Day-by-day programme of this 14-day itinerary across From Seoul to Jeju, via Gyeongju and Busan.
Day 1 â Arrival in Seoul
Landing in Seoul, a megalopolis of ten million where glass skyscrapers coexist with royal palaces and temples. First evening impressions in Myeongdong.
- âïļ Seoul â Aeroporto Internazionale di Incheon (ICN)
- ð Myeongdong â For your first taste of Seoul nothing beats Myeongdong, the realm of shopping and street food: neon signs, K-beauty cosmetics shops on every corner and stalls frying tteokbokki, hotteok and prawn skewers. It is a gentle way to ease into the city's electric rhythm after the long flight. You dine among the stalls and walk back to the hotel, just steps away.
- ðĻ Hotel Midcity Myeongdong â Zona centrale (Myeongdong / Jung-gu), Seoul
Day 2 â Royal Seoul: palaces and hanok
A day in Seoul's historic heart: the great Gyeongbokgung palace, the traditional Bukchon village, the art street of Insadong and the street-food feast of Gwangjang.
- ð Gyeongbokgung Palace â The day opens with Gyeongbokgung, the largest and grandest of the Joseon dynasty's royal palaces, founded in 1395. You cross the monumental gates, the Geunjeongjeon throne hall and the romantic Gyeonghoeru pavilion over the water; every morning the royal guard-changing ceremony takes place in costume. Those wearing a hanbok (the traditional dress, rentable nearby) enter free. From here it is a few minutes' walk north to Bukchon village.
- ð Bukchon Hanok Village â Between the two royal palaces nestles Bukchon Hanok Village, a web of climbing alleys lined with hundreds of hanok, the traditional Korean houses with curved tiled roofs, today partly private homes, partly shops and cafes. From the viewpoints the row of ancient roofs stands against the skyscrapers: the perfect image of Korea between past and future. You then walk down to Insadong for lunch.
- ð Insadong â Insadong is the street of traditions: art galleries, shops of hanji paper, calligraphy brushes, ceramics and tea houses where you sip infusions from earthenware cups. The main lane is pedestrian and full of life, perfect for lunch with a bibimbap or a spring-onion pancake. After the break you walk over to the great Gwangjang market.
- ð―ïļ Gwangjang Market â The evening is devoted to Gwangjang, one of Seoul's oldest and best-loved street-food markets. Among the steaming stalls you try bindaetteok (ground mung-bean pancakes), mayak gimbap ('drug gimbap', so addictive), sannakji and rivers of soju, elbow to elbow with locals on plastic stools. It is dinner, theatre and cultural immersion all at once. You head back to the hotel by metro.
Day 3 â Seoul between history and skyline
The UNESCO Changdeokgung palace with its Secret Garden, the cafes of Ikseon-dong, the view from N Seoul Tower and the creative nightlife of Hongdae.
- ð Changdeokgung Palace â You return to the palaces with Changdeokgung, a UNESCO site and the most harmonious of the five royal palaces, because it was built to follow the hill rather than tame it. The jewel is the Secret Garden (Huwon): ponds, pavilions and ancient trees, visitable only on a timed guided tour, to be booked. Leaving the palace, a short walk leads into the lanes of Ikseon-dong.
- ð Ikseon-dong â Ikseon-dong is Seoul's oldest hanok district, today transformed into a hyper-instagrammable maze of design cafes, bistros and boutiques carved inside the old low houses. You have lunch here, among hidden courtyards and metre-wide alleys. Then you take the metro towards Namsan mountain and its tower.
- ð N Seoul Tower â Atop Mount Namsan rises N Seoul Tower, the city's most famous viewpoint: you go up by cable car or on foot through the park, and from the observatory (or just the love-locks terrace) Seoul stretches endlessly in every direction. At sunset it is magical. You then head down to the young, lively district of Hongdae for the evening.
- ð Hongdae â Hongdae, the district of the Hongik art university, is Seoul's young, creative heart: street artists and K-pop dancers perform in the squares, while the alleys are packed with bars, Korean izakaya, vintage shops and themed cafes late into the night. It is the right place for dinner and a buzzing evening. You return to the hotel by metro.
