3 days in Seoul

Dear Lilioftheword.com reader, here is Dimo, your editor. This post will take you to Seoul – the capital of South Korea. In April 2024, together with my daughter Kaia, we had the opportunity to spend 3 wonderful days there. And below I will share with you my suggestions for top things to do and see for 3 days in Seoul.

A small note before you start – it proved that the planning listed below is too challenging to complete when you are traveling with a little kid. Hence, you will need to adjust it to your personal situation and preferences 🙂

Useful Tips

1. Interesting Facts about Seoul

• Seoul is a megacity with population of over 11 million. Despite its huge scale, you will be pleasantly surprised by the excellent infrastructure and urban transportation. Just to put this into perspective, Seoul has one of the longest metro systems in the world of more than 940km in combined length!
• With its over 2000 years of history, the city offers very rich cultural heritage. You will find there five ancient palaces and various other historical sites.
• Yet, Seoul has grown into a modern city and is currently one of the most important technological hubs in the world. The significant business importance could be seen in the endless number of skyscrapers and business buildings. One downside here is that you won’t see enough green space in the city itself.
• Next to that, many consider the city as the world capital of Karaoke. The number of Karaoke bars that you would see there is surprising 🙂
• Have you seen a bridge fountain? The longest one is in Seoul – the Banpo Grand Bridge – listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

2. The prep essentials:

• Visum requirements – depends on your passport 🙂 Citizens of EU member states are allowed visa-free for a period of up to 90 days.
• Vaccinations needed – no obligatory ones. Also no recommended ones.
• Safety level – despite its huge scale, Seoul is very safe city. Level of crime is very low, so you should feel safe in the majority of places.
• Currency – Local currency is the South Korean won(₩). However, you might not even see what the notes look like, as card, Apple and Google Pay are available everywhere. If you consider using the airport train or the urban transportation, make sure to purchase a Tmoney prepaid card upon your arrival (available in kiosks, subways stops, convenience stores, etc.). If you don’t have the Tmoney card, you will have to pay for urban transportation in cash.
• AC outlet – see here if you need an adapter depending on where you live.
• Smartphone Connectivity – public WiFi networks are widely available in Seoul, so despite not having local SIM card, you can remain relatively well connected.
• Communication – be prepared that not every local person speaks English well, so it is advisable to research and prepare for places of interest in advance.

3. Transportation

The most likely port of arrival for long haul travelers is the Incheon International Airport (ICN).

The three best alternatives to get to the city are:

• Airport train (AREX) – keep in mind that there are two types of trains: the Express and the All-Stop. The Express Train takes 43 minutes to get to the Seoul Station and costs ₩11,000 (approx. 7.5 euro) as of May 2024. The All-Stop Train takes 59 minutes and costs slightly less. The benefit here is that the latter might have a stop that is closer to your place of stay in the city. Make sure to have either the already mentioned Tmoney card or cash for the train tickets.
• Taxi – depending on the destination area and the traffic, the ride is between 40-60 minutes and costs about ₩60,000-90,000. For my trip to Gangnam, I paid 50 euro in May 2024.
• Airport Limousine bus – it takes you directly to major areas and big hotels in Seoul, the ticket price is about ₩10,000-15,000. There are also public buses that are a bit cheaper and take you to major transit hubs only.
• Hotel transfer – check if your hotel offers a transfer and arrange in advance if you want to avoid any stress surrounding the other means of transportation.

4. Accommodation

After extensive online research, I recommend the following districts for first time visitors:

• Gangnam – this is the shiny business center of modern Seoul. With endless high rises, restaurants, bars, luxury stores this is a famous trend-setting area. It is also very close to the Lotte Tower and the Olympic Park. This is where we stayed. I can only recommend our hotel – Hotel in 9 Gangnam – it has a great restaurant which offers you a very nice rooftop view to the rest of the city:

• Myeongdong – it is another very relevant area for international tourists. It is the main shopping district and as you can imagine it offers plenty of entertainment to its visitors. If you stay there you will be very close to various points of interest, such as Bukchon Hanok Village or the Myeongdong Cathedral.

• Hongdae – this is the “university district” and is considered to be a “hipster” area, attracting many young people. It is probably the right place for your stay if you are searching for vibrant night life and/or budget accommodation.
• Insadong – a true source of authenticity and culture, this area offers you range of galleries, shops, and traditional restaurants.

5. Best time to visit

Seoul has a temperate climate with four distinctive seasons. With expressively cold winters and warm summers, perhaps the best time to visit is in the spring, between April and June.

6. How long should you stay?

From my research 3-5 days should be just enough to create a proper impression of the city and its points of interest.

Alright! Thanks for bearing with me! Now is time to see what to do for 3 days in Seoul!

Day 1 – Gangnam, Lotte Tower & Olympic Park

Bongeunsa Temple

Established about 1,200 years ago, Bongeunsa is one of the most visited temples in South Korea. And there is a reason why. In my travels I have seen many Buddhist temples in different countries and I can say that this one is in a category of its own. You will find various buildings, sculptures and historical relics in the Temple as over the centuries it was the meditation and training ground of generations of monks. The Temple area provides quiet resting and relaxation place for both tourists and locals. The colorful Temple buildings and green area surrounding them, form stark contrast with the business towers that have occupied big part of Gangnam.

COEX Center area

COEX Center is a very large mall, convention and business center. It is interesting to know that the territory on which it spans once belonged to the Bongeunsa Temple and over the years the land was sold to the public. Its current form started shaping in the 1970’s under the supervision of the Korean Government.

