Seoul in 3,
Days.

Overview

The first afternoon in Seoul is built around staying dry. After check-in you head to Namdaemun Market, where most of the alleys are covered, so it's one of the better places to be in a downpour. There's a strip known for kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) worth a stop, plus stalls selling knives, kitchenware, and textiles if you want to browse. From there it's a short drive to Myeongdong Cathedral, finished in 1898 and the first Gothic-style church built in Korea. Entry is free and it's a genuinely calm space to sit for a few minutes out of the rain. Dinner is at Myeongdong Kyoja, open since 1966, known for hand-cut noodles and mandu (dumplings). Then it's back to the hotel for the night.

Tips

Thunderstorms are forecast, so pack a light rain jacket or a compact umbrella and shoes that won't mind puddles. Ask the front desk when you check in whether the hotel loans umbrellas, many Seoul hotels do this without charge. August afternoons in Seoul run warm and humid even with rain, so breathable layers work better than anything heavy. Myeongdong Kyoja doesn't take reservations, so expect a short queue even on a wet evening; it moves quickly.

Getting around

From the hotel to Namdaemun Market is about 26 minutes by transit. Namdaemun to Myeongdong Cathedral is a short drive rather than a walk, since it's slightly too far and there's no direct flat route. Cathedral to Myeongdong Kyoja is an easy walk, both are in the same small district. After dinner, it's about 20 minutes back to the hotel by transit.

Local tips

Kalguctu bowls at Namdaemun run a few thousand won, cheap and filling, so don't fill up before it. At Myeongdong Kyoja, a bowl runs roughly $10 to $12 (checked August 2024); cash and card are both fine. Myeongdong itself is compact and mostly flat, so this is a manageable first outing even straight off a flight.

Overview

Yesterday's rain kept you closer to Myeongdong; today opens up with a proper palace morning and a walk through some of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. After breakfast at GLAD Mapo, the transit ride to Gyeongbokgung takes about 35 minutes, and arriving near opening gets you into the palace grounds before the tour buses. From there it's a short walk to Tosokchon Samgyetang for ginseng chicken soup, then on foot into Bukchon Hanok Village where the tiled roofs of the hanok houses step down the hillside in rows. The afternoon eases into Insadong-gil, good for tea houses and print shops without much walking pressure, and dinner is booked at Sanchon, a temple-food restaurant down a side alley. You're back at the hotel by early evening, which also sets you up well for tomorrow's earlier museum start.

Tips

Wear real walking shoes. Gyeongbokgung's courtyards are gravel and stone, and Bukchon's lanes are on a slope. If you want the hanbok photos and free palace entry, rental shops cluster near the Gyeongbokgung and Anguk subway exits, plan for about 15,000 to 25,000 KRW ($11 to $18) for a few hours, though I haven't personally priced this year's rates. Book the Sanchon dinner ahead, it's a small space and fills up. Arrive at Tosokchon right at 11:15 as planned, since the queue backs up fast after noon. Bring a bit of cash: some smaller Insadong shops and tea houses still prefer it over cards.

Getting Around

The whole day after the palace is walkable: Gyeongbokgung to Tosokchon, then to Bukchon, then to Insadong, are all short strolls rather than transit hops. Save the subway or a taxi for the return leg from Insadong to GLAD Mapo (about 36 minutes by transit). If your feet are tired by early evening, a taxi back is inexpensive and easy to flag near the Insadong-gil main street.

Local Tips

On the quieter lanes of Bukchon like Bukchon-ro 11-gil, people actually live in those hanok, so keep your voice down and don't linger for photos in front of doorways. The royal guard changing ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate runs at 10am and 2pm; if you're inside the palace by opening you'll likely catch the 10am version without fighting the crowd for a view. In Insadong, it's fine to browse shops without buying, but if a shopkeeper starts a tea demonstration, it's polite to at least sample what's offered.

Overview

Last morning, and the drizzle actually works in your favor today. After breakfast, check out and leave your bags at the front desk (most Seoul hotels will hold them free until evening), then head to the National Museum of Korea for an indoor morning that doesn't feel like a consolation prize for bad weather. It's the largest museum in the country, and even a couple of hours only scratches the surface, so aim straight for the Goryeo celadon gallery and take a minute at the main hall's window looking out over the Reflecting Pond, one of the better framed views in Seoul on a gray day. Lunch is inside the museum at The Museum Kitchen, easy and cheap, so you never have to step back out into the rain between stops. The afternoon shifts to the Leeum Museum of Art, a fifteen-minute cab ride or so away in Hannam-dong, where the traditional Korean wing (ceramics, calligraphy) sits opposite a contemporary international collection under the same roof. It's a different kind of museum experience, quieter and more architectural, and a good note to end the trip on before you swing back for your bags.

Tips

• Wear waterproof shoes or bring a compact umbrella; both museums involve some walking outdoors between transit stops and entrances.
• Book Leeum's timed entry online before you go. It closes at 6pm on Saturdays, and walk-up tickets aren't guaranteed. Tickets run about $16-20 (22,000 KRW), checked August 2024.
• The National Museum of Korea is free and doesn't need a reservation. Go straight for the celadon gallery first, since tour groups tend to cluster there mid-morning.
• The Museum Kitchen runs about $9-12 a set, checked August 2024, and is one of the better value lunches you'll find inside any Seoul museum.

Getting Around

From the hotel, it's a 27-minute transit ride to the National Museum of Korea (the museum has its own subway exit on Line 4, Ichon Station). Lunch is a short walk inside the same complex, no need to go back outside. From there, it's about 33 minutes by transit to Leeum in Hannam-dong; a taxi will be faster and worth it given the rain, likely under $10. With bags already stored at the hotel, you're free to go straight from Leeum to the airport or back to collect them, whichever your flight timing needs.

Local Tips

Museum cafes and lockers are standard at both sites, so don't hesitate to stash an umbrella or day bag rather than carry it through the galleries. At Leeum, photography is restricted in parts of the contemporary wing, so check posted signs gallery by gallery rather than assuming a blanket rule. Saturday afternoons draw a steady local crowd here, especially students and design types, so the atmosphere is calmer than Gyeongbokgung was on a weekend but still not empty.