Day 4 â The DMZ and the divided history
Guided trip to the Demilitarized Zone along the 38th parallel, then the War Memorial of Korea to understand the war that split the peninsula.
- ðŊ Imjingak â One of the trip's most intense experiences: the DMZ, the demilitarized strip dividing the two Koreas since 1953, along the 38th parallel. On a guided tour (compulsory, to be booked in advance with your passport) you visit Imjingak with its Freedom Bridge, the Third Infiltration Tunnel dug from the North and the Dora Observatory from which you peer into North Korea. A place that makes the peninsula's still-open history physically tangible. In the afternoon you return to Seoul by coach.
- ð War Memorial of Korea â Back in the city, the War Memorial of Korea ideally rounds off the DMZ morning: a large museum (free entry) telling the story of the Korean War and the country's military history, with planes, tanks and ships on open-air display. It helps you understand the wound of the division you have just seen up close. You dine nearby and return to the hotel by metro.
Day 5 â Nami and the gardens
A day in nature: Nami Island with its tree-lined avenues and the Garden of Morning Calm, two classic day trips from Seoul.
- ð Nami Island â A day trip eastward: Nami Island (Namiseom), a small crescent-shaped island on the river made famous by the k-drama 'Winter Sonata'. You reach it by a short ferry and stroll or cycle along its tree-lined avenues - the rows of dawn redwoods and ginkgos are iconic, spectacular in autumn. It is an oasis of peace of sculptures, squirrels and forest cafes. From here a local bus soon takes you to the nearby Garden of Morning Calm.
- ð Garden of Morning Calm â The Garden of Morning Calm (Achim Goyo) is Korea's oldest private garden: gently rolling hills carefully designed among ponds, bonsai, seasonal blooms and themed corners. In spring it bursts with flowers, in autumn with chrysanthemums and red leaves, and in winter it lights up for its famous lights festival. A place to wander slowly. In the late afternoon you return to Seoul by train and bus.
Day 6 â Jeonju, the traditional soul
High-speed train from Seoul to Jeonju, Korea's largest traditional-house village and capital of bibimbap: you sleep inside a hanok.
- âïļ Seoul â Jeonju â Stazione di Jeonju, Jeonju
- ð Jeonju Hanok Village â The Jeonju Hanok Village is Korea's largest and most alive village of traditional houses: over 700 hanok with curved roofs, where you wander among courtyards, craft shops, hanji-paper workshops and youngsters strolling in rented hanbok. Unlike museum-districts, here you genuinely sleep and eat inside the old houses. You stop for lunch in the homeland of bibimbap.
- ð―ïļ Jeonju Nambu Market â Jeonju is the homeland of bibimbap in its richest form, served in brass bowls with dozens of ingredients. In the evening Nambu Market comes alive with the Night Market (weekends) and the lively upstairs 'Youth Mall' of young restaurateurs: bibimbap, gukbap, skewers and makgeolli (the fizzy rice wine). An unforgettable dinner steps from the village, where you sleep in a hanok.
- ðĻ Hotel Jeonju Hanok Village â Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeonju
Day 7 â Gyeongju, capital of Silla
Bus across the peninsula to Gyeongju, open-air museum of the Silla kingdom: the royal mounds of Daereungwon, the Cheomseongdae observatory and the illuminated Wolji pond.
- âïļ Jeonju â Gyeongju â Terminal bus di Gyeongju, Gyeongju
- ð Daereungwon Tomb Complex â Daereungwon is a very green park dotted with 23 huge grassy mounds: the royal tombs of the Silla dynasty, great artificial hills that held golden burial goods. One of them, Cheonmachong (the 'heavenly horse tomb'), can be entered and displays the famous gold crown and the treasures found inside. Strolling among the mounds at sunset is surreal. A short walk away is the Cheomseongdae observatory.
- ð Cheomseongdae Observatory â Cheomseongdae is the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in East Asia: a bottle-shaped stone tower built in the 7th century with 362 stones, one for each day of the lunar year. It is surrounded by much-photographed flowering meadows. From here you continue on foot to Wolji pond, best reached at nightfall.
