So, you’re travelling to South Korea but only have one week? Seven days isn’t a huge amount of time, but it’s definitely enough to see more than just Seoul.
I first lived in South Korea while studying abroad in Busan, and I’ve since returned several times to travel around the country. I most recently visited Seoul and Busan again in 2026, and if I only had one week in South Korea for a first trip, this is the route I would choose.
This 7-day South Korea guide focuses on Seoul and Busan, with a day trip to Gyeongju. It is quite a busy itinerary, but you’ll get to experience Korea’s capital, spend a few days by the coast and visit one of the country’s most important historic cities without constantly changing hotels.
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Quick summary of this 7-day South Korea itinerary
Day 1: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower and Myeongdong
Day 2: Day trip from Seoul to the DMZ
Day 3: Gangnam, Starfield Library and Hongdae
Day 4: War Memorial of Korea and travel from Seoul to Busan
Day 5: Nampo, Jagalchi, Gamcheon Culture Village and Songdo Air Cruise
Day 6: Day trip from Busan to Gyeongju
Day 7: Haeundae, the Blue Line Park, Centum City and Gwangalli
Day 1: Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon, N Seoul Tower and Myeongdong
Start your 7 days in South Korea with some of Seoul’s most famous attractions. Today focuses mainly on the historic part of the city before ending the day in Myeongdong.
Start at Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of the Five Grand Palaces of Seoul and probably the one I would prioritise if you only have time to visit one. Before entering, you can rent a Hanbok from one of the many rental shops around the palace. Wearing traditional Korean clothing also gives you free admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
I rented a Hanbok in Seoul when I visited the palace and loved the experience. There are plenty of different designs to choose from, and you can usually also have your hair styled to go with it.
After exploring the palace, walk to Bukchon Hanok Village, one of Seoul’s best-known areas for traditional Korean houses. The neighbourhood is still residential, so make sure to keep noise levels down and follow any signs restricting access to particular streets.
From here, you can spend some more time exploring this part of Seoul before making your way towards N Seoul Tower later in the afternoon. The tower sits atop Namsan Mountain and offers some of the best views of Seoul. You don’t necessarily need to go up the tower either, as there are already several viewpoints around the base. However, I would recommend it!
If you do want to visit the observation deck, you can buy your N Seoul Tower ticket in advance or when you arrive (though you might have to queue). Sunset is a particularly nice time to visit, though it can also be one of the busiest times.
End your first day in Myeongdong. This is one of my favourite areas to stay in Seoul, especially for a first visit, as it is very central and well connected to other parts of the city. In the evening, the streets fill with food stalls, so grab some street food and have a look around the shops, many of which stay open until late. You can even walk here from the N Seoul Tower.
If you want more ideas for your time in the city, have a look at my best things to do in Seoul guide.
Also make sure to check out the free walking tours in Seoul!
Where to stay in Seoul
For this itinerary, I recommend staying around Myeongdong. Its central location works particularly well when you only have a few days in Seoul and don’t want to spend too much time travelling between your accommodation and the main attractions.
On my most recent trip, I stayed at Philstay Myeongdong Boutique Female, where I booked a dorm room. I particularly liked it as a solo traveller because you get more privacy than in a regular hostel dorm while still keeping the price relatively affordable. The location was perfect!
If you prefer a regular hotel room, Nine Tree by Parnas Seoul Myeongdong is a more comfortable option in the same area.
Day 2: Take a day trip from Seoul to the DMZ
For your second day in South Korea, take a day trip from Seoul to the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) between South and North Korea.
Visiting the DMZ was one of the most interesting experiences from my time in South Korea. It gives you a much better understanding of the Korean War, the division of the Korean Peninsula and what life is like around one of the world’s most heavily guarded borders.
Most DMZ tours leave Seoul early in the morning, so be prepared for an early start. The exact itinerary can vary, but tours commonly visit places such as Imjingak Park, the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel and Dora Observatory, where you can look across the border towards North Korea.
I joined a tour that also included the option to visit Gamaksan Suspension Bridge on the way back to Seoul. It makes for quite a long day, but I thought the additional stop was worth it.
I recommend booking your DMZ tour from Seoul in advance, particularly if you only have seven days in South Korea and don’t have another day available if your preferred tour sells out.
Depending on the tour and departure time, you’ll usually return to Seoul later in the afternoon. I wouldn’t plan another major attraction for this day. Instead, use the evening for dinner and a more relaxed night in the city.
Alternatively: Take a day trip to Suwon
If visiting the DMZ isn’t for you, another easy day trip from Seoul is Suwon. I visited Suwon on my most recent trip to South Korea, and it is particularly worth visiting for the UNESCO-listed Hwaseong Fortress, which surrounds much of the historic centre.
