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1 day in Seoul for friends

Friends, 1 day: food and shopping: a route through Myeongdong & Namsan. 8 stops, estimated cost about ₩90,000 per person (excluding lodging).

Based on public transit and walking · Walking: Moderate · Timetable includes travel time

The timetable below is built from the distances between stops. You can follow it as is, or open the Seoul planner at the bottom of the page to swap any stop and have the times recalculated.

Day 1 · Myeongdong & Namsan

Starts at 10:00 and wraps up around 21:10. 8 stops, about ₩90,000 per person.

10:00

Namdaemun Market 남대문시장 Shopping

Namdaemun Market is Seoul's largest traditional market, laid out in lanes by product type.

1 hr · Under ₩10,000 · Hoehyeon Station (회현역), Line 4 Exit 5, is next to the market. Seoul Station (서울역) is a ten-minute walk to the north.

10 min walk · ~740 m
11:10

Deoksugung Palace and Stone Wall Path 덕수궁 돌담길·정동 Sights

Deoksugung is the small palace beside City Hall where Korea's last emperor lived, and its …

1 hr · Under ₩10,000 · City Hall Station (시청역), Lines 1 and 2, Exit 2, leads right to the gate. The stone wall path starts beside the palace and runs toward Jeongdong.

8 min walk · ~590 m
12:18

Nampo Myeonok 남포면옥 Meal

Nampo Myeonok is one of the places that built the reputation of Pyongyang-style naengmyeon in Seoul.

50 min · ₩10,000–30,000 · Euljiro 1-ga Station (을지로입구역), Line 2, is about five minutes away. Myeongdong Station (명동역), Line 4, is also within walking distance.

6 min walk · ~460 m
13:14

Myeongdong Shopping Street 명동 거리 Shopping

Myeongdong is the capital's busiest shopping district and a first stop for many visitors who want Korean beauty products.

1 hr 20 min · ₩10,000–30,000 · Myeongdong Station (명동역), Line 4 Exits 5 to 8, opens onto the main street. Euljiro 1-ga Station (을지로입구역), Line 2, is also a short walk.

8 min walk · ~590 m
14:42

Hipjiro Hidden Cafes 힙지로 숨은 카페 Cafe

Hipjiro is the nickname for Euljiro, the old district of printing shops and hardware store…

1 hr · ₩10,000–30,000 · Euljiro 3-ga Station (을지로3가역), Lines 2 and 3, and walk a few minutes into the lanes. Use Naver Map or Kakao Map to find each entrance.

11 min walk · ~800 m
15:53

Ikseon-dong Hanok Alley 익선동 한옥골목 Sights

Ikseon-dong keeps the narrowest hanok lanes in central Seoul, with tiny homes that were tu…

1 hr · Under ₩10,000 · Jongno 3-ga Station (종로3가역), Lines 1, 3 and 5, Exit 4, is about a five-minute walk. Follow the signs for Ikseon-dong.

3 min walk · ~60 m
17:40

Onchonjip Ikseon-dong 온천집 익선동 Meal

Onchonjip turns shabu-shabu into a theatrical meal by dressing the dining room like an old…

1 hr 10 min · ₩10,000–30,000 · Jongno 3-ga Station (종로3가역), Lines 1, 3 and 5, Exit 4, and walk about five minutes into the Ikseon-dong lanes.

~20 min by transit · 2.5 km
19:10

N Seoul Tower and Namsan N서울타워·남산 Night view

Namsan is the green hill in the middle of Seoul, and N Seoul Tower sits on its summit like a lantern.

2 hr · ₩10,000–30,000 · Myeongdong Station (명동역), Line 4 Exit 3, leads to the cable car stop, about ten minutes uphill. Namsan loop bus 01 runs from near Chungmuro Station (충무로역) on Lines 3 and 4.

What to bring and keep in mind

A rechargeable transit card (T-money, or the Climate Card in Seoul) works on subways and buses with free transfers. Buy one at a convenience store or station and top it up with cash. Foreign credit cards and cash work in most shops and taxis, but keep some cash for markets and rural buses. A power bank helps too.

Some stops need a reservation. Tap the reservation tag on the card to check in advance.

Palaces, historic houses and temples stop admitting visitors 30 to 60 minutes before closing, so do not save them for last.

Lots of walking today. Plan one long rest at a cafe somewhere in the middle.

Customize this plan

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