Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you buy something through those links, I will get a small commission that won't cost you anything, but it does help me run this site.ย Privacy policy

ByPetra Udomprasert Updated on

A Day in Incheon: The Perfect Day Trip from Seoul

If you’re looking to spend a day in Incheon, try something different. Leave the more modern parts of it for later, and first focus on the most nostalgic parts of this open-port town.

As Korean Peninsula’s first contact with foreign cultures back in the 19th century, Incheon’s old town still feels somewhat frozen in that era.

I followed this exact itinerary when I fell in love with Incheon and its historical significance. If you’re a traveler who appreciates slow moments and small pleasures, this one’s perfect for you.

Get ready to see the cutesy Fairytale Village, eat delicious Jajangmyeon where it was first made, but also take in the serious history of the pre-colonial days in the Open Port Area.

One important note before we begin: Don’t go on a Monday because everything is closed!

How Incheon Feels Different from Seoul

While the two main vibes in Seoul are the Joseon-era aesthetics and the modern-day city pace, Incheon is somewhere in between the two.

In Incheon, you get a mix of cultural diversity from the Open Port era and colonial-era Korea.

It was right in this city that the Korean Peninsula first opened its doors to the outside world in 1883. Unlike modern Seoul, Incheon’s diversity feels slow and nostalgic, frozen in its old days.

You won’t really understand what I mean until you get there.

โณ Planning Seoul last minute? Here’s everything you need! ๐Ÿ’ก

Best Hotel: G3 Chungmuro ๐Ÿ‘‰ Check on Booking | Check on Agoda

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Pre-Designed Itineraries (by me ๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ):

โฐ Activities you need to book ASAP in Seoul (or they sell out!):

Colorful staircase in Songwol-dong Fairytale Village, Incheon, with each step painted in rainbow hues and flower beds lining the sides. The surrounding murals feature tulips and whimsical art, setting a playful tone for a day in Incheon.

How to Get to Incheon from Seoul

The best way to get to Incheon from Seoul is by the good old metro, which should take about an hour.

  • Take the Metro Line 1 to Incheon Station.
  • Use Exit 2 towards Songwol-dong Fairytale Village for this itinerary.
  • The ride shouldn’t cost you more than 2,500 KRW

I recommend leaving Seoul by 8 AM at the latest. Please don’t take the metro line to the Airport. That’s not where we’re going!

Morning: Fairytale Village and Historical Murals

Your day in Incheon starts light and colorful.

From Exit 2 of the metro station, keep walking north for about 5 minutes, and you’ll see the signs for Songwol-dong Fairytale Village. Turn right, and you’ll see it!

Whimsical entrance sign for Songwol-dong Fairytale Village featuring rainbow arches and a cartoon panda riding a yellow roller coaster car. Marks the beginning of the colorful morning adventure in the Fairytale Village segment of the itinerary.

Songwol-dong Fairytale Village

Once a fancy village for foreign settlers in the 19th century, Songwol-dong was slowly decaying as young people moved out to find better opportunities in Seoul after the Korean War.

The whimsical murals and buildings you see today are the result of a restoration project in 2013. Don’t just stick to the main street, though. The best works are hidden up the alleys to your left!

Storybook-style alley in Songwol-dong Fairytale Village with vibrant wall murals depicting fairy tale characters and a quiet residential atmosphere.
A latte in a Van Gogh-inspired cup on a cafรฉ terrace overlooking the whimsical rooftops and vibrant decor of Songwol-dong Fairytale Village.
Charming giraffe-themed cafรฉ facade in Songwol-dong Fairytale Village, surrounded by colorful, cartoonish murals and a playful picket fence.

Once you’ve had your fill of fairytale moments, I recommend ordering a cup of coffee at ์šฐ๋ฌผ์˜†๊ทธ์ง‘ (Woomul Yeop Keu Jib) cafe. Take a slow moment and savor the colors on the outdoor porch.

Chohanji Mural Street

From the main village street, keep walking uphill toward the T-intersection and turn right onto Jayu Park Street.

Once you round a corner, you’ll find yourself on one of the two spectacular mural streets in Incheon.

Colorful mural tiles along Chohanji Mural Street in Incheon Chinatown, showcasing historical Chinese-themed art on a red wall with traditional roof tiles.

On Chojanji Mural Street, there are 56 murals of varying sizes depicting the Chu-Han war for supremacy in ancient China, 200 years before Christ.

The murals end at Seollinmun Gate, where you’ll descend the Emperor’s Stairs into Chinatown.

View through the Seollinmun Gate in Incheon Chinatown, a richly decorated archway with intricate carvings, framing the neighborhood beyond.
Tourists climbing the Emperorโ€™s Stairs in Incheon Chinatown, decorated with red and yellow tile patterns and traditional murals depicting Qing Dynasty themes.

Mid-Morning: Korea’s Only Chinatown

You read that right. Until today, the Incheon Chinatown is the first and only official Chinatown on the entire Korean Peninsula, established in 1884, after the opening of the Incheon Port.

