Seoul in 5 Days: An Itinerary with Palaces, Gangnam and the Secret Garden

The plan at a glance

Day	Theme	Highlights
1	Old Seoul	Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon, Insadong, Gwangjang Market
2	Downtown & views	Myeongdong, N Seoul Tower, DDP
3	Young Seoul	Seoul Forest, Seongsu, Hongdae, Mangwon Hangang Park
4	Palaces & hanok lanes	Changdeokgung + Secret Garden, Jongmyo, Ikseon-dong
5	Gangnam	Bongeunsa, Starfield Library (COEX), Seoul Sky

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Days 1–3

Follow Seoul in 3 days, which has hours, closing days and transport for every stop. Don’t do Day 1 on a Tuesday: Gyeongbokgung is closed.

Day 4: Changdeokgung, the Secret Garden, Jongmyo and Ikseon-dong

Not on a Monday. Changdeokgung is closed. Tuesday is also best avoided, because Jongmyo is closed.

Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden (morning)

Changdeokgung is a UNESCO World Heritage palace. Its walled garden, Huwon (the Secret Garden), can only be seen on a guided tour.

• Palace hours:
  • 9:00–18:00 from February to May and in September and October
  • Until 18:30 in summer
  • Until 17:30 from November to January
• Palace ticket: ₩3,000 for adults. Free in hanbok.
• Secret Garden tour:
  • ₩5,000 on top of the palace ticket.
  • English tours at 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30 from March to November (no 15:30 tour from December to February), about 70 minutes each.
  • Arrive on time. Latecomers aren’t admitted or refunded.
• Booking the Secret Garden: online tickets open at 10:00, six days before your visit, and half the places are sold at the palace from 9:00 on the day. Book online for spring and autumn.
• Part of the palace offices area is closed for fire-safety work in late 2026.

Jongmyo Shrine (early afternoon)

The royal ancestral shrine, a short walk south of Changdeokgung.

• Closed on Tuesdays.
• Ticket: ₩1,000.
• Free entry on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the last Wednesday of the month (“Culture Day”).
• Guided tours only on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. English tours run at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00.
• Times can change during the autumn palace festival.

Ikseon-dong (afternoon and dinner)

A small neighborhood of 1920s–30s hanok houses turned into cafés, restaurants and shops. Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1, 3 and 5), Exit 4, is right next to it. Stay for dinner and drinks in the lanes around Jongno 3-ga.

Day 5: Gangnam

Bongeunsa Temple (morning)

A thousand-year-old Buddhist temple facing the COEX towers. It’s open from 5:00 to 22:00 every day and free.

Starfield Library at COEX (late morning)

The giant bookshelves in the COEX mall are one of Seoul’s most photographed interiors.

• Hours: 10:30–22:00, free.
• Getting there: Samseong Station (Line 2), Exit 5, or Bongeunsa Station (Line 9), Exit 7.
• Have lunch in COEX afterwards.

Seoul Sky, Lotte World Tower (sunset)

The observation deck on floors 117–123 of Korea’s tallest building, in Jamsil.

• Hours: 10:30–22:00 Sunday to Thursday, until 23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Last entry is one hour before closing.
• Tickets: ₩31,000 for adults.
• Afterwards: walk around Seokchon Lake, which is beautiful in cherry blossom season. See cherry blossoms 2027.

Swap-ins for rain or different tastes

Option	Why	Good to know
National Museum of Korea	Korea’s biggest museum, free	Open 9:30–17:30, and until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Ichon Station, Exit 2
Leeum Museum of Art	Korean art and modern design	Closed Mondays. Reserve ahead. Hangangjin Station (Line 6)
Haebangchon and Itaewon	Hillside neighborhood with cafés and Seoul’s most international dining	Noksapyeong Station (Line 6)
A day trip	DMZ, Suwon, Nami Island	See day trips from Seoul

Where to stay for this plan

Myeongdong or Jongno keep days 1, 2 and 4 short. Day 5 is a straight Line 2 ride to Gangnam. See where to stay in Seoul.

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