Suwon is also easy to reach by public transport from Seoul, making it a good alternative if you would rather explore independently rather than join an organised tour.
You can find all the details in my guide on how to get from Myeongdong in Seoul to Suwon.
🇰🇷 Planning your first trip? Have a look at my guide to things to know before visiting South Korea for more practical tips before you go and check out the best areas in Seoul.
Day 3: Explore Gangnam and Hongdae
On Day 3 of your week in South Korea, explore two very different sides of Seoul, starting in Gangnam before heading to Hongdae later in the day.
Start at COEX Mall, where you can find the famous Starfield Library. The library is free to visit and sits right in the middle of the shopping centre, surrounded by cafés, restaurants and shops. Outside COEX, you can also find the Gangnam Style statue, where you can, of course, recreate some of the famous dance moves.
Before leaving the area, walk across the road to Bongeunsa Temple. I really like the contrast here: one minute you’re inside one of Seoul’s huge shopping centres and shortly afterwards you’re walking around a Buddhist temple surrounded by traditional buildings.
If you’re interested in getting a personal colour analysis in Seoul, you could also fit one into this day. Most are located in either Gangnam, Myeongdong, or Hongdae. Colour analysis is very popular in South Korea and involves finding the colours that work best with your skin tone, hair and overall colouring. I have done one myself in Seoul, and I would recommend booking in advance if you want to add it to your trip.
Later in the afternoon, take the metro across Seoul to Hongdae. This is one of the liveliest areas in the city and a fun place to spend the rest of the day. There are plenty of shops, cafés, restaurants, arcades and photo booths, and you’ll often see street performers around the main shopping streets.
Hongdae is also one of Seoul’s main nightlife areas, so you can easily stay here into the evening. Grab some Korean BBQ, try a few of the arcade games or finish the night at a noraebang (Korean karaoke room).
If you’re travelling around Seoul independently, make sure you’ve downloaded the right navigation apps beforehand. Google Maps has limitations in South Korea, so I mainly recommend using Naver Map or KakaoMap. You can find these and my other recommendations in my guide to the best apps for travelling in South Korea.
Day 4: Leave Seoul and travel to Busan
Today, it’s time to leave Seoul and travel to Busan, South Korea’s second-biggest city (and my favourite place in the world!).
Before leaving Seoul, I’d recommend visiting the War Memorial of Korea, a free museum that gives you a really interesting overview of Korea’s military history, including the Korean War. You can easily spend a couple of hours here before picking up your luggage and making your way to Busan.
You can travel from Seoul to Busan by either train or express bus. The KTX takes around 2.5 to 3 hours, while the bus takes around 4 hours and is usually the cheaper option. Since you only have 7 days in South Korea, I would take the KTX to save time. I’ve travelled between the two cities by both train and bus, and you can find all the options in my guide on how to get from Seoul to Busan.
Once you arrive in Busan, I recommend staying around Gwangalli Beach, which is still my favourite area of the city. On my most recent trip, I stayed directly by the beach in a private capsule-style room with an ocean view, which was a great option for travelling solo. You can read my Gwanganli Hotel 1 review for more information, or have a look at my complete guide to where to stay in Busan if you want to compare the different areas.
Spend your first evening in Busan strolling along Gwangalli Beach and taking in the views of Gwangan Bridge once it lights up at night. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and cafés around the beach, and if you happen to arrive on a Saturday, you can also watch the drone show over the water.
If you arrive in Busan early enough and still have some time in the evening, you could also join a Busan yacht tour. The cruises take you along the coast around Gwangalli and Haeundae, with some beautiful views of Gwangan Bridge from the water. I did one during my most recent trip to Busan, and while I wouldn’t consider it a must-do if you only have a few days, it’s a fun addition if you can fit it into your schedule.
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Day 5: Explore Nampo, Gamcheon and Songdo
Start your first full day in Busan by taking the metro to Nampo Station. This is where I always like to start when exploring this part of the city.
Right next to the station, you’ll find the massive Lotte Department Store Gwangbok, which you can access directly from the metro. Head up to the observation deck on the 13th floor for some great views over Busan. Best of all, the viewpoint is completely free.
From here, walk towards Jagalchi Fish Market, Korea’s largest fish market. Right nearby you’ll also find BIFF Square, where there are plenty of street food stalls. Make sure to try the Busan hotteok, Busan’s version of the popular Korean sweet pancake filled with seeds.
