Looking for an easy 3-day 2-night itinerary in Seoul that takes you through a few different neighborhoods? This is a great Seoul Sampler that takes you through some of the most popular activities in the popular tourist areas of Seoul. Perfect for new arrivals in South Korea or folks who have family and friends visiting.

About the Seoul Sampler Itinerary

Areas Visited: Myeongdong, Jeongrogu, Insadong, Itaewon or Hongdae

When you first visit Seoul either as a tourist or as a new resident in South Korea, you may find Seoul intimidating. The first thing that you need to do is get a lay of the land to find out where you want to focus more of your energy. You don’t want to spend all your time in one area only to discover a different neighborhood had more of what you like.

This Seoul Sampler Itinerary takes you quickly through popular neighborhoods and connects you with the more famous highlights. After seeing the surface-level information, you can decide which neighborhoods best fit your vibe. After that, return to your favorite areas to dig deeper into the side streets and visit more of the curiosities.

The 3 Day South of Seoul Sampler Itinerary provides different types of ideas to encourage customization. This means that works like a framework with ‘choose your own adventure’ elements. Don’t feel confined. This is just a framework.

Feel Free to Go Off-Book

Itineraries are meant to get you started and provide a framework for accomplishing certain goals. You have not failed if you don’t complete every part of the itinerary, instead, you’ve found the path to finding your Seoul.

Day 1: Friday Evening In Seoul

The best weekend in Seoul starts with you already in the city. It’s worth it to go to Seoul for a relaxed dinner and a lovely hotel before beginning two busy days of sightseeing. On your first night, simply focus on grabbing a great dinner and watch some Netflix in your room or take an easy stroll around the neighborhood. Spend time getting your sea legs.

Where to Stay

For the 3-Day Seoul Sampler itinerary, we recommend staying in Myeong-dong. The popular Seoul neighborhood of Myeong-dong still offers decent shopping, restaurants, and central access to the rest of Seoul.

Myeong-dong has changed since the pandemic began and that’s ok. Prior to the Pandemic, Myeong-dong (명동) was known for night markets, beauty supplies, street food, and crazy crowds. The night markets may come back someday, but for now (2022) Myeong-dong has a new, equally lovely central city vibe that makes it perfect for families and those who need to get some quality sleep.

Travel to Myeongdong Station (명동역)

We will never recommend driving into the city. Sometimes it works out ok and other times you spend six hours trying to get one mile. If you want to have a relaxing weekend, don’t take chances on Seoul traffic and stick to public transportation.

Grab an evening train, subway, or express bus to Seoul for a fun weekend getting to know a few different neighborhoods. If you don’t know how to navigate Korean inter-city public transportation you can contact 1330 who can help you create a travel plan using an express bus, train, or subway.

Coming from outside Seoul

Once you arrive in Seoul, use Naver Maps to route your subway connections to the Myeongdong Station (명동역). It may take about 1 hr to get to Myeong-dong from one of the major train stations or bus terminals.

Coming from the Airport

Travel from Incheon Airport to Myeongdong by train, taxi, subway, or bus. Travel time varies from 1 – 2 hours depending on types of transportation, number of stops, and traffic.

Check-In to Your Hotel

To make it a little easier, you will find three popular Myeong-dong tourist hotels recommended below. We’ve chosen these hotels since many folks are looking for comfortable places around 150,000 won a night. To help support our organization so that we can keep pumping out detailed blogs and information, we’ve added affiliate links for the hotels. It would be badass if you use the affiliate links! Booking through the links helps us out a ton! We do this work no matter what but affiliate money makes it easier to afford all the hosting fees.

Keep in mind, that there are less expensive places to stay in Myeong-dong than what we recommend below. However, such hotels may have fewer Westernized ammenities or English support. That said, the cheaper hotels are still very lovely and we encourage you to book them if you don’t mind cultural differences such as harder beds or no English-speaking staff. We just based these options on what many non-Korean travelers prefer.

1. Pacific Hotel Seoul Meyongdong

One of the best overall hotels taking into consideration price, location, and comfort.

Reasons we recommend Pacific Hotel:

• Newly renovated
• Excellent location
• Often priced below $150 a night for 2 people
• Free parking
• Breakfast buffet available with an Asian/Korean food focus (Seoul breakfast buffest may run close to 25,000 won per person when not included with the room)
• Near enough to Myeong-dong Subway Station
• Family rooms available (Strollers available)
• Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese
• Halal food available in the neighborhood

What to know more?

Linda Goes East posted a detailed blog about Pacific Hotel which dives deeper into the buffet and rooms. She has amazing blogs about Seoul. We highly recommend reading her reviews.