Amongst the things to do and see there are the giant library, the Aquarium and the Gangnam Style Statue:

Lotte Tower

This 555-meters-high skyscraper is the 6th tallest building in the world! It makes a significant landmark on the skyline and makes other tall buildings to look like dwarfs. It is so high that when you stand next to it, you are not able to see its top. Huge stuff  🙂

As with other very tall buildings, I always try to enjoy them from the outside, so we did not get to the top. However, I read that the city view from the observation deck is really worth it, so you might consider it as part of your program. Good tip is to make sure to pick a day when the sky is clear to avoid clouds obstructing the magnificent sight.

Just next to Lotte Tower, you can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Songpa Naru Lake Park.

Olympic Park

As implied by its name, the Olympic park was built to commemorate the 1988 Summer Olympics. It offers lots of interesting sculptures and art setups, which makes it a strong recommendation to visit. Moreover, it provides chilled vibes coming from its perfectly maintained green park area.

Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs

The Seolleung and Jeongneung Tombs area hosts two royal tombs and a very nice park area just 10 minutes walk from the COEX Center. If you have three days only, this is not a must-see, but rather optional point of interest. Kaia and I enjoyed a nice sunset walk there:

Day 2 – Royal Palaces & Bukchon Hanok Village

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. It was built in 1395 and has had several restorations in recent years. Be prepared to walk. Walk a lot. The area is huge and it takes time to get to the buildings of interest. You could easily spend here half a day or even longer (just be aware that the palace is closed on Tuesdays!).

I recommend getting a tour guide to make the most out of your visit to this magnificent palace. You could also opt for visiting the palace in traditional attire that sends you back in time and helps you to submerge into the historic spirit of the surroundings.

Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon Hanok Village is known for its over 900 well restored traditional Korean houses. Once you set foot in the small hilly streets of the village, you experience a completely new feeling of Seoul. From the tiled roofs through the cobbled walls to the picturesque ornaments, every detail seems to embody the perfection of the nature in itself. It is a must-see and must-feel attraction.

While admiring the beautiful houses one might forget that they are actually residential properties, so be mindful to respect the privacy of the neighborhood. There are some good restaurants in the area, so it could be a good spot for the dinner of Day 2.

Changdeokgung Palace

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Changdeokgung Palace is another place of significant historical context. It has been recently renovated, so it is for sure worth visiting. However, depending on your personal preference you might decide to either visit this palace or the first one from the list of Day 2 – Gyeongbokgung. During our visit, we decided to skip it, because our timeline was tight.

Another palace just nearby is the Changgyeonggung Palace. Again, depending on your level of attraction to the Korean palaces, you should decide if you want to make it there or not.

Ihwa Mural Village

The Ihwa Mural Village is a very colorful district of Seoul. If you are into murals and street art, this is definitely a place to visit. You could easily spend half a day here, so you will need to prioritize with the other places of interest in the area if you want to fit everything in one day. We did not manage to visit this time, but the following post by Sara Travels gives a very good idea of what to expect.

Day 3 – Myeongdong & Around

Walking down town and Myeongdong offers sights to street life and monuments:

Cheonggyecheon Stream

Cheonggyecheon Park is in the northern-most part of Myeongdong and guides you along an art-curated water stream. Long years ago it served to collect sewage waters, but nowadays it has been restored and turned into a cozy public area which is a favorite place for locals and tourists alike.

Street food

The Myeongdong district is famous for its shopping venues, but to me the highlight was the street food. I have been to other countries in the region, which have a rich choice of street food, but what I saw during the Night Market here is just exceptional. You can choose from dozens and dozens of meals that you might not be even able to imagine what exactly you are eating: this is the level of exoticism that I experienced as an European visitor. Moreover, unlike other street markets, the hygiene levels here seem to be very high! It is a must-see and must-taste experience.

Deoksugung

Deoksugung is another spectacular palace in Seoul that is worth visiting. One of its main distinctive features is the presence of western-style buildings that you cannot see in the other palaces in the city. If you have already seen the palaces from Day 2, you might consider if you want to also enter this one, depending on your level of palace-saturation 🙂

N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower is just south of Myeongdong and offers one of the best panoramic views to Seoul. It features a Teddy Bear museum and Love padlock trees, among other attractions. You have different options on how to get there – by foot, by taxi, or my favorite one – with the cable car!

Eat

One of the things in Seoul that I liked the most is the vibrant social life that thrives in the fully packed local restaurants. Of course, the food is also great 🙂 The only catch is that in many places the menu is in Korean language only and it could be that you need to choose by the picture of the respective meal. I found this part rather exciting 🙂

Usually, when we travel, we check the Google rating of the respective restaurant, but I did not do that in Seoul. The main indicator for me was if the place was packed. If it was packed, then it seemed good to go 🙂 And we did not regret any of the restaurants that we tried out. Even if you are not into eating, just seeing the vibrant social life that boils in the restaurants, is an experience by itself.

Thank you for reading along my recommendations for 3 days in Seoul! I hope you enjoyed the read and I hope to see you again soon!

For other long distance trips, visit our Long haul trip section. If you want to read more about shorter getaways, please visit the Weekend Escapes section.

Lilioftheworld.com wishes you Happy Travels!

PS: Here is our video highlight for those who want to get a better feeling of our trip to Seoul: