How to Spend One Day in Seoul: Itinerary & Tips

Planning to spend one day in Seoul? This guide covers all my top recommendations on how to spend 24 hours in Seoul, including the perfect itinerary.

You’ve scored a single day in Seoul, maybe a long layover, maybe a whistle-stop weekend, and you’re staring at a map bursting with royal palaces, neon alleys, and more kimchi varieties than hours on the clock.

Cramming centuries of history, trend-setting cafés, and K-pop buzz into 24 hours feels impossible; one wrong detour and you’ll trade palace gates for airport gates with nothing but blisters to show and some serious FOMO.

I’ve tackled Seoul twice for a total of 8 days and I’ve experienced most of the top things to do (and some of the not-so-top things), learning the hard way which subway exits shave minutes and which “must-sees” are skippable.

This guide lays out an hour-by-hour game plan, complete with food and coffee pit-stops that I’ve personally visited and enjoyed (probably more than once!).

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1 Day in Seoul Itinerary Breakdown

7 a.m. – Carbs & Caffeine at Café Onion Anguk

Cafe Onion, a trendy cafe located in a renovated 1920s hanok, is one of the most popular coffee shops in Seoul. The open courtyard floods with morning light and crowds (expect a line!), so I always arrive right at 7 AM (or a little earlier) on weekdays (weekend doors don’t slide open until 9 AM) to snag a traditional Korean-style low table facing the interior courtyard.

Grab a coffee of your choosing and pair it with their powdered-sugar-snowed pandoro if you’re feeling indulgent, or the salty-butter bread for balance. 

8:30 a.m. – Quiet Bukchon Hanok Lanes

With coffee in hand, it’s a ten-minute climb to Bukchon Hanok Village. Arriving before the official 10 a.m. visitor window means practically empty alleys and golden light on those tiled roofs. Make sure to whisper, as families still live here.

11:00 a.m. – Ginseng Soup Power-Up

Hunger hits fast after hill-walking, so I beeline west to Seochon for Tosokchon Samgyetang. Their bubbling ginseng-stuffed chicken is worth the inevitable line; solo and couple diners get seated lightning-quick at the communal wood tables.

Make sure to wander the charming streets of Seochon with stops at OFR Seoul for kitchy home stuff and GRANHAND perfume store.

1 p.m. – Gyeongbokgung Palace & the Guard

Enter Gyeongbokgung Palace via Gwanghwamun Gate and snag a rail-side spot for the 2 p.m. changing-of-the-guard (also at 10 a.m.; closed Tuesdays). Renting a hanbok nearby scores you free entry and Insta-gold, if you’re into that.

The palace grounds are extensive, so reserve at least a couple of hours to explore.

3:30 p.m. – Insa-dong & Ikseon-dong Hanok Village

Wander south into Insa-dong’s calligraphy shops and traditional teahouses. Spiral up Ssamziegil Mall for indie crafts and the whimsical cafe on the roof (trust me, it’s a photo op).

A 10-minute walk lands you in Ikseon-dong’s maze of 1930s hanok. I always slip into Cheongsudang Bakery for a goodie, housed in a traditional hanok (try their signature strawberry castella cake), then browse hand-painted ceramics and vintage bookstores.

If you are a fellow K-pop or K-drama lover like me, you can find a plethora of photo booth stores to take Insta pics to your heart’s content.

6 p.m. – Namsan Tower Sunset

Round-trip tickets are ₩15,000; go straight to the right-hand vending machine to skip the main queue. The ride is only three minutes, but the skyline reveal is goose-bump good.

At the top of the hill, you will find many amenities like restrooms, coffee, snacks and souvenir shops.

If you’d like to get more exercise, you can take the 45-minute climb on foot, either one way or both ways and purchase a one-way ticket for the cable car. This is especially nice when the hill has come alive with spring cherry blossoms or fall foliage.

7:30 p.m. – Korean BBQ or Michelin Star Dumplings

Hop two subway stops or just walk like I did to Myeongdong Kyoja. Order the cold spicy bibim-naengmyeon and a steaming basket of pork mandu; the broth-splashed noodles are life-changing, and dinner rarely tops ₩11,000. I liked this place so much, I went twice during my first five days in Seoul.

If you want something a touch fancier (I get it), then roll into Wangbijib Myeongdong 2nd store for an epic Korean BBQ experience.

9 p.m. – K-Beauty Shopping & Street Food Market in Myeong-dong

With your tummy happy, dive into Myeong-dong’s neon maze. Stock up on sheet masks at Olive Young, sample snail mucin at Innisfree, then graze street stalls at the Myeongdong Night Market. Try the tornado potato and grilled lobster tail.

Pop into a convenience store for a banana milk for dessert (thank me later).

The beauty shops stay open past 10 p.m., so there’s no rush.

A major foodie like me? Opt to do a nighttime tour of Netflix-famous Gwangjang Market instead.

7 a.m. – Isaac Toast Grab-and-Go

Swing by Isaac Toast Myeongdong. The Cathedral branch opens at 07:00 sharp, so I snag a bulgogi-egg toast (my favourite!) and iced latte before the business people queue forms. Stash a few napkins because their sweet sauce is a drippy affair.

24 Hours in Seoul Wrap-up

There you have it, my knowledge and recommendations instilled into one whirlwind and satisfying day in Seoul, South Korea, full of historical palaces, vibey neon alleyways, panoramic views, trendy cafes and everything quintessentially K.

Have more time in South Korea’s capital? Read my detailed guide to Seoul for 5 days, which includes my favourite Seoul district of Seoungsu.