- ð Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond â After dark Donggung Palace and Wolji pond (once Anapji) offer Gyeongju's most romantic image: the reconstructed pavilions mirror in the illuminated water, a postcard scene. It was the garden of the Silla crown princes' palace. You stop for dinner in town and return to the hotel.
- ðĻ Kolon Hotel â Centro / zona Hwangnidan-gil, Gyeongju
Day 8 â Gyeongju's UNESCO treasures
A day among the masterpieces of the Silla kingdom: Bulguksa temple, the Buddha of Seokguram grotto, the National Museum and the illuminated Woljeonggyo bridge.
- ð Bulguksa Temple â You devote the morning to the UNESCO masterpieces on Mount Toham. Bulguksa, the 'Temple of the Buddha Land' (8th century), is Korea's most famous Buddhist temple: stone terraces, symbolic stair-bridges and two iconic pagodas, Dabotap and Seokgatap, guarded in the main courtyard. It is a masterpiece of balance from Silla's golden age. From here a bus climbs the mountain to the Seokguram grotto.
- ð Seokguram Grotto â Atop Mount Toham, the man-made Seokguram grotto holds one of the most beautiful Buddhas in world art: a 3.5-metre granite statue seated in serene contemplation, originally gazing at sunrise over the East Sea. Made in the 8th century, it is a marvel of engineering and spirituality (today protected by glass). You then head down to the Gyeongju National Museum.
- ð Gyeongju National Museum â The Gyeongju National Museum gathers the treasures of the Silla kingdom: exquisite gold crowns, jewels, ceramics and the great bell of King Seongdeok (Emille), among the largest in the world. It is the key to making sense of everything you have seen around the city. Free entry. You head back towards the centre and Woljeonggyo bridge for the evening.
- ð Woljeonggyo Bridge â You close with Woljeonggyo, a magnificent covered wooden bridge rebuilt over the Namcheon river to Silla models: in the evening it lights up and reflects in the water, giving Gyeongju's final postcard. You dine in town and return to the hotel: tomorrow you reach the coast and lively Busan.
Day 9 â To Busan, city by the sea
High-speed train down the coast to Busan: the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village and a seafood dinner at the great Jagalchi market.
- âïļ Gyeongju â Busan â Stazione di Busan, Busan
- ð Gamcheon Culture Village â Clinging to a hillside, Gamcheon Culture Village is a labyrinth of pastel-painted houses, murals, staircases and art installations: born as a poor refugee district, it is today the 'Korean Santorini', a maze to get lost in among alleys, shops and sea-view terraces. You then head down to the harbour and the great fish market.
- ð―ïļ Jagalchi Market â Jagalchi is Korea's largest fish market, the symbol of Busan: on the ground floor the 'ajumma' sell the freshest fish and shellfish, and on the upper floors restaurants cook on the spot what you have chosen - hoe (Korean sashimi), crabs, scallops and spicy soups. A genuine seafood dinner amid the harbour's clamour. You return to the hotel by metro.
- ðĻ Busan Business Hotel â Zona Haeundae o Seomyeon, Busan
Day 10 â Busan between temples and beaches
The clifftop Haedong Yonggungsa temple, Haeundae beach, the Oryukdo skywalk and the evening under the Gwangan Bridge.
- ð Haedong Yonggungsa Temple â The day begins at Haedong Yonggungsa, a rare Buddhist temple built right above the sea: among rocks, statues and breaking waves, it is one of Korea's most evocative places, especially at dawn or high tide. A staircase of 108 steps descends to the pavilions over the water. From here a bus follows the shore towards the famous Haeundae beach.
- ð Haeundae Beach â Haeundae is Korea's most famous beach: a broad arc of golden sand framed by skyscrapers, where Koreans crowd the summer under impossibly neat rows of parasols. Even off-season it is lovely to stroll, with the nearby luxury district and aquarium. A good spot for a sea-view lunch. You continue along the coast towards the Oryukdo skywalk.
- ð Oryukdo Skywalk â The Oryukdo Skywalk is a glass walkway suspended over a sheer cliff, from which you watch the waves break beneath your feet and the five islets (Oryukdo) that name the point where the East Sea meets the South Sea. The lovely Igidae coastal path also starts here. In the late afternoon you move to Gwangalli beach for the evening.
