6-Nights South Korea: Temples and Seoul Food - Tailormade Journeys

Seoul is a phoenix. All but destroyed in the Korean War, it is now a towering, electric capital, glinting with bright lights and brimming with self-confidence. Here, explore tranquil gardens, thronged markets, time-honored temples and historic hanok villages. Or, jump into the bubble-gum world of K-pop by learning the latest dance moves taking the world by storm.

Set out to explore the city’s 14th-century Gyeongbokgung Palace, National Folk Museum, art-forward Insadong neighborhood and N Seoul Tower, a communication and observation tower perched atop Namsan Mountain.

The DMZ runs just north of Seoul, a highly fortified line between the free South and communist North. Gain a rare glimpse into life in mysterious North Korea and learn more about the history that binds these two greatly differing nations.

Korea’s second city packages the best of the nation and wraps it up with the golden sands of the southeast. The home of a proud filmmaking culture, it promises seaside temples and jade-green mountains, cutesy, color-splashed cafes and the sensory overload of the bustling Jagalchi Fish Market, where the finest catches are brought, sold and eaten fresh each morning. Come hungry: this is the place to go for a true taste of Korea.

Korea’s resplendent past is alive in Gyeongju, the former capital of the Silla Kingdom, where you explore Bulguksa Temple and Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village, along with royal burial sites and Cheomseongdae, Asia’s oldest astronomical observatory, dating to the seventh century.

Visit the rugged, shorefront temple of Yonggungsa. Then head to Igidae Park and Oryukdo Skywalk for commanding views of the port city and rugged coastline. Finally, honor the Korean War fallen on a visit to the UN Memorial Cemetery.