Seoul is a city where ancient royal palaces sit beside futuristic skyscrapers, traditional markets meet luxury shopping districts, and quiet temples exist within one of the world’s busiest capitals.
We only had two full days in Seoul, so our itinerary was quite packed. But even in a short time, we managed to experience a great mix of history, street food, culture, and modern city life.
If you are planning a similar short stay, this 2-day Seoul itinerary will help you see the highlights while still enjoying the atmosphere of the city.
Before continuing your trip planning, make sure to visit my South Korea Travel Hub, where you’ll find all my detailed itineraries, travel guides, and destination tips in one place. The hub makes it easy to follow our full route across the country and plan your own adventure step by step.
Upcoming posts cover:
- 4 Days in Busan
- Busan to Gyeongju itinerary
- Andong travel guide with nearby villages and temples
- Andong to Seoul travel route
- This complete Seoul itinerary
Arriving in Seoul – First Impressions
When we arrived in Seoul, we first stopped in Gangnam-gu, one of the city’s most famous and upscale neighbourhoods.
Here we visited the stunning Starfield Library, located inside the huge COEX Mall.
The library is famous for its towering bookshelves reaching several floors high, and it’s easily one of the most photogenic places in Seoul.
Walking around the area, you immediately notice the luxury side of the city:
- High-rise buildings everywhere
- Expensive designer shops
- Stylishly dressed locals
- Constant traffic and city energy
The mall itself is enormous, and you could easily spend hours exploring the shops and restaurants.
Where We Stayed in Seoul
During our stay, we booked the Mayplace Hotel Seoul.
It’s a simple but comfortable hotel, and it worked perfectly for our short stay in the city.
What we liked most was the location in the Jongno district, which is one of the best areas to stay in Seoul if you want to explore the city’s historic attractions.
From the hotel, you can easily reach many places by bus, and the metro is also within walking distance.
Another thing we loved was the number of convenience stores nearby, which are incredibly useful in South Korea. They are perfect for grabbing quick snacks, drinks, or even a simple breakfast before heading out for the day.
Quick overview
Hotel: Mayplace Hotel Seoul
Area: Jongno district
Area: Jongno district
Best for: Budget-friendly stay with good transport connections
✔ Clean and simple rooms
✔ Easy bus connections
✔ Metro within walking distance
✔ Convenience stores and restaurants nearby
✔ Easy bus connections
✔ Metro within walking distance
✔ Convenience stores and restaurants nearby
Day 1 – Palaces, Traditional Streets & Seoul Markets
Gyeongbokgung Palace
We started our first day at the beautiful Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest and most famous royal palace in Seoul.
The palace was originally established in 1395, making it the first royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty.
It was unfortunately destroyed during the Japanese invasions and later rebuilt, but today it has been beautifully restored.
We entered the palace with a local guide, which really helped bring the history to life.
One of the highlights was arriving just in time for the royal guard changing ceremony, which recreates the traditional ceremony from the Joseon period.
It truly feels like stepping back in time.
A fun tip: if you wear traditional Hanbok, you can enter the palace for free.
You’ll see many tourists and locals walking around in these beautiful traditional outfits, which adds to the atmosphere. If you have time, it can be a fun experience to try.
Inside the palace complex, we explored:
- The king’s residence
- The queen and concubine quarters
- Beautiful palace courtyards
- Traditional gardens
It honestly felt like being inside a K-drama historical series.
Insadong – Traditional Seoul
After visiting the palace, we walked to Insadong, a lively neighbourhood known for its traditional Korean arts, crafts, tea houses, and local restaurants.
This area has a much more relaxed atmosphere compared to the busy modern districts of Seoul.
Here we tried delicious dumplings at Gaeseong Traditional Dumpling House.
The dumplings are large, filled with meat, and incredibly filling, and you get quite a generous portion.
Gwangjang Market
Next, we took the metro to Gwangjang Market, one of the best places in Seoul to try authentic Korean street food.
This market is packed with food stalls serving classic dishes like:
- Korean pancakes
- Fresh seafood
- Noodles
- Dumplings
- Local snacks
The atmosphere is lively and chaotic in the best way.
Cheonggyecheon Stream
Not far from the market, you’ll find the peaceful Cheonggyecheon Stream, a 10-kilometre urban stream running through the city.It’s a great place for a short walk and a nice break from the busy streets of Seoul.
The Nanta Show
One of the most fun experiences we had in Seoul was watching the Nanta Show at Nanta Theatre Myeongdong.
This show is a non-verbal comedy performance based on cooking, using traditional Korean samulnori rhythms.
Because it’s non-verbal, anyone can understand it, regardless of language.
The performance is:
- Fast-paced
- Very funny
- Interactive
- Perfect for travellers
We absolutely loved it.
Evening in Myeongdong
After the show, we explored Myeongdong, one of Seoul’s most famous shopping areas.
This district is full of:
- Street food stalls
- Cosmetic shops
- Fashion stores
- Korean skincare brands
You’ll also find Olive Young, which is a great place to buy Korean skincare products.
Another tip: Uniqlo basics here are much cheaper than in Europe, especially their Heattech winter clothing. I regret not buying more while I was there.
A Great Michelin Dumpling Spot
For dinner, we went to Myeongdong Kyoja Main Restaurant, which has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award.
The restaurant is simple and fast-paced, but the food is excellent and very affordable.
They only serve a few dishes, but their dumplings and noodle soup are delicious and a real taste of Korean comfort food.
