Taste of South Korea

Make your way to London Heathrow for your flight to Seoul.

Arrive in Seoul and transfer to your accommodation. Meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers and enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening.

Fill up at breakfast this morning – you’re in for a full day of sightseeing. The excitement begins with a tour of Gyeongbok Palace, the largest palace in South Korea. Built in 1392 at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, it was the main royal palace for five centuries. After several Insider Experiences, your final stop for today is Insadong Antique Alley, where quirky amulets and jewellery among other wares are scattered across stalls. Poke around the many stalls, maybe picking up a souvenir or two.

Today is dedicated to the relationship between North and South Korea. You’ll visit the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) to gain an understanding of the bordering countries. See Imjingak Park, the Bridge of Freedom and the Third Infiltration Tunnel, where it’s believed that some 30,000 soldiers could pass through within an hour. You’ll also spend time at the DMZ Theatre and Exhibition Hall, and the station, along with Dora Observatory, which offers binocular views into North Korea.

After breakfast at your hotel, travel to Busan. Upon arrival in South Korea’s second-largest city, you’ll be taken on a city sightseeing tour of some of Busan’s most well-known sites. Begin at Busan Tower, which offers a great vantage point to the city’s bustling port. Visit Jagalchi Fishery Market, the largest seafood market in South Korea. Here, locals select seafood that is straight from the ocean and take their purchase to the market’s chefs to be prepared just how they like it, for a fresher-than-fresh seafood lunch. Finish your explorations in Gamcheon Village, a mishmash of pastel-coloured houses, street art and art galleries.

There’s more of Busan to be explored this morning. At Taejongdae observatory, admire sweeping views of the natural wonders of Taejongdae Resort Park. Continue to the United Nations Memorial cemetery – the only one of its kind. Afterwards, voyage to the seaside for a visit to Haedong Yonggung temple before journeying to Gyeongju.

Set your sights on the World Heritage Bulguksa Temple resting on the slopes of Mt Toham. Built in AD774, the temple is considered a masterpiece of Buddhist art. Nearby, explore Seokguram Grotto and see the giant Sakyamuni Buddha, which is buried in the grotto’s inner chambers. Afterwards, take a stroll across the green grounds of Tumuli Park, where over 200 royal tombs can be found and Family Choi’s House, the oldest house in the area which was built in 1630, also visit the Cheomseongdae observatory. After time for dinner, this evening experience a special Insider Experience.

Make the journey to Haeinsa Temple, a World Heritage site, located within Gayasan National Park. As one of the three principal Buddhist temples in South Korea, discover Buddhist scriptures , which have been carved into more than 80,000 wooden blocks. Afterwards, head to Dongdaegu train station to board a KTX Express Train to Seoul. Tonight, celebrate your holiday with your fellow travellers and Tour Director with a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast is served at your hotel this morning before a transfer takes you to the Incheon International Airport for your return flight to the UK.

Arrive back in London today.