You can also have a look around nearby Gukje Market before making your way to Gamcheon Culture Village. This colourful hillside neighbourhood is one of Busan’s most famous attractions, with narrow streets, colourful houses, small shops, cafés and plenty of viewpoints over the city.
After Gamcheon, continue towards Songdo Beach and take the Busan Air Cruise across the water to Songdo Sky Park. The cable car was one of my favourite things I did in Busan, mainly because of the views over Songdo Beach, the coastline and the city.
Once you reach the other side, you can also visit Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge or walk along some of the forest trails towards the Dudo Island viewpoint if you still have enough time.
This is quite a full day, so if you want more details on how to organise this route, have a look at my one-day Busan itinerary, which follows a very similar itinerary through this part of the city.
And if you want to swap any of these stops for something else, you can find plenty more ideas in my guide to the best things to do in Busan.
Day 6: Take a day trip from Busan to Gyeongju
For Day 6 of your week in South Korea, take a day trip from Busan to Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom and one of the most historically important cities in the country.
If you had more time in South Korea, you could easily stay in Gyeongju for a night or two. But with only seven days, I think visiting as a day trip from Busan makes the most sense, as you don’t need to change accommodation again.
You can travel from Busan to Gyeongju independently, but the main attractions in Gyeongju are quite spread out. If you only have one day, I recommend joining an organised tour instead. This is what I did, and it made it much easier to see several of the city’s main sights without having to figure out the transport between them.
The tour I joined included places such as Bulguksa Temple, Yangdong Village, Daereungwon Tomb Complex and Woljeonggyo Bridge, as well as some time around central Gyeongju.
Tours generally leave Busan in the morning and return later in the evening, making this a pretty full day. There are usually different pick-up points around Busan, including Haeundae, Seomyeon and Busan Station, so check which one is easiest to reach from your accommodation.
👉 Book the Gyeongju day tour from Busan here. This is the same tour I joined and would be my recommendation if you only have one day to explore Gyeongju.
Day 7: Explore Haeundae and Centum City
For your final day in South Korea, head towards Haeundae Beach, Busan’s most famous beach and one of the main areas you should see before leaving the city.
Spend some time walking along the beach and have a look around Haeundae Market, which is just a short walk away. From here, make your way towards Mipo Station, where you can take the Haeundae Beach Train along the coast towards Songjeong.
The train follows the coastline and is a really nice way to see this part of Busan. You can also take the popular Sky Capsule, though tickets can sell out as it is the most popular attraction in Busan, so I recommend booking in advance if you specifically want to ride it.
If you want to visit Songjeong Beach, you can take the beach train all the way there. Songjeong is much quieter than Haeundae and is particularly popular for surfing.
Afterwards, head back towards Centum City, which is only a few metro stops from Haeundae. Here you can visit the huge Shinsegae Centum City department store, but my main recommendation is Spa Land Centum City.
Spa Land is a Korean jjimjilbang with different saunas, relaxation areas and spa facilities, and it’s a really nice way to slow down after what has been a pretty busy seven days in South Korea. You can read my complete Spa Land Centum City guide before visiting.
For your final evening, head back to Gwangalli Beach if that is where you are staying, for dinner and one last view of Gwangan Bridge.
Alternative: Go to a Lotte Giants baseball game
If you’re visiting during baseball season and the Lotte Giants are playing a home game, I would seriously consider swapping Spa Land or your evening in Gwangalli for a baseball game.
I went to a Lotte Giants game in Busan and it was one of my favourite experiences in the city. Korean baseball games are incredibly lively, with songs and chants for the players, and the atmosphere is very different from what you might expect if you’ve never been to a baseball game in Korea before.
Games obviously won’t fit every itinerary because it depends on the schedule, but if the dates work out, have a look at my guide to attending a Lotte Giants baseball game in Busan for everything you need to know.
Is 7 days in South Korea enough?
Seven days in South Korea will go by incredibly quickly, but I think this itinerary gives you a really good introduction to the country. You’ll get to experience Seoul, spend a few days exploring Busan and visit Gyeongju without having to change accommodation every night.
If you want more ideas for your time in Busan or want to adjust this part of the route, have a look at my 3-day Busan itinerary, which goes into much more detail on how to spend three days in the city.
If you have a little more time available, I would definitely recommend staying longer. With 10 days in South Korea, you can slow the trip down a little and add another destination rather than trying to squeeze even more into this one-week route. Have a look at my 10-day South Korea itinerary if you have a few extra days to work with.
And if you only have one week, don’t worry about trying to see everything. I’ve spent a lot of time in South Korea and still find new places I want to visit every time I go back. Seven days is enough for an amazing first trip – and you can always come back!
I hope this 7-day South Korea itinerary helps you plan your trip! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
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