Seoul itinerary 1 day — How to spend 1 day in Seoul & what to do in Seoul for 1 day?

As a city that blends old culture with modern buildings, the place where K-pop culture started, coming to Seoul, there’s not only much but a ton of things to explore. Have you ever wondered what you can do with just one day in this beautiful city of Seoul? You want to have the most suitable and interesting itinerary in just 24 hours in Seoul? Don’t worry, check out our suggestions below to make the most of your time to explore and have good memories in the capital of the land of kimchi.

So, what to do in Seoul for 1 day? Let’s check out our suggested Seoul itinerary 1 day (Seoul one day itinerary) on how to spend 1 day in Seoul (24 hours in Seoul, one day trip in Seoul, Seoul in a day, Seoul in one day, Seoul one day trip) perfectly as follows!

Seoul itinerary 1 day: Start at Gyeongbokgung Palace

Address: 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: 9AM–6PM/Tuesday: Closed

Gyeongbokgung Palace is also known as the Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven, which means the Palace of Shining Happiness. This is the most magnificent and beautiful palace in Korea and is located north of Seoul. You may not know that, Seoul has not one but five main palaces, Gyeongbokgung is the largest and most important palace established in 1395.

The royal palace has a unique architecture that is a unique combination of human hands and nature, built in a style that is in harmony with the environment through a combination of garden landscape and art. Today, visitors can witness the changing of the guard ceremony performed at the entrance gate of Gwanghwamun if you make time for this visit from 10-11am, the musketeer parade ceremonies and experience some traditional shows and performances, especially seeing historical movie scenes are made here.

Also if you wear a traditional hanbok costume, which you can rent around town, you get free entry, but be aware, renting a costume is more expensive than just paying the entrance fee. A little detail for the visitors, is that the main palace Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, with a beautiful Secret Garden, are the two most famous and luckier, they are located close to each other.

1 day in Seoul: Discover Korean culture at Bukchon Hanok Village

Located between two palaces – Gyeongbokgung to the west and Changdeokgung to the east, pretty close to the first site – Bukchon Hanok Village is a picturesque village with over 400 traditional Korean houses. The residential area has been preserved and kept intact for more than 600 years, every alley in the village is imprinted with ancient vestiges over time.

Hanok architecture pays great attention to the topographical features of the land on which it is built. Structural layout, aesthetics and space are the main concerns here, the houses are made of stone and wood with a characteristic golden brown color. Besides making beautiful traditional hanbok costumes, the village also has small cafes, restaurants and shops offering crafts and souvenirs. Visiting Hanok Bukchon in addition to being impressed by the nostalgic scenes, you will also feel a rich and noble look on this neighborhood.

This is exactly the second attraction that you cannot afford to miss. You can take a walk and take pictures within 1 hour, around 12AM you can have lunch at Tongin market, enjoy a buffet with traditional dishes and Korean street foods.

24 hours in Seoul: Admire Changdeokgung Palace and its Secret Garden

Changdeokgung Palace, also known as “The Palace of Prospering Virtue”, is the second royal palace built after the construction of Gyeongbukgung Palace in 1405. In particular, Changdeokgung Palace was designed based on the surrounding hills, in harmony with the surrounding mountains, nature and environment. As such, the palace has had a great influence on the development of Korean architecture, garden and landscape planning, and related art, for many centuries. It reflects sophisticated architectural values, in harmony with the beautiful surroundings. Visitors can enjoy a spring filled with cherry blossoms, or a nostalgic autumn with colorful fall foliage at Changdeokgung.

The interesting thing about this palace is its vast secret garden that was once dedicated only for the king and those close to him. Today, the garden can be visited for free by anyone, and visitors should not miss the beauty of this unique green area with its numerous picturesque ponds and pavilions.

Seoul in a day: Enjoy art in Insadong

As a street stretching from Jongno-yiga to the Anguk-dong intersection in the heart of Seoul, famous as a place with many unique cultural features, with a harmonious combination of tradition and modernity, Insadong is not only is a favorite destination of Seoul residents but also attracts a lot of foreign tourists. Here, visitors will be overwhelmed by Korean handicrafts such as calligraphy materials, terracotta, antique wooden furniture, hanbok, hanji, folk handicrafts, souvenirs, teas, pretty and unique accessories…

Coming to Insadong you must not forget the paradise Ssamzie-gil is a 4-storey building with more than 70 stalls selling everything related to handicrafts. This building is designed in the style of old European houses, with an extremely impressive Art Decor style. Along that neighborhood, you’ll find a few local cafes, teahouses, and galleries and exhibitions. Stop for a moment and visit where you find the most interesting if you have time, or not, you are also free to choose unique Korean souvenirs and crafts to take home.