Day 2 – Visiting the DMZ
On our second day, we took a guided tour to the Korean Demilitarised Zone, usually called the DMZ.
This area marks the border between South Korea and North Korea.
Standing here feels quite surreal, knowing that the Korean War technically never ended.
Dora Observatory
At Dora Observatory, you can look through binoculars and actually see into North Korea.
Photography is restricted in some areas, but guides often show you official photos so visitors can still see what the North Korean side looks like.
The Third Infiltration Tunnel
One of the most interesting parts of the tour was visiting the Third Infiltration Tunnel.
This tunnel was secretly dug by North Korea and discovered in the 1970s.
Visitors can walk about 300 metres down into the tunnel, but be prepared:
- It is quite steep
- The ceiling is low
- Tall people may struggle a bit.
Still, it’s a fascinating experience.
Dorasan Station
We also stopped at Dorasan Station, a train station built with the hope that one day trains will connect North and South Korea again.
It’s a powerful reminder that the Korean peninsula is still divided.
K-Drama Inspiration
After visiting the DMZ, I started watching the famous K-drama Crash Landing on You, which is about a South Korean woman who accidentally lands in North Korea and meets a North Korean soldier.
The story is romantic, funny, and surprisingly emotional.
After that, I started watching even more K-dramas!
Final Thoughts on Our 2 Days in Seoul
Seoul is an incredible city with so much to see and do.
Even though we only had two full days, we experienced:
- Royal palaces
- Traditional neighbourhoods
- Street food markets
- Modern shopping districts
- A DMZ tour
If I return to South Korea, I would definitely spend more time in Seoul, because two days felt very short for such a huge and vibrant city.
The morning after our second day, we flew home.
Continue Exploring South Korea 🇰🇷
This article is part of my South Korea travel series, where I share the exact route I followed across the country, along with honest tips, itineraries and experiences to help you plan your own adventure.
Continue your journey:
➡️ Busan 4-Day Itinerary
➡️Busan to Gyeongju Itinerary
➡️ Andong Travel Guide
➡️ Andong to Seoul Travel Route
➡️ 2-Day Seoul Itinerary (current article)
➡️Busan to Gyeongju Itinerary
➡️ Andong Travel Guide
➡️ Andong to Seoul Travel Route
➡️ 2-Day Seoul Itinerary (current article)
Or explore everything in one place on my South Korea Travel Hub.
If you’re also planning a combined trip, you can check my Japan Travel Hub, since my holiday includes both Japan and South Korea.
Tours and Experiences Mentioned in This Seoul Itinerary
If you’re planning your own trip to Seoul and would like to follow a similar itinerary, I’ve listed the tours and experiences mentioned throughout this guide below. Some of these were booked before travelling to South Korea, while others were arranged a few days in advance once we had finalised our plans.
These are the experiences featured in this itinerary:
🏯 Gyeongbokgung Palace Half-Day Tour
We explored Gyeongbokgung Palace with a local guide, which really helped us understand the history of the Joseon Dynasty and made the visit much more meaningful.
→ [Gyeongbokgung Palace Half-Day Tour]
We explored Gyeongbokgung Palace with a local guide, which really helped us understand the history of the Joseon Dynasty and made the visit much more meaningful.
→ [Gyeongbokgung Palace Half-Day Tour]
👘 Seoul Half-Day City Highlights & Hanbok Experience (Optional)
If you’d like to experience wearing a traditional hanbok while exploring the palace, this is a fun option, and you’ll also receive free entry to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
→ [Seoul Half-Day City Highlights & Hanbok Experience ]
If you’d like to experience wearing a traditional hanbok while exploring the palace, this is a fun option, and you’ll also receive free entry to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
→ [Seoul Half-Day City Highlights & Hanbok Experience ]
🥟 Seoul Food & Market Tour (Optional)
Throughout this itinerary, we visited places like Insadong and Gwangjang Market to enjoy traditional Korean food. If you’d rather explore with a local guide and sample a wider variety of dishes, this tour is worth considering.
→ [Seoul Food & Market Tour]
Throughout this itinerary, we visited places like Insadong and Gwangjang Market to enjoy traditional Korean food. If you’d rather explore with a local guide and sample a wider variety of dishes, this tour is worth considering.
→ [Seoul Food & Market Tour]
🎭 NANTA Show
One of the highlights of our time in Seoul. It’s a funny, fast-paced, non-verbal performance that’s suitable for everyone, regardless of language. I would happily watch it again.
→ [NANTA Show]
One of the highlights of our time in Seoul. It’s a funny, fast-paced, non-verbal performance that’s suitable for everyone, regardless of language. I would happily watch it again.
→ [NANTA Show]
🇰🇷 DMZ Tour
Our second day was spent visiting the Korean Demilitarised Zone, including Dora Observatory, the Third Infiltration Tunnel and Dorasan Station. This was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip to South Korea and is definitely something I’d recommend booking in advance.
→ [DMZ Tour]
Our second day was spent visiting the Korean Demilitarised Zone, including Dora Observatory, the Third Infiltration Tunnel and Dorasan Station. This was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip to South Korea and is definitely something I’d recommend booking in advance.
→ [DMZ Tour]
Planning Your Own Seoul Trip?
If you’re visiting Seoul for the first time, I’d personally prioritise the Gyeongbokgung Palace tour, the DMZ tour, and the NANTA Show.
Together, they offer a great mix of Korean history, culture and entertainment, and they became some of my favourite memories from our time in the city.
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