The feeling you get as you reach Chinatown Street is the strangest, like being transported from the calm fairytale village with Korean aesthetics to a bustling street in China.

Play Nostalgic Games and Try Snacks

You can’t just walk along the street in Chinatown. You have to snack!

Close-up of a vibrant Korean street food stall in Incheon Chinatown, displaying hot dogs and skewers with colorful labels and hanging lights. This image showcases the variety of savory street snacks available during your mid-morning stop on a day in Incheon.

There are snack carts all along the street. Some sell various types of hot dogs, bao buns, and freshly-squeezed sugar cane juice.

I even saw a nostalgic Bbopgi (๋ฝ‘๊ธฐ) cart, where you can play a type of Korean Bingo game and win a giant Dalgona snack.

Child and guardian playing a traditional Korean Bbopgi candy game at a colorful stall in Incheon Chinatown. A nostalgic treat and playful moment that adds to the sensory experience of the day trip.

Optional Stop: Jajangmyeon Museum

Every K-drama fan knows the popularity of Jajangmyeon as a delivery dinner, but did you know that there’s a museum about it in Chinatown?

As the birthplace of Jajangmyeon in Korea, Incheon doesn’t disappoint cultural nerds like us.

Exterior of the Jajangmyeon Museum in Incheon, located in a brick colonial-style building with signage highlighting the history of Koreaโ€™s iconic noodle dish.

If you have a bit of time and energy left before lunch, head into the museum and learn a bit about this Chinese-Korean dish before you eat one!

You can find the Jajangmyeon Museum just off the main Chinatown Street, in the building that used to house Gonghwachun, the first restaurant that served Jajangmyeon in Korea.

Lunch: The Best Jjajangmyeon at Sinseonglu

Walk a few minutes back to Incheon Station, take time to look at the building, maybe snap a photo, because this was the first railway station in Korea.

Then, take the yellow line metro one station down to Sinpo.

Sinseonglu Restaurant Information

There’s a reason why I didn’t recommend eating at one of the hundred restaurants in Chinatown.

Facade of Sinseonglu Chinese Restaurant in Incheon, famous for its jajangmyeon and featured on Korean television shows.

Here at Sinseonglu, featured in multiple foodie TV shows, I’m willing to bet my blogging career that you’ll be the only foreigner there.

It’s just you and a restaurant full of Koreans who love Jajangmyeon as much as you do.

Traditional Korean-Chinese dish of Jajangmyeon served at Sinseonglu restaurant in Incheon, with rich black bean sauce, yellow noodles, cucumber, and a sunny-side-up egg. This local favorite is a must-try lunch stop during the Incheon day trip.

Afternoon: Incheon Open Port Area

After lunch, help your digestion by walking west from Sinseonglu back towards where you were this morning. But we’re gonna stop halfway at the highlight of Incheon: The Open Port.

The “Open Port” is not necessarily one solid thing to see. It’s a few blocks of buildings, all in different styles, depending on which group of settlers built them. There are, of course, cafes, shops, and museums you can visit.

Optional: Open Port or Literature Museum

I still haven’t been inside the Open Port Museum, since it was closed for a special holiday when I went, but I recommend going in to learn a bit more about the Open Port era before exploring the streets.

However, I did go into the Museum of Korean Modern Literature, and I loved it.

Modern glass exterior of the Museum of Korean Modern Literature in Incheon, featuring a poem and stylized tree decal on its facade.

There were interactive exhibit elements, like a photo wall, an arcade-style keyboard you can type into, and more.

Artistic installation inside the Museum of Korean Modern Literature, depicting writers in a cozy reading room setting from the early 20th century.
Interior view of the Museum of Korean Modern Literature in Incheon, showcasing a visual timeline of literary milestones under industrial-style ceilings.

The exhibition shows the topical and stylistic progression of Korean literature from pre-colonial times to the present.

There are limited English signs, so have Papago‘s image mode open and ready on your phone.

Incheon Open Port Museum

Museum of Korean Modern Literature

Japanese-Style Street

This is one of the most nostalgic streets in the area, not because it’s Japanese, but there’s something about the souvenir shops in wooden buildings.

Japanese colonial-style street in Incheon Open Port area, with traditional architecture reflecting Koreaโ€™s early modern period history.
Stone staircase marking the historic Japanese-Chinese Settlement Border in Incheon, flanked by traditional lantern-style posts and colorful lantern decorations. This spot visually highlights the cultural fusion of the Open Port era.
Historic Japanese colonial building in Incheon Open Port district, characterized by wood and brick architecture from the late 19th century.

The coolest sight here is the Chinese-Japanese Settlement Border, where Chinatown merges with the Japanese-controlled areas during the open port era.

It’s a stairway, sure, but with Chinese-style lamp posts on one side, and Japanese-style posts on the other! Begin the next part of your journey by walking up those stairs.

