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Updated October 2026

This 5-day Seoul itinerary is the trip we planned for my parents: Gyeongbokgung Palace, four traditional markets, Ikseon-dong, Eunpyeong Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower and lots of local food. The pace is easy and the meals are where the locals eat, so it suits anyone travelling with older parents. We've updated it with 2026 entry rules, transport tips and where to stay.

My parents visited Korea 9 years before this trip on a tour with Chan Brothers, and it was a disaster. They came home with a bad impression and never went back. This time, H and I wanted to change their minds, so we brought them to our favourite places and explored some new ones. The route is adapted from our 2019 4D3N Seoul itinerary.

My mum loves markets, so we visited lots of them. Even a month after the trip, she was still talking about the chestnuts we bought in Korea. As this wasn't their first trip to Seoul, we skipped some of the big attractions.

🏨 Travelling with parents? Stay within a short walk of a subway station so they can rest between outings. Compare Seoul hotels on Agoda →

Before You Go: Entry, Airport Train, SIM Card and T-money

Entry rules for Singaporeans

Singapore passport holders can visit South Korea visa-free. The K-ETA requirement is waived for Singaporeans until 31 December 2026, according to the Korean Embassy in Singapore. Without a K-ETA, fill in the free Korea e-Arrival Card online before you land. If you're travelling in 2027, check whether the exemption has been extended.

Incheon Airport to Seoul

The AREX Express train runs non-stop from Incheon to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes, and it's the easiest option with parents and luggage. The all-stop AREX train is cheaper and takes a T-money card, but it stops at every station.

🚆 Book AREX Express train tickets →

SIM card and T-money

Get a SIM before you go: you'll need data for Naver Map or KakaoMap, which work best for directions in Korea. A T-money card works on the subway, buses and most taxis, and at convenience stores. Top it up with cash at any convenience store or subway machine. For more, read our things to know before visiting Seoul.

📶 Pre-book a Korea SIM card with airport pickup →  ·  💳 Get a T-money card →

5-Day Seoul Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1: Migabon Porridge, Myeongdong, Okeunnae Chicken Rib and Ikseon-dong

Breakfast: Migabon porridge, Myeongdong

Not many places open at 9am, so we brought my parents to Migabon in Myeongdong for porridge. We'd eaten here on our last trip and it was so good: tasty and full of flavour. Dad's favourite was the abalone porridge, and my vote goes to the oyster and mushroom. H's beef porridge was mediocre and didn't shine as much as the others.

Tip: when we went, all-male tables got a free upgrade to a large bowl if each person ordered one.

• Address: 56 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 8am–4pm, 5–10pm daily

Shopping in Myeongdong

Full and happy, we started the day shopping in Myeongdong. If you're buying face masks, Myeongdong is one of the most popular places, and the range of Korean brands is incredible. We got the higher-end masks at Lotte Duty Free because we were too lazy to compare prices, and it carries Shangpree.

Lunch: Okeunnae Chicken Rib (오근내닭갈비), Yongsan

Dakgalbi, steamed egg and pancake at Okeunnae.

A 15-minute walk from Yongsan Station, this is our favourite dakgalbi restaurant in Seoul, and we had to bring my parents. The marinated chicken is tender and very flavourful. Eat it on its own, wrapped in lettuce, or finish with fried rice in the pan. The gyeran-jjim (steamed egg) has a strong seafood flavour and a charred taste that keeps you coming back. With more people this time, we tried the pancake too. Unfortunately, it isn't as good as it looks.

• Address: 15 Ichon-ro 29-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 12–3:30pm, 4:30–10:30pm daily

HDC I'Park Mall, Yongsan

We stopped by I'Park Mall at Yongsan Station, one of the bigger malls in Seoul and popular with locals. From a cinema to exhibitions, you'll find almost everything there. We didn't spend long, as it's mostly international brands, but I like its artsy design.

Ikseon-dong

Hanok cafés and lanes in Ikseon-dong.

Instead of more malls, we went to Ikseon-dong. Our visit the year before was memorable, so I wanted to show my parents this artsy side of Seoul and introduce them to café culture. The lanes are still as charming as ever, and strolling past small boutiques in the cold is romantic. My parents loved walking the streets and kept commenting on how pretty it is. My mum was even inspired to put dried flowers at home.

Unfortunately, the café we picked was overpriced: mediocre coffee and snacks at about 1.5 times the price of other Seoul cafés. Maybe it's the rent. I doubt I'll go back to that café, but the neighbourhood is worth a wander.

Day 2: Tongin Market, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Hwangsaengga, Lotte Mart and Hosujib

Breakfast: Tongin Market's lunchbox café

Pay with brass coins and fill your own lunchbox at Tongin Market.

