Today your tour begins: you fly to Seoul, arriving the next day.

Welcome to Seoul! From the airport you travel by public transport to your hotel in the centre (a transfer can be booked on request). The rest of the day is yours – to settle in or take a first stroll through the streets of the metropolis.

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast The Stanford Hotel Myeongdong is centrally located, a few steps from the Myeongdong shopping and dining district. It has a roof terrace with views over Seoul, a restaurant serving Korean and international cuisine, a fitness centre and a bar. The standard rooms are modern.

At 9 am you meet your guide and the group in the hotel lobby. Seoul blends traditional culture with modern life – as you will see today on a city tour. You begin at Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in 1395 and the largest of Seoul’s five grand palaces. Then you stroll through the lanes of Bukchon Hanok Village with traditional Korean houses. At Gwangjang Market you try bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and mayak kimbap (small rice rolls), then browse Insadong with its antique shops, galleries and tea houses. A highlight is Jongmyo Shrine (UNESCO World Heritage), dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon dynasty – a peaceful counterpoint to the bustling city. In the early evening you enjoy the view over illuminated Seoul from Naksan Park by the old city wall. (B/L)

Today you start in Gangnam, the district for shopping and entertainment. At COEX Mall, one of Asia’s largest underground shopping centres, you see the impressive Starfield Library. Right opposite is Bongeunsa Temple, founded in 794 – a quiet oasis among the high-rises, where worshippers pray and light candles. At midday you do as the locals do and picnic on the banks of the Han River with a view of the skyline. Afterwards you have free time: browse the mall, rent a bike by the river or go up to the Seoul Sky observation deck in the Lotte World Tower (optional, bookable locally). (B/L)

By metro you travel to Seoul Station and from there by high-speed train to Andong in about an hour and a half. In Hahoe Village (UNESCO World Heritage), a traditional Joseon-era village, you stroll among well-preserved hanok houses; the village is also known for its mask dance tradition. From the 64 m Buyongdae cliff you look out over the village and the river landscape. You then visit the Byeongsan Seowon Confucian Academy (UNESCO World Heritage) with its harmonious architecture. In the afternoon you continue to Gyeongju. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 140 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast The Gyeongju GG Hotel is centrally located, a few minutes’ walk from Cheomseongdae Observatory. It has a restaurant serving regional and international dishes and a fitness centre. The bright rooms have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, air conditioning and private bathroom.

Gyeongju, the former capital of the Silla kingdom, is often called a “museum without walls”. For lunch you head to Hwangridan-gil, where traditional architecture meets modern cafés and boutiques; afterwards there is time to browse. In the afternoon you visit the 7th-century Cheomseongdae Observatory, one of the oldest surviving in East Asia, and the Daereungwon tomb complex with 23 burial mounds of Silla kings and nobles; you can see inside the Cheonmachong tomb. At sunset you reach Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, whose pavilions are beautifully lit in the evening. (B/L)

Today you visit Bulguksa Temple (UNESCO World Heritage), completed in 774 and a masterpiece of Silla architecture with famous stone pagodas. Then you head up to Seokguram Grotto (UNESCO World Heritage) on Mount Tohamsan with its impressive Buddha statue and fine reliefs. At Gyeongju National Museum you see Silla treasures such as the Emille Bell and golden crowns. Finally you experience the illuminated Woljeonggyo Bridge at sunset. (B/L)

By bus you travel to Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city on the south-east coast – known for beaches, fish markets, temples and its international film festival. On a city tour you cross the Gwangan Bridge and visit Haedong Yonggungsa, one of the few Korean temples right by the sea. You ride the Blue Line Beach Train along the coast and then stroll along Haeundae Beach. The evening is free. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 90 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast The Arban Hotel is in Busan near Haeundae Beach. The rooms are modern; there is a restaurant serving international and local cuisine, a lounge and a garden with skyline views.

Today you explore the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village with its winding lanes, painted houses and street art. From the 120 m Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park you look out over the harbour and city. At Jagalchi, Korea’s largest fish market, you taste fresh seafood, and at Gukje Market street food stalls await with kimbap, jjigae and pajeon. (B/L)

By high-speed train you return to Seoul in about 2.5 hours and take the metro to the hotel. The afternoon is yours – for shopping, a walk by the Han River or a drink in a rooftop bar. In the evening you meet the group for a farewell dinner at a Korean barbecue restaurant. (B/D)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast The Stanford Hotel Myeongdong is centrally located, a few steps from the Myeongdong shopping and dining district. It has a roof terrace with views over Seoul, a restaurant serving Korean and international cuisine, a fitness centre and a bar. The standard rooms are modern.

At the appropriate time you travel by public transport to the airport (a transfer can be booked on request) and fly home, landing the same day. (B)