Samgukji Mural Street

Known as the Three Kingdoms Mural Street in English, these 77 tiled murals depict the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the sequel to the Chu-Han murals you saw before lunch.

Historic Jemulpo Club

A few minutes of an uphill walk from the mural street, and you’ll see another nostalgic Open-Port-era building at the foot of Jayu Park.

Entrance to the Jemulpo Club in Incheon, a preserved Western-style building from the portโ€™s open era with cultural and historical displays inside.

This is the historic Jemulpo Club, built in 1901 as a place for Western dignitaries to socialize.

For K-drama fans (or just Gong Yoo fans ๐Ÿ˜‰), Goblin was filmed right here, too.

Interior view of Jemulpo Clubโ€™s former social hall featuring a vintage bar setup, ceiling fans, and a black-and-white portrait on display. This exhibit reflects the club's historical significance as a cultural and diplomatic hub.
Reading room inside the Jemulpo Club showing classic wooden paneling, vintage chairs, and a display of the Korean National Herald newspaper. Emphasizes the preserved colonial-era interior and intellectual history of the space.

Since 2007, the building has become a space for international cultural exchange, often hosting events and showcasing other cultures.

There was an exhibition on Korean immigrants to Hawaii when I went.

Evening: Jayu Park

Climb the stairs in front of Jemulpo Club to end your day at Jayu Park (Freedom Park), a few meters above the rest of Incheon. What’s a better way to end your day trip than with a coastal view?

Open plaza with geometric tiles and lampposts at the base of Jayu Park in Incheon, with a backdrop of trees and people casually walking. This area serves as a gathering point before heading into the parkโ€™s wooded paths.
Peaceful paved path shaded by tall trees in Jayu Park, one of Incheonโ€™s oldest and most scenic public spaces. An ideal final stop on the itinerary to wind down with nature and coastal views.

A cool thing to know: This was the first Western-style park in Korea. If you visit during the Cherry Blossom season, this is one of the best spots to experience the Cherry Blossom festival, too.

Seokjeongnu Pavilion in Jayu Park, Incheon, a traditional Korean structure with a spiral staircase, offering views over the city and harbor.

Stroll through the park until you see the light (seriously) to your left. Follow the light (๐Ÿ˜‚) and you’ll end up at Seokjeongnu Pavilion, one of the best spots to see a coastal view of Incheon.

Be careful not to hit your head when you climb the pavilion stairs.

Itinerary Map: A Day in Incheon

Here’s a map with all the stops on our itinerary pinned. Save it to your phone for easier navigation.

What to Know Before You Go

Must-Have Apps: Download Google Maps to use my pinned itinerary map. Use Papago for translations and Kakao Metro to help with planning metro routes around the city.

Transportation Card: Use a rechargeable T-Money card for both the metro and buses.

Important Note: Museums in Incheon are closed on Monday, so avoid going on Monday!

Got Time for Other Day Trips Around Seoul?

If you’re looking up a day itinerary NOT inside Seoul, I’m gonna guess this isn’t your first visit. And you’re absolutely right to start exploring the surrounding towns!

Among my top choices are, of course, Incheon, but also Suwon (Korea’s almost capital city!), Pocheon, and Gapyeong.

Another day trip I highly recommend that you can’t do on your own is the DMZ visit.

Browse the rest of my South Korea guides for Seoul ideas too!

Helpful Travel Tips for South Korea

Most visa-free visitors to South Korea need a K-ETA in order to enter Korea. Check if you need one and apply about a week before you travel. This replaces the arrival form.

Read up on how to get from Incheon into the city, so you don’t run into surprises.

Donโ€™t forget to learn some important dos and donโ€™ts in Korean culture, as well as some useful Korean phrases, before you arrive!

Find a Place to Stay in Seoul

Looking for somewhere to stay? Use the map below! Feel free to refer to my guide on Seoul neighborhoods and figure out which area suits your needs best!

Grab My South Korea E-Checklist

To make sure you donโ€™t leave anything important out of your preparations, Iโ€™ve made a digital checklist to help you get ready. I leave 2 pages blank for you to customize your own checklist, too!

๐Ÿ“Œ Pin this for later

Pinterest graphic titled โ€œHow to Spend a Day in Incheon: Cultural Day Tripโ€ with a photo of a red-tiled mural wall in Songwol-dong Fairytale Village, depicting historical scenes from Korean history. Includes travel blog URL and a South Korea Travel Guide label to encourage sharing the one-day Incheon itinerary.

Sharing is caring!

Petra Udomprasert is a career immersive travel blogger and the founder of Polyglot Petra. Believing in travel as a force that inspires empathy and respect in our world, she writes travel guides that deeply explore the history and culture of every destination she visits, leveraging her fluency in five different languages to access the local perspective. Through her immersive guides and localized language tips, she has helped tens of thousands of travelers enjoy trips that leave lasting positive impacts on their lives.