Additionally, the reviews on Agoda have been solid. For example:

“To start with the location was EVERYTHING! Walking distance to so much! The staff was friendly, especially housekeeping. They helped me book taxis when needed, answered questions, and always greeted me with a smile.”

Melissa, USA

2. Sejong Hotel Seoul Myeongdong

Great hotel if you want to be right next to the subway station.

Reasons we recommend Sejong Hotel Seoul:

• Decent Location
• Old school feel (in a good way)
• Near Myeong-dong Subway Station
• Soundproof rooms
• Breakfast specifically has western and Asian food choices
• Luggage storage so you don’t have to carry your bags around before or after check-out
• Often priced below $150 a night for 2 people
• Restaurant with breakfast available at the hotel
• Near enough to a subway station
• Family rooms available (Strollers available)
• Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese

3. Royal Hotel Seoul Myeongdong

This hotel can be quite expensive but Agoda runs deals up to 50% off. When that happens, be sure to book here.

• Decent Location
• Near Myeong-dong Subway Station
• Breakfast has an “in-room” option and buffet (Although expensive)
• Luggage storage so you don’t have to carry your bags around before or after check-out
• Often priced below $150 a night for 2 people
• Restaurant with breakfast available at the hotel
• Near enough to a subway station
• Family rooms available (Strollers available)
• Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese

Want to know more?

You can find extensive reviews for this location on all of the sites. They commonly mention the small room sizes as the biggest drawback and the fact that the breakfast menu is expensive and never changes. However, they love the location and the price so it’s a solid option.

“It’s all about the location. Perfect place if you want to stay in the heart of Seoul, Myeongdong. Shopping complex, street foods are located just in front of the hotel, doorstep away! the only cons are the small room size but amenities are complete.”

Agoda Review

Interested in exploring other hotel options?

Myeong-dong has many great options so feel free to shop for something cheaper or locations with different amenities that better meet your specific needs.

Myeongdong Dinner Options

We don’t believe in running around Seoul chasing down dinner. It’s exhausting and hectic. Instead, eat at one of the delightful Myeong-dong restaurants and enjoy exploring the area. Here are 5 possible options in the Myeong-dong (명동) area. You can also use Naver Maps to search the area when you arrive.

Day 2: Palace, Hanok Village, Insadong

Today may feel like a huge and exhausting day if you don’t carefully manage your energy. Remember to drink water, eat snacks often, and sit down as much as possible. Don’t be a hero. This will be a great day if you just keep it slow and steady.

08:00 am Breakfast

Beyond the hotel, very few places will open before 10:00 am. The places that do open early may not offer items you would consider breakfast. In fact, you could end up walking around for an hour before you find something you would call breakfast.

Instead, we recommend one of the two following breakfast solutions so that you can easily stay on schedule:

• Easy Breakfast: Eat at the hotel buffet. Keep things simple. Although it may be cheaper to eat outside the hotel, today, you have a tight schedule. Just spend too much money on the hotel buffet or at the hotel cafe because it’s very frustrating trying to find breakfast.
• Budget Friendly Breakfast: Buy food the night before and keep it in your hotel fridge. This is also a great option if you aren’t a big breakfast eater. Cafe baked goods make perfect morning meals.

09:10 am Depart for Changing of the Guard

Estimated Travel Time: Taxi 20 minutes / Subway 35 Minutes

The taxi times assume no traffic or having your public transit cards loaded and ready to scan. Check Naver to confirm traffic and times before grabbing a taxi. We do recommend taking a taxi for this first trip just to save yourself a little energy for the rest of the day.

Don’t miss this. It’s one of the coolest things to see in Seoul.

09:45 am Changing of the Guard

The changing of the guard takes place at 10am and 2pm every day except Tuesdays. Aim to arrive at least 15 minutes before the changing of the guard ceremony in order to ensure a good viewing spot. The performance begins when the gong sounds and continues for about 20 minutes.

You want to see the morning show because then you avoid standing outside in the heat during the mid-day.

10:30 am Explore Gyeongbokgung Palace

The Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds are easy to walk. Take your time and enjoy the benches and shade that you find.

11: 30 am Lunch

We know this is early, but if you wait until after 12:00 pm to go to the restaurants you may not find any food to eat. This is not an exaggeration. Restaurants will fill up fast and many will sell out of their lunch menus by 1:00 pm or 1:30 and then close around 2:30 for a break. Eat early or risk not eating at all or eating only what you can find rather than what you want.

Searching for the ‘ideal” lunch is where weekend trips to Seoul tend to get off schedule and exhausting. Many of the recommendations by bloggers (although fantastic) aren’t in a convenient place. This means that you may end up walking for hours out of your way and you can’t get your schedule back on track. Additionally, if places are popular online it means they may be over full AND sell out early. You are better off focusing on eating something lovely en route to where you are headed.

