Korea in 5 days: Seoul, Busan

Day 1 · Seoul: Palaces and hanok alleys

Start at Gyeongbokgung Palace (closed Tuesdays; the guard ceremony is at 10:00 and 14:00), then walk up through the hanok houses of Bukchon. Lunch and tea in Insadong, and an evening in the small lanes of Ikseon-dong.

• Gyeongbokgung & Gwanghwamun경복궁 광화문Wide royal courtyards backed by Bugaksan mountain, with Gwanghwamun Square and broad…
• Bukchon & Samcheong-dong북촌 삼청동Sloping lanes of tile-roofed hanok houses with the city skyline behind them, and quiet…
• Insadong인사동One long street of traditional teahouses, calligraphy shops and craft stores, with an…
• Ikseon-dong익선동Narrow alleys of low hanok houses turned into cafes, small restaurants and shops, tucked…

Where to stay: Stay around Myeongdong or Jongno for the palaces, or Hongdae for nightlife; both have direct trains from Incheon Airport.

Day 2 · Seoul: Secret Garden, markets and Namsan

Changdeokgung Palace and its Secret Garden in the morning (closed Mondays; book the garden tour). Lunch at Gwangjang Market (mung bean pancakes), street food in Myeongdong, and N Seoul Tower for the sunset.

• Changdeokgung & Changgyeonggung창덕궁 창경궁Two quiet palaces with wooded grounds, ponds and pavilions, set in the east of old Seoul.
• Gwangjang Market & Jongno 5-ga광장시장 종로5가A covered market over a century old, packed with food stalls, fabric shops and wholesale…
• Myeongdong명동Crowded shopping streets packed with cosmetics stores, fashion shops and street food…
• Namsan & N Seoul Tower남산 N서울타워A forested hill in the middle of the city, topped by a tower with views across Seoul in…

Day 3 · Seoul: Seongsu, Gangnam and the Lotte World Tower

Seongsu-dong's warehouse cafés and pop-up stores, a walk in Seoul Forest, the Starfield Library at COEX, and the view from the Lotte World Tower at dusk.

• Seongsu성수동Old brick factories and shoe workshops turned into cafes, galleries and design stores,…
• Seoul Forest서울숲A large green park beside the Han River with open lawns, ponds and tree-lined paths, good…
• Samseong & COEX (with Bongeunsa)삼성동 코엑스 봉은사A big underground mall and aquarium across the road from a working Buddhist temple, among…
• Jamsil (Lotte World & Seokchon Lake)잠실 롯데월드 석촌호수A lakeside area with a theme park and Korea's tallest tower, good for evening strolls and…

Day 4 · Busan: Haeundae and Gwangalli

Travel day: Seoul to Busan. Trains, buses and flights

Haeundae Beach, then the Blueline Park sky capsule along the cliffs to Cheongsapo. In the evening, Gwangalli Beach under the lit-up Gwangan Bridge.

• Haeundae Beach & Dongbaek Island해운대 해수욕장 동백섬A long city beach with a skyline of towers behind it and a green, wooded headland at one…
• Haeundae Mipo & Blueline Park해운대 미포 블루라인파크A quiet stretch of old rail line along the cliff, with small ocean-view cafes and a…
• Gwangalli광안리A calm bay beach facing a long bridge that glows after dark, with cafes and bars right on…

Where to stay: Stay in Haeundae for the beach, or Seomyeon or Nampo to be central and closer to Busan Station.

Day 5 · Busan: Old Busan: Gamcheon, Jagalchi and Nampo

The painted hillside of Gamcheon Culture Village, raw fish upstairs at Jagalchi Market, ssiat hotteok in BIFF Square and Gukje Market, then the cliffs of Taejongdae on Yeongdo.

• Gamcheon Culture Village감천문화마을Pastel houses stacked up a hillside above the sea, with steep stairs, murals and little…
• Nampo-dong, Jagalchi & BIFF Square남포동 자갈치시장 BIFF광장Old downtown Busan, loud and salty, with fish stalls, street food and narrow market lanes…
• Yeongdo & Taejongdae (Huinnyeoul Culture Village)영도 태종대 흰여울문화마을A hilly island at the edge of Busan, with sea cliffs, a lighthouse and a white village…