Suggested Itinerary for Seoul, South Korea (with DMZ)

DAY 1

1. Cheonggyecheong Stream
Getting there:
- City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 4. Walk 250 m north to Cheonggye Plaza.

2. Deoksugung Palace
Getting there:
- City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 2.
- Go straight 100m to arrive at Daehanmun Gate on the right.
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Cheongyecheon Stream

3. Sejong Center
Getting there:
- Gwanghwamun Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 1 or 8.
Or
- City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1 or 2), Exit 3.
- Walk 10min towards Gwanghwamun Station.
Or
- 10 minutes walk from Deoksugung

4. Gyeongbokgung Palace
Getting There:
- Gyeongbokgung Station (Subway Line 3), exit 5.
Or
- Ganghwamun Station (Subway Line 5), exit 2 and walk 400 meters.
- Exit gwangwamun
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Sejong Center

Admission Fee: Adults (ages 19-64) 3,000 won
Interpretation Services (1 hour):
* English: 11:00, 13:30, 15:30
Performance Times:
January 1-December 31 (Closed on Tuesdays)
10:00-15:00(6 times a day/on the hour)

5. Namdaemun Market
Getting There:
- Hoehyeon Station (Subway Line 4), Exit 5


DAY 2

1. Shinsegae Mall
Getting There:
- Hoehyeon Station (Subway Line 4), Exit 7.

Tips:
- Mall opens at 1030am
- Food Garden at 10th Floor

2. Korean War Memorial
Getting There:
- Samgakji Station (Subway Lines 4, 6), Exit 12.
- It is 5min away from the station

Admission Fee:
- Free

Tips:
- Closed on Mondays
- Opens at 9am

3. Bukchon Hanok Village
Getting There:
- Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2.
- Go straight for about 300m to arrive at Bukchon Hanok Village

Tip:- Drop by Tourist Information Center and get a copy of area map

4. Changdeokgung Palace
Getting there:
- Anguk Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 3.
- Go straight for 5min.
Or
- Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station (Subway Line 1, 3 or 5), Exit 7.
- Go straight along Donhwamun-ro Street for 10min.
Or
- 10 minutes walk from Bukchon Hanok Village

5. Myeongdong Shopping Street
Gettting There:
- Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 5, 6, 7, or 8.
Or
- Euljiro Il-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), Exit 5

Things to buy:
Cosmetics – watch out for freebies (note:30,000 up=tax refund)

Things to try:
a. Sausage
b. tteokboki roll
c. Dried squids
d. Egg muffin
e. Korean bread/pan cake


DAY 3

1. DMZ
Tip:
- Book via a local tour agency

2. Lotte Mart
Getting there:
- Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 2)
- Lotte Department Store (Main Branch) is directly connected to the station.

Things to buy:
a. scorched rice candy
b. tteokbokkic.
c. real brownie by orion
d. seaweed snacks
e. banana flavored milk by binggrae


DAY 4

1. Tapgol Park
Getting there:
- JJongno 3(sam)-ga Station (Subway Line 1, 3, 5), Exit 1
- walk 5 minutes toward Jonggak.

2. Insa-dong / Ssamziegil mall
Getting there:
- Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6.
- Go 100m straight, then turn left
Or
- Jonggak Station (Seoul Subway Line 1), Exit 3.
- Go straight 300m, and turn left at the 4-way Intersection
- Go straight 100m, and take the left road towards Insadong-gil Road
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Tapgol Park

Tip:
- Starbucks is only branch in Korea where outside signage is written in hangul

3. Jogyesa Temple
Getting There:
- Jonggak Station (Subway Line 1), Exit 2.
- Go 70m forward, then cross the street.
- Go 100m more to arrive at a path to Jogyesa Temple.
Or
- Anguk Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 6.
- Go 50m forward, then cross the street in front of Dongduk Gallery.
- Go 50m more to arrive at a path to Jogyesa Temple.
Or
- Gwanghwamun Station (Subway Line 5), Exit 2.
- Go 150m forward to arrive at a path to Jogyesa Temple between YTN Parking Tower and Hana Bank
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Ssamziegil mall

4. Gwangjang Market – dinner
Getting there:
- Jongno 5-ga station (subway line 1), exit 8
Or
- Eujiro 5-ga station (subway line 2,4), exit 4

Tips:
- Best place to buy silk, fabrics
- Shops close at 6pm then food stalls open up
- 12,000 per meal (can be shared)

Things to try
a. Bindaetteok
- pancake made from ground mung beans with various meats and vegetables
- 4000-5,000 each
b. makgeolli (traditional Korean rice wine)
c. mayak gimbap, literally “drug gimbap,” bite-sized rice and dried seaweedrolls
d. Sundae, or Korean-style black pudding (made of pig’s intestines stuffed with cellophane noodles, barley and pork blood)
– 5-6,000 per serving
e. Tteokboki (chewy rice cake) and fish paste in seaweed soup


DAY 5

1. Bank of Korea Museum
Getting There:
- Namdaemun Market

Admission Fee:
- Free

2. Shinsegae Mall
Getting there:
- Hoehyeon Station (Subway Line 4), Exit 7


Additional Places to See:

1. Dongdaemun – shopping/ street food tripping
Tips:
Zone 2 – recommended for shopping/ best to go after 10pm
Regular top – 20-30,000
APM mall and Migliore mall – cheaper clothes

Things to Try:
a. Giant sausage coated with fries
b. Oksusu Cha (roasted corn kernel tea)

2. Nami Island
Getting There:
a. BUS – recommended*
Shuttle Bus Schedule:
- Insa-dong, Jamsil Station → Namiseom Island: 09:30
- Namiseom Island → Insa-dong, Jamsil Station: 16:00*

Bus Stop:
1) Insa-dong (Jonggak Station, Subway Line 1, Exit 3): Next to Tapgol Park
2) Jamsil Station (Subway Line 2, Exit 4): In front of Lotte Mart
Round Trip:- 23000 won for round trip ticket + entrance visa to Nami Island + ferry ticket.
- 50 minutes from port to Gapyeong wharf

b. SUBWAY – too many transfers
- go to Sangbong Station (line no.7) and take Gyeongchun Line. It takes about 45 minutes to reach Gapyeong Station (1800 won one way).
- Get off at Gapyeong Station, take a taxi to Namiseom parking lot (travel time: 10-15min, 3000 won).
- Take the ferry from Namiseom Dock to Namiseom Island. (travel time: 5-6min)

3. Tongin Market
Getting there:
- From Gyeongbokgung Station (Seoul Subway Line 3) take exit 2 and contniue straight for about 700m. The market will be on your left.



NOTA BENE: This itinerary has been scheduled this way to accommodate my elderly parents’ physical limitations and interests.