- ð Gwangalli Beach â You end the day at Gwangalli, the favourite beach of Busan's young crowd: in the evening the great Gwangan Bridge lights up in colour over the water, and the promenade fills with bars, raw-fish eateries and cafes. It is the perfect spot for a dinner with a view and an evening stroll. You return to the hotel: tomorrow you fly to Jeju island.
Day 11 â Flight to Jeju, the volcanic island
Flight from Busan to Jeju, Korea's Hawaii: the UNESCO Seongsan Ilchulbong peak risen from the sea and the Manjanggul lava cave.
- âïļ Busan â Jeju â Aeroporto Internazionale di Jeju (CJU)
- ð Seongsan Ilchulbong â Seongsan Ilchulbong, the 'Sunrise Peak', is the symbol of Jeju and a UNESCO site: a volcanic crater that emerged from the sea 5,000 years ago, a green tuff fortress rising sheer above the ocean. A twenty-minute climb leads to the crater rim, with spectacular views. At dawn it is legendary. Nearby lies the Manjanggul lava tube.
- ð Manjanggul Lava Tube â Manjanggul is one of the world's longest and grandest lava tubes (also UNESCO): you walk about a kilometre inside an underground gallery carved by lava 200,000 years ago, among petrified flows and a 7.6-metre lava column, the largest known. Cool air and a primordial atmosphere. You then reach the hotel on the eastern coast for the night.
- ðĻ Jeju Central City Hotel â Costa est (Seongsan / Gujwa), Jeju
Day 12 â Jeju, volcanic nature
The basalt columns of Jusangjeolli, the Cheonjiyeon waterfall, the Osulloc tea plantations and sunset on the white beach of Hyeopjae.
- ð Jusangjeolli Cliffs â You descend to the south coast, at Seogwipo. The Jusangjeolli cliffs are a geological marvel: black hexagonal basalt columns, as perfect as if carved, against which the ocean crashes with force. Born from the cooling lava of the Hallasan volcano, they look like a natural artwork. Nearby tumble the Cheonjiyeon waterfalls.
- ð Cheonjiyeon Waterfall â The Cheonjiyeon waterfall ('pond of heaven and earth') is reached by a short, pleasant walk through a lush subtropical gorge: the water plunges 22 metres into a deep pool, and at night it is lit up. The trail crosses a protected forest home to a rare species of eel. You then continue inland towards the Osulloc tea fields.
- ð Osulloc Tea Museum â The Osulloc Tea Museum stands amid endless green-tea plantations on the volcanic plateau: you stroll among the impeccably neat rows and in the museum-cafe taste teas, ice creams and matcha sweets overlooking the fields. A serene, fragrant spot, much loved. In the late afternoon you reach the west coast for sunset on Hyeopjae beach.
- ð Hyeopjae Beach â Hyeopjae is among Jeju's finest beaches: pure white sand and clear turquoise water, with the volcanic islet of Biyangdo on the horizon. At sunset the colours on the water are unforgettable, the perfect epilogue to the day. You dine nearby and reach the hotel: tomorrow you fly back towards Seoul for a last goodbye to Korea.
Day 13 â Back to Seoul
A last morning at the Jeju market, then return flight to Seoul-Incheon for the final night near the airport.
- ð Dongmun Traditional Market â Last morning on the island: the Dongmun traditional market, in the heart of Jeju City, is the right place for final tastings and souvenirs - super-sweet hallabong tangerines, fish omakase, stuffed hotteok and the typical peanut sweets. Nearby is Yongduam ('Dragon Head') rock facing the sea. Then you head to the airport for the flight to Seoul.
- âïļ Jeju â Seoul â Aeroporto Internazionale di Incheon (ICN)
- ðĻ Hotel Midcity Myeongdong â Zona Aeroporto di Incheon, Incheon
Day 14 â Departure
Return flight to Europe from Seoul-Incheon. End of the trip.
- âïļ Seoul â Aeroporto di Milano Malpensa (MXP)
