The short version
One palace, one viewing tower, two neighborhoods to walk. That covers most of what makes Seoul feel like Seoul, and all of it is reachable by subway in a day or two.
Right now
- 1Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed every Tuesday, though it opens if that Tuesday is a public holiday. Check the day before you plan the trip.
- 2Everything here is reachable by subway. A transit card is all you need to get around.
- 3Bukchon Hanok Village is a real neighborhood where people live. Keep the noise down and be considerate.
Getting there
From Incheon Airport Terminal 1 or Terminal 2
The Airport Railroad (AREX) leaves both terminals from basement level 1 of the transportation center. Take the all stop train to the last stop, Seoul Station, then Line 1 toward Soyosan and Cheongnyangni to Jongno 3(sam)-ga. Change there to Line 3 toward Daehwa for Gyeongbokgung Station. Exit 5 is a two minute walk.
- How long:
- About 1 hour 40 minutes. The all stop Airport Railroad runs to Seoul Station in 59 minutes from Terminal 1 and 66 minutes from Terminal 2.
The express train reaches Seoul Station in 43 minutes from Terminal 1 and 51 minutes from Terminal 2. Either way you still change subway lines twice after Seoul Station.
From Gimpo Airport
Line 5 from Gimpo Airport Station runs straight to Gwanghwamun Station with no transfer. Come out of Exit 2 and Gyeongbokgung Palace is a six minute walk. To start with Bukchon and Insadong, stay on one stop further to Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station, transfer to Line 3 toward Daehwa, and get off at Anguk Station.
Gimpo Airport Station is a large interchange where several lines meet. Check the Line 5 platform signs before you go through the gates.
From Seoul Station (KTX and Airport Railroad arrivals)
Take Line 1 toward Soyosan and Cheongnyangni, transfer at Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station to Line 3 toward Daehwa, and get off one stop later at Anguk Station. If Insadong is all you want, skip the transfer, stay on Line 1 to Jonggak Station, and leave by Exit 3. Insadong is a three minute walk from there.
- How long:
- About 25 to 30 minutes. The time on the trains themselves is around 10 minutes.
Jongno 3(sam)-ga is a large station where Lines 1, 3, and 5 overlap, so the transfer corridors are long. Allow a few minutes for the change alone.
From Anguk Station or Insadong (heading to Namsan)
From Anguk Station take Line 3 toward Ogeum, get off at Chungmuro Station, and change to the Namsan circular bus (남산순환버스) 01A or 01B. Both routes stop at N Seoul Tower. To go up by cable car, get off at Myeongdong Station on Line 4 and walk up the hill to the cable car station.
01A runs one way around a loop, so boarding at Anguk Station to ride up takes you the long way around. The last bus is at 23:00, and the cable car needs a separate ticket.
What to have ready
- A transit card: Works on both subway and bus.
- Comfortable shoes: Bukchon has slopes and narrow alleys.
- A little cash and a card: For palace admission and small purchases.
Phrases you can copy and paste
Step by step
The route on a map
- 1
Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Where:
- Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3
- Cost:
- 3,000 won for adults, free if you wear hanbok. A combined ticket for the four palaces plus Jongmyo Shrine is 6,000 won, valid six months
The main palace of the Joseon dynasty. The straight axis from Gwanghwamun Gate to Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall where kings were crowned, is the highlight, and you can look into the hall's interior from the stone terrace. The two-story Gyeonghoeru Pavilion floating on a pond on the west side is worth the detour too. Hours shift by season: the palace closes at 17:00 in winter, 18:00 in spring and fall, 18:30 in summer, and ticket sales always stop one hour before closing. Since wearing hanbok gets you in free, many travelers rent one from the shops nearby before coming in.
161 Sajik-ro, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea, ★ 4.6 (46,643)
- 2
N Seoul Tower
- Where:
- Reachable from Myeongdong Station (Line 4) or Chungmuro Station (Lines 3/4) by cable car, bus, or on foot
A viewing tower with a wide view over the city. It sits on top of a mountain, so there is no station right at the base: you choose between the cable car boarding near Myeongdong, the circular bus, or a walk up through the park. The observation deck charges admission, but the plaza at the tower's base and Namsan Park are free, and even the plaza alone gives you a real look over the city. The railings packed with 'love locks' have been part of the scenery here for years. On a cloudy day the view can be poor, so save this one for clear skies.
105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea, ★ 4.5 (67,657)
- 3
Bukchon Hanok Village
- Where:
- Anguk Station, Line 3
A hillside neighborhood dense with traditional hanok houses, sitting between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces. The alleys are open at all times and mostly free to walk, and there are plenty of spots where tiled roofs line up against the high-rises of downtown Seoul, which is why the photos come out so well. People actually live here, so walking quietly is the baseline, and some lanes post signs asking visitors to stay out during certain hours. Early morning, before the crowds arrive, is the calmest time to come.
Gyedong-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea, ★ 4.4 (24,301)
- 4
Insadong
- Where:
- Anguk Station (Line 3) or Jonggak Station (Line 1)
A street of traditional craft shops selling brushes, hanji paper, and ceramics, mixed with galleries and tea houses. Don't just walk the main Insadong-gil: one block into the side alleys you'll find old tea houses and small galleries strung together. The street itself is always open, but individual shops keep their own hours, so check ahead if you have somewhere specific in mind.
Insa-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Watch it happen
Videos other people made, picked because they show a part of this guide that words cannot. They are not our sources: the rules and figures above come from the official pages listed at the end.
SEOUL TRAVEL GUIDE 🇰🇷 Top 50 Things To Do, See, Eat, Drink & Experience In Seoul, South Korea 🏙️👘🎤⚾🍵
Channel: Samuel and Audrey - Travel and Food Videos, English narration, subtitles in many languages
A long pass over the city that puts the palaces, markets and viewpoints in relation to each other, which helps when you are deciding what to group into one day.
Easy to miss
- Showing up at Gyeongbokgung on a Tuesday and finding it closed is a common mistake.
- Gyeongbokgung stops selling tickets one hour before closing. Arriving in the late afternoon and finding the ticket window shut happens more than you'd think.
- N Seoul Tower is on a mountaintop, not a five minute walk from any station. Plan the cable car or bus route ahead of time.
- Bukchon is a residential area. Be careful not to point your camera into windows or private yards.
You can skip this if
- If you have already covered the palace and the tower, the food markets guide is a good next stop.
Where this comes from
Rules, fees and deadlines change and depend on your exact case. Please confirm the details with the official sources before you act.