Seoul by night from Namsan, with searchlights over the cityPhoto: Gije Cho / Pexels
5 days in Seoul: Views & outdoors
5 days of views & outdoors, built around the places foreign visitors rate highest and grouped by neighbourhood so you're never criss-crossing the city. Day 1: City hike, river & sunset. Day 2: Seongsu & the Han River. Day 3: Markets, Myeongdong & Namsan. Day 4: Sunrise hike, parks & the tallest tower. Day 5: Day trip: Nami Island. Every stop is on the map, with Naver and Google links and transit directions between stops.
Every stop, day by day
Pins mark neighbourhoods, landmarks and markets — not specific businesses. Dashed lines show the order, not the walking path; use the "Transit to next stop" links for real directions. Google Maps doesn't do walking directions in Korea — use Naver Map for those.
Day 1 · Inwangsan → Seochon → Yeouido → Banpo
City hike, river & sunset
Seoul's green side: a morning hike with palace views, brunch in Seochon, a bike ride along the Han River and the rainbow fountain at night.
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08:00
1Inwangsan 인왕산
A short, steep climb along the city wall to views over Gyeongbokgung.
Nearby: Seoul City Wall · Suseong-dong Valley
Read: Hiking in Seoul: Mountains You Can Reach by Subway ↗ - 1.5 km · about 20 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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11:00
2Seochon brunch 통인시장
Tongin Market's coin lunch box after the hike.
Nearby: Sejong Village Food Street
Read: Seochon: The Quiet Village West of the Palace ↗ - 8.7 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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14:30
3Yeouido Hangang Park 여의도한강공원
Rent a bike and ride the riverside path.
Nearby: The Hyundai Seoul mall · River cruises
Read: The Han River Night Picnic ↗ - 7.5 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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19:30
4Banpo Rainbow Fountain 반포한강공원 달빛무지개분수
Evening light-and-music fountain shows in the warmer months.
Nearby: Some Sevit islands
Read: The Han River Night Picnic ↗
Day 2 · Seoul Forest → Seongsu → Ttukseom
Seongsu & the Han River
Seoul's coolest neighbourhood: a park morning, warehouse cafés and brand pop-ups, then sunset by the river.
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10:30
1Seoul Forest 서울숲
Lawns, ginkgo paths and a deer enclosure — the slow start.
Nearby: Seoul Forest café streets
Read: Seongsu, Mapped: Seoul's Coolest Neighbourhood ↗ - 2.1 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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12:00
2Seongsu café streets 성수동 카페거리
Brunch and coffee in converted factories — stick to the side streets.
Nearby: Yeonmujang-gil · Handmade shoe street
Read: Seongsu, Mapped: Seoul's Coolest Neighbourhood ↗ - 550 m · about 8 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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15:00
3Seongsu pop-up streets 성수역
Brand pop-ups and concept stores north of the station. Weekdays are calmer.
Nearby: Concept stores · K-beauty pop-ups
Read: Seongsu, Mapped: Seoul's Coolest Neighbourhood ↗ - 2.7 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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18:00
4Ttukseom Hangang Park 뚝섬한강공원
Sunset picnic — chicken or convenience-store ramyeon by the river.
Nearby: Ramyeon machines · Bike rental
Read: The Han River Night Picnic ↗
Day 3 · Namdaemun → Myeongdong → Namsan
Markets, Myeongdong & Namsan
An easy central day that works well on arrival: Seoul's biggest traditional market, K-beauty and street food in Myeongdong, then sunset from the tower.
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10:00
1Namdaemun Market 남대문시장
Seoul's biggest traditional market — hotteok stalls and a noodle alley.
Nearby: Sungnyemun Gate · Kalguksu alley
Read: Seoul's Traditional Markets, Compared ↗ - 1.1 km · about 14 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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12:00
2Myeongdong 명동
Money changers first, then K-beauty with your passport for tax refunds.
Nearby: Olive Young flagships · Brand flagship stores
Read: The Myeongdong Beauty Crawl ↗ - 250 m · about 4 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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14:30
3Myeongdong Cathedral 명동성당
A calm Gothic-style cathedral in the middle of the shopping streets.
Nearby: Myeongdong street food (from 5pm)
Read: The Myeongdong Beauty Crawl ↗ - 1.0 km · about 13 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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16:30
4Namsan Cable Car 남산케이블카
Ride up before the sunset queues — or walk the trail.
Nearby: Namsan Park trails
Read: N Seoul Tower at Sunset: How to Time It ↗ - 1.2 km · about 16 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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17:30
5N Seoul Tower N서울타워
Sunset from the deck, love locks, city lights.
Nearby: Palgakjeong Pavilion · Namsan circular road
Read: N Seoul Tower at Sunset: How to Time It ↗
Day 4 · Achasan → Olympic Park → Jamsil
Sunrise hike, parks & the tallest tower
An easy sunrise hike with river views, a big open park, and the lake and tower at Jamsil.
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06:30
1Achasan 아차산
Easy trail to sunrise over the Han River — a favourite with foreign hikers.
Nearby: Achasan Ecological Park
Read: Hiking in Seoul: Mountains You Can Reach by Subway ↗ - 5.7 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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11:00
2Olympic Park 올림픽공원
Huge lawns, sculptures and the 'lonely tree' photo spot.
Nearby: Mongchon Fortress
Read: Seoul on a Budget: How to Do More for Less ↗ - 2.7 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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16:00
3Seokchon Lake 석촌호수
A lakeside loop — spectacular in cherry-blossom season.
Nearby: Lotte World
Read: Gangnam Beyond the Song: COEX, Temples and Shopping ↗ - 450 m · about 6 min on footRoute in Naver Map
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18:00
4Lotte World Tower 롯데월드타워
Sunset from Seoul Sky if it's clear.
Nearby: Lotte World Mall
Read: Gangnam Beyond the Song: COEX, Temples and Shopping ↗
Day 5 · Gapyeong, about 1.5 hours east
Day trip: Nami Island
Tree-lined avenues on a river island, especially beautiful in autumn, plus a famous garden on the way.
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10:30
1Nami Island 남이섬
Ferry (or zipline) across to the island's tree avenues.
Nearby: Ginkgo and metasequoia paths
Read: Nami Island, Petite France & the Garden of Morning Calm: A Gapyeong Day Trip ↗ - 21.1 km · subway, bus or taxiRoute in Naver Map
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15:00
2Garden of Morning Calm 아침고요수목원
A large landscaped garden — famous for its winter light festival.
Read: Nami Island, Petite France & the Garden of Morning Calm: A Gapyeong Day Trip ↗
- Where to stay: Myeongdong & Jongno is the easiest base — compare the areas in our where to stay guide. Wherever you are, a Climate Card makes the subway unlimited.
- Swap days freely. Each day is a self-contained neighbourhood loop — rain day? Move the outdoor day and see our rainy-day plan.
Palaces, hanok villages & tea
The culture day — and the one visitors rate highest. Hanbok on for free palace entry, a quiet local lunch, the hanok lanes, a second palace, tea in Insadong and dinner at Gwangjang Market.
Read the guide →Day trip: Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
A UNESCO-listed 18th-century fortress wall you can walk around, a restored palace, and Suwon's famous fried-chicken street.
Read the guide →Every pin in your map
150 places near these stops, with Naver links and a Google My Maps file.
The map pack →Start over
Pick a different number of days or a different style.
Trip planner →