Since our first visit, Tongin Market has been one of our favourites, and it's one of the best ways to spend a morning in Seoul. At the Dosirak Café, you buy a tray and brass coins, then fill your lunchbox at different stalls. It was 5,000 won when we visited; recent visitors report about 10,000 won for a tray and 20 coins. Read more about Tongin Market here.

• Address: 18 Jahamun-ro 15-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 종로구 자하문로15길 18)
• Closed: third Sunday of each month; the Dosirak Café is closed on Mondays and only opens late morning to mid-afternoon

Gyeongbokgung Palace

My parents are huge fans of Korean dramas, especially the palace ones, so Gyeongbokgung was a must, and they were fascinated by it. Free guided tours are available. If you can't get enough, the National Palace Museum of Korea next door is more informative, and the National Museum of Korea covers the dynasties in depth.

• Tickets: 3,000 won for adults. Free for visitors aged 65 and above, foreigners included, so parents get in free. Wearing hanbok also gets you in free.
• Closed: Tuesdays
• Heads-up: palace fees are due to rise from 1 January 2027 (Korea Herald)

Lunch: Hwangsaengga Kalguksu, Bukchon

For a late lunch, we went to Hwangsaengga for kalguksu. The kalguksu turned out to be made with beef stock and we didn't get to try it, so we had dumplings instead: chunky and very flavourful. The kimchi was nicely fermented too. We also ordered bossam and a plate of fried snacks, but both were mediocre, and we won't go back just for the dumplings (Day 3 explains why).

• Address: 78 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 11am–9:30pm daily

If you're in the area and don't feel like noodles, go to Tosokchon Samgyetang instead. You won't be disappointed, but avoid peak hours.

Lotte Mart for snacks and face masks

Next, we stocked up on snacks and souvenirs at Lotte Mart. My usual buys are chocolate waffle sticks, Korean nuts and snacks for the next few days. Lotte Mart is also one of my favourite places for cheap face masks: there's always a 1+1 or 10+10 promotion on brands like The Face Shop and Innisfree, so each mask cost less than S$1 when we went. Spend at least 30,000 won on one receipt and you can claim a tax refund.

Dinner: Hosujib (호수집)

This hidden gem was one of the best meals of our trip. We arrived around 8pm on a weekday and it was packed with locals. The chicken skewers were perfectly grilled, though to be honest, I still prefer Singapore satay. The spicy chicken and squid stew is the real star: spicy, but you can't stop. I think I drank more of the stew than I ate. The ajummas were really friendly despite being so busy. We'll definitely be back.

Tip: go early or expect to wait up to an hour. Write your name on the waiting list when you arrive, or tell the ajumma if you can't find it.

• Address: 443 Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 11:30am–2pm, 5–10pm, closed Sundays

Day 3: Yeongcheon Market, Eunpyeong Hanok Village, Korea Samgyetang and N Seoul Tower

Yeongcheon Market

First thing in the morning, we walked to Yeongcheon Market, the closest market to our hotel. Unlike Tongin, it caters to locals: from frozen meat to banchan, we saw lots of ajummas carrying bags of shopping.

Breakfast: Dokkaebi Son Kalguksu (도깨비손칼국수)

Handmade dumplings, bibim-guksu and kalguksu inside Yeongcheon Market.

Inside the market, this noodle shop is a true hidden gem. The noodles are made fresh in the shop, and a huge bowl cost 2,500 won when we visited. The broth is made with bonito flakes and is very flavourful.

This is why we won't go back to Hwangsaengga for dumplings: the ones here are on another level. The skin is perfect, not too thick yet holding the filling well, and they're much cheaper. My mum secretly wanted to dabao some but we stopped her. The kimchi is another favourite, one of the best we had all trip; H refilled it three or four times. We were glad we came early in the trip, because it meant we could come back before flying home.

• Address: 323 Yeongcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): from 11:30am

Eunpyeong Hanok Village

Instead of Bukchon Hanok Village, we went to Eunpyeong Hanok Village, about 40 minutes from central Seoul at the foot of Bukhansan. It was planned as a tourist area, so it's quiet and the hanok are fairly new; there are homes, cafés and restaurants. We loved the hanok rooftops against the mountain backdrop. Sadly, it drizzled while we were there, so we didn't explore much.

1in1jan café (1인1잔)

When the rain started, we ducked into 1in1jan (1 person, 1 cup), a 5-storey café at the foot of the village. Its glass walls and roof look out over the hanok with Bukhansan behind. The coffee and tea were mediocre, but the view is stunning and the interior is beautiful and cosy, a perfect place to sit out the rain.

Dinner: Korea Samgyetang, City Hall

Back near our hotel, we tried a different samgyetang restaurant instead of Tosokchon. Korea Samgyetang is one of Seoul's oldest samgyetang restaurants. Everyone has to order a main, so we had the classic samgyetang, abalone (jeonbok) samgyetang, abalone chicken porridge and fried chicken.

