity recommendations:

The Full List

For all of the places on this list and wayyyy more, save our map below :)

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