Seoul one day trip: Get a great view from Namsan Tower (N Seoul Tower)

On Namsan Mountain, there is a very famous observatory called N Seoul Tower. You can come here around 4-5 pm is the most beautiful. Namsan Seoul Tower is known as the tower of love, where many prayers are kept about the romance of many young people, along with beautiful love locks symbolizing the eternal vow of love.

From the top, the tower offers wonderful panoramic views of the city, romantic and colorful scenery, all very peaceful and poetic. In addition, visitors can also witness the romantic moments of the couples below. No matter what time of day, you can always catch a beautiful view of the hustle and bustle of Seoul below. However, Namsan is a perfect place to enjoy the cultural space at sunset or at night to fully appreciate the beauty of the whole city, with many performances, movies, exhibitions as well as high-end restaurants and fast food restaurants.

What to do in Seoul for 1 day: Shopping and dining in Myeongdong

One of the most popular areas for tourists is the old town of Myeongdong, which is the largest and busiest shopping street in the Jung-gu district of Seoul in South Korea. Because there are many items on sale, this is considered a shopping paradise in Seoul. If you are a fashionista or simply want to shop for some nice clothes, Myeongdong is the place to meet your needs because most of the famous fashion brands have stores located here and you will come across the style you like at any time. So, it’s worth a visit, isn’t it? In addition, Myeongdong also has many cosmetic shops for visitors to choose from or restaurants are also countless.

You should come to Myeongdong at night to feel the rhythm of life here and experience the exciting shopping experience at the capital’s famous night market. This is the right place for your dinner, enjoy a little food after a day of sightseeing and exploring. Here, shopping for cosmetics or clothes until 11pm and even food stalls sell until 2am. The minus point of Myeongdong is to focus on shopping and eating rather than partying. But it’s not a bad idea to come here to recharge for the next game!

Seoul one day itinerary: Go clubbing in Itaewon

Itaewon is said to be a paradise for tourists and foreigners when coming to Korea. This neighborhood has many foreigners living and working, so it has a different bustling atmosphere. Located in the Yongsan district of Seoul, Itaewon is definitely a place to party, Itaewon is a different experience with many bars and clubs close together, if you are a fan of sleepless nights, this is the place for you.

Whatever music or entertainment you’re looking for, you’ll find it here. Some suggestions for you guys: This place is the most crowded in Itaewon is Prost Pub & Grill, Seoul (Address: 26 Itaewon-ro 27ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea/Hours: 7PM–3AM), the music is quite good but there will be no room for you to dance. Vinyl Bar is the funniest place, DJ plays a variety of music from vinyl discs, so the sound quality is top notch. Thursday Party (Address: 6 Itaewon-ro 27-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea/Hours: 7PM–4AM) has Beer Pong only 9,900 won, good music and plenty of space to dance freely. A bit on the cozy and comfortable side, The Cake Shop is a good neighborhood club counter. Club MUTE is another top nightlife hotspot in the city playing house, techno and nu-disco tracks.

End your 24 hours in Seoul here, there’s nothing to regret! Don’t forget to go back to your hotel or motel to rest and relax right away!

With only a day in Seoul (Seoul itinerary 1 day), you can go to many famous places, right? Although there are many more interesting places to visit, this is just a convenient itinerary and helps you make the most of your time to explore some of the beautiful capital Seoul. Pin it now whether you are planning to go to Seoul or not, maybe you will have a chance to visit this place in the future.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Seoul you can refer to

• Private Incheon International Airport Transfers (ICN) for Seoul
• Private Incheon Airport Transfers (ICN) for Seoul
• Incheon International Airport (ICN) Limousine Bus Transfers for Seoul (Gangnam District)
• Klook Exclusive Seoul 5 Day Pass
• Discover Seoul Pass (BTS Edition Available)
• [SALE] Instant Ticket! Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5 Days to travel around the cities in Korea
• Private Incheon Airport (ICN) and Gimpo Airport (GMP) Transfers for Seoul by S.A Tour
• Everland Private Car Charter with Admission Ticket by Wondertrip
• KAL Limousine Bus Ticket for Seoul
• [Limited Offer] AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket in Seoul
• Bukchon Oneday Hanbok Rental Experience (4/24 Hrs)
• Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm, and Gangchon Rail Bike Day Tour from Seoul
• Seoul City Sightseeing Bus (Downtown Palace Namsan Course/Seoul Panorama Course)
• [Limited Offer] Incheon International Airport (ICN) Luggage Services (Between Airport and Hotel) by Safex
• 4G Prepaid SIM Card (SK Airports Pick Up) for South Korea
• [Sale] Hanbok Experience (Hanboknam Gyeongbokgung Store) with Korean Hairstyling
• [SALE] South Korea 4G Pocket WiFi (KR Airports Pick Up) from KT Olleh
• 4G WiFi (MY Airport Pick Up) for South Korea (Unlimited Data)
• 4G Portable WiFi for South Korea from Uroaming (Unlimited Data)

Are you finding more top things to do in Seoul: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here.