In the image below you can see an area surrounded by orange that sits between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village. This is your ideal area to find a place open with seats. Any time we tried to eat in another area on this itinerary, the trip became too exhausting in a way that was not sustainable for families or people with mobility issues.

This area shown in the image above also has both very expensive restaurants and lunch counters. We recommend not being super picky about lunch and just finding anything that works in this area. If you try to another area it will throw the itinerary off for the rest of the day and make things feel very hectic.

12:30 pm Bukchon Hanok Village

20-30 minutes walking time: Gyeongbokgung Palace to Bukchon Hanok Village

Quite honestly, this area is mostly about walking and looking at history. It’s what Seoul used to look like before it grew toward the sky. The area has many hills. It’s somehow a little boring and highly magical at the same time. Everyone should see it at least once.

Cafes: There are many lovely little cafes. We recommend trying a traditional dessert like bingsu or rice cake.

Dining: There are places to eat in the Hanok Village area but we can’t tell you that it’s a great spot to grab a meal. Instead, we recommend heading to Insadong where

Dress up: The most popular activity is to dress in traditional Korean clothing and walk the streets. It can be an amazing opportunity for family photos.

Take Lots of Photos: Mostly this area provides studying backdrops for photos and a historical perspective on how cities used to be laid out.

3:00 pm Museum Options

10-30 minutes walking time: Walk time may vary based on museum selection

Take a museum break. Museums provide a fun way to slow down, get out of the sun, and relax a little bit. Pick one of the following museums and get off the busy streets of Seoul for a while.

04:30 pm Insadong

30-70 minutes walking time: Walk time may vary based on your speed and interest.

Now it’s time to walk through Insadong when the heat has dissolved away a little. The street can either be a quick little walk or getting lost in the stores for a few hours. It’s just up to you. You may find Insadong is a place you want to come back to and spend more time exploring.

Adjusting for Kids or Mobility Restrictions: We usually stop for coffee and snacks on this trip due to mobility issues. For example, we may get a cold drink at one cafe, then a snack at a second cafe, and a coffee at a third cafe. This breaks the walk into 3 sections of about 20 minutes of walking each with a rest. Everyone wins because stopping at lots of cafes means trying different things and enjoying cafe culture.

5:30 Dinner

Grabbing dinner in the Insadong area will keep things less of a hustle. We would highly recommend trying one of the Korean restaurants in the Insadong area but if not, we also have a few non-Korean options.

Also, don’t feel pressed to follow these recommendations. If you see a place you want to stop, do it!!! Trying things that catch your fancy makes any trip better. The following restaurants are just suggestions.

Also, keep in mind that Seoul can be a madhouse with long waits at dinner time. Don’t expect to walk right in. Additionally, restaurants stop serving 1 hour before they close and many close around 8:00 pm. They also may take a mid-day break from 2:30- 4:30.

06:30 pm Cheonggyecheon Stream

10-20 minutes walking time: Walk time may vary based on where you chose to have dinner

Now it’s time to head home. On the way home is one of Seoul’s most famous waterways. This is where the Seoul Lantern Festival is held each year. It’s a romantic place to spend some time enjoying gorgeous views.

You don’t have to walk the entire stream, find a place to sit down and relax. Nobody will bother you or try to keep you moving. You can just sit down by the stream and relax where you find a spot that feels comfortable.

If you are exhausted, skip the stream to head back to your hotel and read a book or watch a Korean Drama.

Pharmacy Stop

If you are in pain on Saturday, don’t wait until Sunday to find medication, bandaids, or other support. Most pharmacies will be closed on Sunday. Most pharmacist can understand basic English or you can use Papago. In fact, many pharmacies near Cheonggyecheon Stream also have limited hours on Saturdays.

To find the pharmacies search 약국 in Naver Maps. You can copy and paste the term 약국 into the search.

Many pharmacies in the area may close around 7pm. This is why you want to make sure to go around this time if you have any concerns about your health needs on Sunday. Things you may need are painkillers, anti-inflammatories, K-94 masks, bandaids, magnesium supplements for muscles, pain patches, etc.

7:30 Free Time in the City

It’s really your time to decide what feels best. The stream can be an awesome spot to hang out and chat with family or friends. However, you may also be exhausted from your day and ready to go relax in your room with a long bath and some Netflix or a good book.

Day 3: Pick Your Own Ending

Today you need to check out of your hotel. If you have heavy luggage you will need to leave it with the hotel and come back for it later. Such a situation does add a certain amount of inconvenience to your day. If you only carry a lightweight day pack, you can avoid this inconvenience completely. However, we want to provide a solution for those traveling with bags.