The classic's broth is clean and the chicken tender. Save your money on the abalone version: the abalone was rubbery and tasteless. The other dishes were a disaster: the porridge was bland (we left three-quarters of it), and the fried chicken was dry. Stick with the classic samgyetang. Overall, we still prefer Tosokchon: more flavour, and no minimum order.

• Address: 1 Seosomun-ro 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 10am–9pm daily
• Nearest station: City Hall

N Seoul Tower

Feeling full, we went up to N Seoul Tower on Namsan for the city at night. It's one of Seoul's most popular sights, with love locks and messages everywhere. The observatory has 360° views over Seoul. Buy tickets ahead to skip the queue at the counter.

🗼 Book N Seoul Tower observatory tickets on Klook →  ·  or on Trazy

• Address: 105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
• Hours: roughly 10am–10:30pm on weekdays and until 11pm on weekends; check the official site before you go

Day 4: Mangwon Market, Belief Coffee Roasters, Hongdae and Okdongsik

Mangwon Market

On our last full day, we went to one of Seoul's biggest markets, Mangwon Market, our new favourite. It's huge, it's not just for locals, and you can buy lots of Korean snacks at reasonable prices. You could easily spend a whole morning here. Read our full Mangwon Market guide.

• Address: 486-8 Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 10am–9pm daily

Belief Coffee Roasters (빌리프커피로스터스)

Then, our favourite café in Seoul: Belief Coffee Roasters. With its own roastery, the coffee is reliably good, and the pastries are excellent, much better than the ones in Ikseon-dong. We even took some bread away for tea.

• Address: 384-3 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Hours (when we visited): 9:30am–11:30pm

Shopping in Hongdae

Hongdae is a neighbourhood for young people, with street murals and buskers, and a vibrant, youthful feel. There are lots of cafés, fashion shops and restaurants. Even if you're not shopping, it's fun to soak up the energy, and on weekends there are indie performances on almost every corner.

Tip: when we went, the Hongdae Free Market ran every Saturday from March to November at Hongik Children's Park.

Dinner: Okdongsik (옥동식)

We went back to Okdongsik for dwaeji-gukbap (pork soup rice). It's a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant and serves one of the best pork soups in Seoul: the broth is light yet flavourful and the pork is fresh. The small, calm dining room makes it a very comfortable meal. There are only about 10 seats, so expect to queue.

• Address: 44-10 Yanghwa-ro 7-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–3pm and 5–10pm; Sat–Sun 11am–8:30pm (Michelin Guide)

Day 5: Seoul to Singapore

The next morning, we left Seoul and visited the newly refurbished Singapore Airlines lounge at Incheon, one of the better SQ lounges in the world. Read our SQ Incheon lounge review.

It was a short trip, but fun and memorable. My parents enjoyed Korea so much that they hinted we should go back the next year. There are still so many places and foods H and I want to try in Seoul. Read what we did next in our 2022 8D7N Seoul itinerary, with a day trip on our Suwon 2D1N itinerary.

Where to Stay in Seoul with Parents

Pick a hotel within a few minutes' walk of a subway station, so your parents can head back for a rest between outings.

🏨 See all Seoul hotel deals on Agoda →

Seoul Itinerary FAQ

Is 5 days enough for Seoul with parents?

Yes. Five days (four full days) covers Gyeongbokgung, the main markets, Myeongdong, N Seoul Tower and a half-day to Eunpyeong Hanok Village at a pace older parents can manage. Add a day or two for a trip to Suwon or Nami Island.

Do Singaporeans need a K-ETA for South Korea in 2026?

No. Singapore passport holders are exempt from K-ETA until 31 December 2026, according to the Korean Embassy in Singapore. Fill in the free Korea e-Arrival Card online before you land. Check the embassy page before trips in 2027.

Is Gyeongbokgung Palace free for seniors?

Yes. Visitors aged 65 and above, including foreigners, enter free, and so does anyone wearing hanbok. Adult tickets are 3,000 won, and the palace is closed on Tuesdays. Fees are due to rise from 1 January 2027.

Which Seoul markets are best for parents?

Tongin Market for its coin lunchbox, Mangwon Market for snacks and fair prices, and Yeongcheon Market for a local, non-touristy morning. All three are flat and easy to walk.

How do I get from Incheon Airport to Seoul?

The AREX Express train runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes. The all-stop AREX train is cheaper and takes a T-money card. With parents and luggage, a pre-booked transfer is the easiest option.

Prices and hours marked "when we visited" are from our trip; entry rules, palace tickets and Okdongsik's hours are updated as of October 2026. Always check before you go. This post contains affiliate links; if you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.