Things to do in Seoul 2026: 10 spots from Gyeongbokgung to the Han River, with prices, directions and reservations

Bottom line: If you're visiting Seoul for the first time on a 3-day trip, realistically you can cover 7-8 of these 10 spots, not all 10. Group them into three clusters: Day 1, Gyeongbokgung Palace → Bukchon Hanok Village → Changdeokgung Palace → Gwangjang Market (dinner); Day 2, Myeongdong → N Seoul Tower → DDP → Dongdaemun Market; Day 3, Hangang Park → Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky. If time is tight, drop either Changdeokgung's Secret Garden or Seoul Sky and save it for next time.

If you didn't know: Gyeongbokgung's night viewing requires advance online booking in principle, and the 2026 second-half sessions released only 3,000 tickets per day (4 per person) on a first-come basis — once sold out, there's no way in on the day. Changdeokgung's Secret Garden also runs on advance reservation; if online tickets sell out, you must wait for first-come walk-up tickets sold from 9 a.m. that day. At the observation towers (N Seoul Tower, Seoul Sky), some discounted tickets are sold on-site only, which can mean a same-day queue.

At a glance: ① Gyeongbokgung Palace: KRW 3,000 (free in hanbok) · Gyeongbokgung Stn. (Line 3) Exit 5 or Anguk Stn. · 1-2 hrs · no booking by day, night viewing needs advance booking ② Bukchon Hanok Village: free · Anguk Stn. Exit 3, 5-min walk · 1-1.5 hrs · no booking needed ③ Changdeokgung Palace (incl. Secret Garden): KRW 3,000 + separate garden fee · Anguk Stn. Exit 3, 5-10 min · 1 hr / 2.5 hrs with garden · garden needs advance booking ④ Gwangjang Market: free entry (pay for food) · Jongno 5(o)-ga Stn. (Line 1) Exits 7-8, 1-min walk · 1-2 hrs · no booking needed ⑤ Myeongdong: free (pay for shopping/food) · Myeongdong Stn. (Line 4) Exits 5-10 · 1-2 hrs · no booking needed ⑥ N Seoul Tower: observatory & cable car paid (check official site) · 10-min walk from Myeongdong · 1.5-2 hrs round trip · online booking available ⑦ DDP: permanent spaces free, special exhibits may charge · Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Stn. Exit 1, direct · 1-2 hrs · architecture tour booking recommended ⑧ Dongdaemun Market area: free entry (pay for shopping) · same station Exit 14, 5-min walk · 1-3 hrs (late-night hours) · no booking needed ⑨ Hangang Park: free · Yeouinaru Stn. (Line 5) or Express Bus Terminal Stn. (Lines 3/9) · 1-2 hrs · no booking needed ⑩ Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky: paid (check official site) · Jamsil Stn. (Lines 2/8) Exits 1-2, connected · 1-1.5 hrs · online booking recommended

First stop is Gyeongbokgung Palace, reached from Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) Exit 5 or a walk from Anguk Station. Adult admission is KRW 3,000, free if you wear hanbok (per the Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center). Geunjeongjeon Hall and Gyeonghoeru Pavilion take 1-2 hours; daytime visits need no booking, but the spring/autumn night viewing requires advance online booking with limited seats. The changing-of-the-guard ceremony (around 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.) draws crowds, so go right after it or early morning if you're skipping it.

Bukchon Hanok Village, a 5-minute walk from Anguk Station Exit 3, is a freely open residential area with no booking required. The narrow, sloped alleys take 1-1.5 hours to cover the key lanes. Since residents actually live there, going before 10 a.m. or late afternoon avoids the busiest, noisiest hours.

Changdeokgung Palace, 5-10 minutes from Anguk Station Exit 3, costs KRW 3,000 for basic admission; the Secret Garden (Huwon) charges separately and runs as timed, guided tours requiring advance reservation. If online tickets sell out, walk-up tickets go on sale first-come at 9 a.m. that day. Basic admission takes about an hour, 2.5 hours with the garden. The first morning session or a weekday means shorter waits.

Fourth is Gwangjang Market, good for an evening meal, 1 minute from Jongno 5(o)-ga Station Exits 7-8. Entry is free; you only pay for food like bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and mayak gimbap. Allow 1-2 hours; no booking needed. Foreign visitors cluster around 6-8 p.m., so 2-4 p.m. right after lunch is quieter.

Day 2 starts in Myeongdong. Myeongdong Station (Line 4) Exits 5-10 lead straight into the pedestrian street. The street itself is free — you only pay for street food and shopping — and no booking is needed. Allow 1-2 hours; street stalls get busy toward evening, so browsing the shops in late morning first and hitting the stalls at early dusk is less crowded.

From Myeongdong, walk or take the circular bus to N Seoul Tower. Both the observatory and cable car are paid; check the official site (nseoultower.co.kr) for the exact current price. Allow 1.5-2 hours round trip. Online advance booking is available and shortens the ticket line; avoid just before sunset and weekend evenings, the busiest times.

Third stop is DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza), directly connected to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station Exit 1. The building and permanent spaces are free; only special exhibitions sometimes charge. Allow 1-2 hours; no booking needed, but the architecture guided tour runs only three times a day (10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.), so book online in advance to join.

Next to DDP is the Dongdaemun market area (Doota, Migliore and nearby malls), a 5-minute walk from the same station's Exit 14. Entry is free — you only pay for shopping — and no booking is needed. It's known for late-night hours (around 10 p.m. to early morning), so late night is the quietest time to browse.

Day 3 starts at Hangang Park. Yeouido Hangang Park connects directly from Yeouinaru Station (Line 5); Banpo Hangang Park is a walk from Express Bus Terminal Station (Lines 3/9). It's free and needs no booking, making it the most flexible spot to slot into any day. A walk or bike ride takes 1-2 hours; weekend afternoons draw big picnic crowds, so weekdays or mornings are quieter.

The last stop is Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky, directly connected to Jamsil Station (Lines 2/8) Exits 1-2. It's a paid observatory; check the official site (seoulsky.lotteworld.com) for the exact current price. Viewing takes 1-1.5 hours. Both online-advance and walk-up-only ticket types exist, so confirm booking availability beforehand. It's busiest around sunset, so early afternoon or late evening means shorter waits.

If you can't book it yourself, ask the 「We'll Book It For You」 desk (#book) at the top of this page.

Journey stage: ① Before departure · Verified 2026-10-11 · Source: Korea Heritage Service Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, Seoul Hangang Project Headquarters, Seoul Tourism Organization