We don’t recommend hustling to a storage locker. Figuring out the storage locker system can be a headache. It may ruin your whole day. Instead, ask your hotel to hold your luggage until the evening.

To help you plan for your return trip home, here are the estimated costs and travel times for a taxi back to the hotel from our recommended destinations:

• Itaewon to Myeongdong: 6,000 – 10,000 won and 15-30 minutes travel time.**
• Hongdae to Myeongdong: 9,000 – 15,000 won 30-45 minute travel time.**

** Keep in mind these taxi costs and times assume no issues with traffic. Always check traffic times on Naver before getting in the taxi.

When traveling in a group, sometimes one group member will leave early to grab the bags from the hotel. They will then meet up with the rest of the group at the train or bus station for the return home. This can help make the trip less stressful if the luggage can be managed by one person and a taxi driver. If you leave from Seoul Station it’s very easy for everyone to meet up there.

8:00 Breakfast

Today you want to make it an easy day. Start slow and enjoy breakfast at a nearby franchise cafe or at your hotel’s buffet. Usually, franchise cafes open earlier and offer more options for a savory breakfast. The following options may have a savory breakfast sandwich (if they aren’t sold out) and open at 7:00 am.

Note: Smaller cafes often do not open until after 10 am and may only have sweet bread options.

10:00 am Namsan Cable Car to Namsan Tower

You want to go as early as possible to avoid the lines. Maybe even show up about 9:45 am just in case a line has started to form.

10:30 Namsan Tower

After you finish your time at Namsan it’s time to choose your final neighborhood.

Option 1: 12:00 pm Walk Downhill to Itaewon

Historically speaking, Itaewon has been one of the most international areas of South Korea. It offers many restaurant and shopping opportunities.

Option 2: 12:00 pm Taxi to Hongdae

In Hongdae, we recommend walking around a little and grabbing lunch. The Street performance area may be quiet during the day but there are nice restaurants to try in that spot.

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Head Home

No need to stay out too late in Seoul on your final day. Time to grab a train or bus back home. Hopefully, you booked these tickets ahead of time since tickets tend to sell out quickly. On the last day in Seoul, dinner can be complicated. You may want to choose something easy and fast for Sunday dinner.

This will be the most uncomfortable part of your trip. You are physically and mentally exhausted and figuring out the transportation home, dinner, and life generally may feel overwhelming. Everyone grab some water and coffee.

Train Station Options

Many travelers will choose to pre-purchase train tickets for the trip home from one of the following stations. Seoul Station is closer to Myeongdong which may make getting the bags and returning to the station more convenient.

We recommend booking your Sunday return trip 1-2 weeks before you go if possible to hopefully ensure seats. If you are traveling on a holiday purchasing tickets may be complicated. Remember that most seated train tickets on Sunday night sell out by Wednesday and purchasing late may mean standing room only.

Why We Use Agoda Affiliate Links

Korea has separate tour booking systems for those that live in South Korea and those that visit from other countries. After comparing the Korean sites to the international sites, we found Agoda consistently had prices that matched the local prices.

Additionally, over many years of traveling in South Korea, Agodo has provided the most consistently reliable bookings across the country.

Resources for Helping You Navigate Seoul

These next posts may be the most important information you read regarding planning a trip to Seoul and making sure you can find every place you want to visit.

Use Hangul Addresses Instead of Romanized Addresses

Don’t get caught with the wrong type of address.

Choosing a Navigation App

Choosing the right Navigation app will also help with your time in South Korea. Read this article next to know which navigation apps work best and why!

Using Phone Numbers Instead of Address

We talked about this in the above post, learn more about how to use phone numbers instead of addresses in our post about the navigation app hack.

Using Naver Maps for Navigation

Want to know how to use Naver Maps, get started with Navigating Korea: Using Naver Maps post.

Creating Custom Travel Plans with Naver Maps

Want to take your Naver Maps skills to the next level? Check out our post on how to create a custom travel itinerary in Korea.

Join the Pyeongtaek Travelers Group

You are also welcome to join our Pyeongtaek Travelers. The South of Seoul moderated community of active and friendly travelers (most of whom live in Pyeongtaek, South Korea) sharing their adventures across the country.

Volunteer with South of Seoul

Interested in working with a fun team of talented volunteers? The South of Seoul volunteer team is always looking for other like-minded folks to research information, compile blogs, and edit content.

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South of Seoul has over 52 travel itineraries that extend across Korea. That’s one trip every week for a year! Many itineraries range from 1 to 3-day plans which can be combined to create extended trips across the country.

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