Plan — before you go
Two questions first: where do I stay? and what do I do each day? Answer those, and the rest gets decided.
Staying 4+ weeks? This site is built for short (3-day) trips — a long-stay guide is in preparation.
Where to stay — by area
| Area | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Myeongdong | First-timers. Shopping, food, subway Lines 2 & 4. | Tourist-priced stalls; hotel rates peak in October. |
| Hongdae | Nightlife, young crowd, budget stays. AREX all-stop is door-to-door. | Noisy at night on weekend streets. |
| Gangnam | Business, upscale dining, wide streets. | Far from palaces; taxi-heavy days cost more. |
| Jongno / Insadong | Palaces, hanok streets, culture-first trips. | Quieter at night; fewer late-night food options. |
| Dongdaemun | Late-night shopping, budget hotels. | Wholesale-market mornings are not a vibe for everyone. |
Nightly bands (indicative — being verified): 5-star ₩350,000–650,000 · 4-star business ₩150,000–280,000 · boutique ₩120,000–250,000 · family/connecting rooms ₩200,000–450,000. Full detail: premium hotel guide →
Where to book: compare the same room across sites — prices for the same property can differ by 10–20%.
Check Agoda → Check Trip.com → Check Booking.com →
Booking buttons appear when partner links are connected. Until then, compare on the sites directly.
3-day itinerary template
- Day 1 — Arrive & orient. Airport → hotel (arrival chooser), Gyeongbokgung + Insadong, early dinner, rest. Don't pack Day 1 — jet lag wins.
- Day 2 — Myeongdong & the city. Morning palace or N Seoul Tower, afternoon Myeongdong (use the price-traps guide), evening Han River or Hongdae.
- Day 3 — Pick one big thing. DMZ tour, Lotte World, or a cooking class — then tax-refund shopping before you fly (refund guide).
5-day itinerary template
- Days 1–2: as the 3-day template, slower.
- Day 3: full-day trip or deep-dive (DMZ, Suwon, or Jeonju by KTX — check the Korail Pass break-even rule first).
- Day 4: shopping & beauty day (Olive Young baseline, tax refund) + evening food tour.
- Day 5: slow morning, last shopping, airport with buffer (2.5–3 hours before departure).
Before you go — the money setup
- Connectivity: eSIM guide → — buy before you fly, check the hotspot allowance.
- Payment: T-money vs WOWPASS → — buy a T-money card (about ₩4,000), always pay in KRW.
- Insurance: Check SafetyWing → travel medical insurance for your dates.
- Budget: trip budget estimator →
- Checklist: Seoul arrival checklist →