Things to do in Seoul, by area
Seoul’s main sights fall into seven areas, so plan one or two areas a day: Jongno’s palaces and hanok lanes, Namsan and Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, Seongsu, Jamsil, Hongdae and the Han River parks. Palace tickets are about ₩3,000, Gyeongbokgung closes on Tuesdays and Changdeokgung on Mondays. Fees, closed days and hours below carry the date we checked.
Seoul by area
Time between places uses the planner’s own rule: straight-line distance at 4 minutes per kilometre, never less than 10 minutes a hop. Time at the places is the planner’s stay time for each one.
Jongno: palaces and hanok lanes
Two royal palaces, a hanok village, old-town lanes and a market.
6 places · about 10 min between places (longest hop 10 min) · about 7 h 15 min at the places
Namsan and Myeongdong
The mountain park and tower, a shopping street and the Namdaemun market.
5 places · about 10 min between places (longest hop 10 min) · about 6 h at the places
Dongdaemun
A design plaza, two markets and a mural village.
4 places · about 10 min between places (longest hop 10 min) · about 4 h 30 min at the places
Seongsu and Seoul Forest
A large park, a container mall and a neighbourhood market.
3 places · about 11 min between places (longest hop 12 min) · about 2 h 45 min at the places
Jamsil
A tower observatory, an indoor theme park, a lake path and a local market.
4 places · about 10 min between places (longest hop 10 min) · about 4 h 45 min at the places
Hongdae and Mangwon
Street shopping near Hongik University, a university shopping street and a neighbourhood market.
3 places · about 11 min between places (longest hop 14 min) · about 3 h 15 min at the places
Han River parks
Two riverside parks on the Han.
2 places · about 23 min between places (longest hop 23 min) · about 2 h at the places
Gangnam’s shopping streets (Apgujeong, Cheongdam and the underground mall) are covered in the Seoul city guide. See the Seoul city guide.
Free vs paid: what things cost
| Place | Adult entry | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung Palace | about $2 (₩3,000) | Adult, Korean and foreign visitors. |
| Changdeokgung Palace | about $2 (₩3,000) | Palace grounds only. |
| Changdeokgung Huwon (Secret Garden) | about $4 (₩5,000) | In addition to the palace ticket; guided visits only. |
| Palace combined ticket | about $4 (₩6,000) | Valid for six months at the four main palaces and Jongmyo Shrine; the Huwon is not included. |
| N Seoul Tower observatory | about $22 (₩29,000) | Observatory ticket; the cable car is separate. |
| Lotte World Adventure | about $50 (₩67,000) | One-day ticket after the April 1, 2026 increase; prices and opening hours depend on the date. |
| Dongdaemun Design Plaza | Free | Free to walk in; exhibitions are charged separately. |
| Bukchon Hanok Village | Free | Free; see the visiting hours below. |
Checked Oct 3, 2026 · USD at the Nov 13, 2026 rate. Some palaces are free on Wednesdays (Culture Day); Gyeongbokgung and the Secret Garden are not. Palace and royal tomb fees may change in 2027; check the Korea Heritage Service page before you go.
Closed days and timed entry
| Place | Closed | Hours and entry |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung Palace | Tuesday (open if the Tuesday is a public holiday; the palace then closes on the next weekday that is not) | 09:00–18:00 in March–May and September–October, to 17:00 in November–February, to 18:30 in June–August. Last entry one hour before closing. |
| Changdeokgung Palace | Monday | 09:00–18:00 in February–May and September–October, to 17:30 in November–January, to 18:30 in June–August. |
| Changdeokgung Huwon | Monday | Guided visits only. English tours run at 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30 from March to November, with fewer tours from December to February. Online tickets open six days ahead at 10:00 Korea time. |
| Dongdaemun Design Plaza | January 1, Seollal and Chuseok | 10:00–20:00; hours differ by space. |
| Bukchon Hanok Village | Not closed | Visitors are allowed in the residential “red zone” only from 10:00 to 17:00; entering at other times can bring a ₩100,000 fine (in force since March 1, 2025). |
Checked Oct 3, 2026. Hours change with the season and on public holidays; check the official page before you go.
Seoul after dark
- N Seoul Tower
- Observatory open 10:00–22:30 on weekdays and to 23:00 on weekends.
- Seoul Sky (Lotte World Tower)
- Open into the evening. Tickets are sold on the operator’s site; prices change by date and package.
- Dongdaemun Design Plaza
- Most spaces close at 20:00, so it works as an early-evening stop.
- Dongdaemun and Gwangjang markets
- Food stalls stay open into the evening; some shops close on Sundays.
Checked Oct 3, 2026. Evening hours often change in summer and winter.
Addresses in Korean for taxis and maps
| Place | Korean name | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung Palace | 경복궁 | 서울 종로구 사직로 161 |
| Changdeokgung Palace | 창덕궁 | 서울 종로구 율곡로 99 |
| N Seoul Tower | N서울타워 | 서울 용산구 남산공원길 105 |
| Lotte World Tower | 롯데월드타워 | 서울 송파구 올림픽로 300 |
| Dongdaemun Design Plaza | 동대문디자인플라자 | 서울 중구 을지로 281 |
| Bukchon Cultural Center (visitor centre for Bukchon Hanok Village) | 북촌문화센터 | 서울 종로구 계동길 37 |
Show the address to a taxi driver or paste it into a Korean map app. Checked Oct 3, 2026.
Put the areas into days
Our 3-day and 4-day Seoul itineraries group the stops by day. For what a trip costs in total, see the Korea travel budget. Coming in spring? Cherry blossoms are at Seokchon Lake and Yeouido.
Sources
- Korea Heritage Service: palace admission and combined ticket
- N Seoul Tower: observatory tickets and hours
- Lotte World Adventure: tickets and calendar
- Visit Korea: Dongdaemun Design Plaza
- Seoul Metropolitan Government: Bukchon visiting hours
- Korea Heritage Service: palace hours and closed days
- Korea Heritage Service: Changdeokgung Huwon guided visits
- Visit Korea: N Seoul Tower (address)
- Lotte World Tower: official site (address)
- Seoul Hanok Portal: Bukchon Cultural Center (address)
Questions
Is Seoul expensive for sightseeing?
Not for the main sights. Palace tickets are about $2 (₩3,000) for Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung, and the combined palace ticket is about $4 (₩6,000) for six months. The tower observatories and theme parks cost more: N Seoul Tower is about $22 (₩29,000) and Lotte World Adventure about $50 (₩67,000). Checked Oct 3, 2026.
Which Seoul palaces are closed on Monday?
Changdeokgung and its Huwon (Secret Garden) are closed on Mondays. Gyeongbokgung closes on Tuesdays instead, so on a Monday go to Gyeongbokgung and save Changdeokgung for Tuesday or later.
What can I do in Seoul at night?
N Seoul Tower’s observatory is open until 22:30 on weekdays and 23:00 on weekends. Seoul Sky and the Dongdaemun and Gwangjang market stalls are evening options too, but most of Dongdaemun Design Plaza closes at 20:00.