Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a busy and attractive city in Asia. Among the hustle and bustle, you will be surprised to see the many attractions in Seoul that will make your visit memorable.
If you are in Seoul for a really short 24 hours, then below are the must-visit attractions that will fulfill your desire to explore South Korea and its culture! If you look for a complete itinerary for Seoul, then check out this helpful Seoul city guide.
Visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace
Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace was the royal palace for the Joseon Dynasty. This is one of the major attractions in South Korea, so don’t miss the opportunity to explore this historically valuable destination. Although you need to pay a small fee for admission, it’s worth visiting. Spend at least two hours in the Gyeongbokgung Palace premises to explore all the courtyards, gates, and pavilions and enjoy the architecture.
Stroll Along Insadong Street
In Insadong Street, you’ll find a range of products from expensive souvenirs to daily essentials. A walk through Insadong Street will give you the opportunity to take a peek at Korean arts and crafts while indulging in nearby cafes and restaurants. If you love handicrafts and arts, then this is the perfect place to admire the work of Korean crafters. Don’t forget to buy some great souvenirs to make your visit to Seoul memorable!
Explore Samcheongdong
As one of the unique places in Seoul, which lies between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace, don’t forget to visit Samcheongdong even if you’re rushing with few hours left in your Seoul visit. This is the best place to view Bukchon Hanok village, which is the name for Korean traditional houses. This is the ideal place to admire the antique beauty of Korea. And this is the perfect place to shop for accessories from Korea. With many nearby shops, art galleries, and cafes, you’ll find that your visit to Samcheongdong is really relaxing and comfortable!
Visit Dongdaemun Market
A visit to any new city isn’t complete if you don’t go to a local market and learn about daily life. In Seoul, the Dongdaemun Market is the perfect place to visit and find almost anything. From traditional markets to shopping centers, Dongdaemun Market is a shopping district that you must not miss during your short stay in Seoul.
Walk Along the Cheonggyecheon Stream
In the evening when you’re almost tired from visiting many attractions around Seoul, calm down and relax by walking along the 11-kilometer long Cheonggyecheon Stream. Although you don’t have to walk the entire path, a walk along the Cheonggyecheon Stream is the best way to end your day. On the way, you’ll see murals, colorful streets, and fountains. Relieve your tiredness and relax along the Cheonggyecheon Stream while enjoying the city views of Seoul.
These are the best attractions to see in a short trip to Seoul. Even if you only have 24 hours, these places are amazing attractions that you must experience in this beautiful city of South Korea!
In Korea, there’s really a lot to see and places to experience. It’s one of the best cultural places that I dream of visiting. I do watch Korean dramas (or series) and it always amuses me how they captivate the audience with their creativity and storylines. Were you able to try on some cultural and traditional clothes?
I like Korean culture.And I am also a big fan of Korean films and drams which showcase their culture…
I have friends who are KPop fans. They have even traveled to Korea and tour places there. They said that Korea is a beautiful place. Maybe, I would visit this country with my family also in the future.
Really enjoying reading your Korea travel sharing here, while reading it, it recalls my travel memories to Korea few years ago. Always planning to return to Korea again & exploring other places e.g. Busan. Yeah! Gonna continue my luck to explore for cheap airfare & fly to Korea again, then can explore the places as suggested by you here. Also for my beauty products shopping too : ) cheers, siennylovesdrawing
…Really enjoying reading your Korea travel sharing here, while reading it, it recalls my travel memories to Korea few years ago. Always planning to return to Korea again & exploring other places e.g. Busan. Yeah! Gonna continue my luck to explore for cheap airfare & fly to Korea again, then can explore the places as suggested by you here. Also for my beauty products shopping too : ) cheers, siennylovesdrawing
Well…I would like to visit Seoul very much, but 24 hours would be like a really short dream. I have read a lot about it and I know it is never-to-be-forgotten place, so I’d rather stay there for at least 10 days. I think that would be enough for me to research the culture, tradition and tourist attractions like I am used to.
But if I had to spend only 24 hours in this beautiful city, then I would listen to your advice and visit all these lovely places. History, everyday life, and nature are the points we always combine in order to meet the city as it really is.
I hope to visit Seoul some day. These glimpses are worth seeing and picture worthy. One day would be too short but then your itinerary seems to be the best advice and I like tested itineraries more. I definitely have some souvenirs in mind from Insadong Street. 🙂
Thanks, Amila. I wish you had added a few more photos in this post. Do Koreans like to invite foreigners to their homes? Let me know.
Waaah, I’m a Korean Drama Fan and I hope one day I will be able to visit this beautiful places, especially the Historical places that you mentioned. Such a great architecture. I wonder if we travel there, are there some instances of delayed schedule due to traffic?
This place really is somewhere I’d love to go. At the moment I can’t travel that far with a small baby. At least, I am not comfortable with it. But Seoul looks like a wonderful spot on earth.