Korean Food and Culture in the South
8 nights in Korea. Jeonju, Damyang, the tea fields of Boseong and the harbour at Yeosu, with Seoul at each end.
Itinerary ideas › Korean Food and Culture in the South
For guests who travel for the table. The programme moves from Seoul's markets to Jeonju, the home of bibimbap, through the bamboo and gardens of Damyang and the tea fields of Boseong, to the harbour town of Yeosu. Two nights are spent in a hanok in Jeonju. Cooking classes, market walks and local home-style meals are built into most days.
The route
- Seoul2 nights
- Jeonju2 nights
- Gwangju1 night
- Yeosu2 nights
- Seoul1 night
Day by day
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Day 1
Arrive in Seoul
Your guide meets you at Incheon Airport. A first dinner among the stalls of Gwangjang Market.
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Day 2
Markets and a kimchi class
A morning market walk and tasting, then a hands-on kimchi making class. Kimjang, the autumn kimchi making of Korean families, is recognised by UNESCO. In the afternoon visit Bukchon, and enjoy a temple food dinner.
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Day 3
To Jeonju
Take the KTX to Jeonju (about two hours). Walk through the hanok village, taste street snacks and settle into a hanok. In the evening, a visit to Nambu Night Market and a makgeolli house, for guests of legal drinking age.
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Day 4
Bibimbap and gochujang
Learn to make bibimbap in a cooking class, then visit the gochujang village of Sunchang, where red pepper paste is still fermented in rows of clay pots. Back in Jeonju, visit the Gyeonggijeon shrine.
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Day 5
Damyang and Gwangju
Walk in the bamboo forest of Juknokwon and the garden of Soswaewon, and try Damyang's tteokgalbi, grilled short-rib patties. Continue to Gwangju, a city known for its food and arts.
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Day 6
Tea fields and Suncheon Bay
Visit the terraced green tea fields of Boseong and taste fresh tea, then walk the reed boardwalks of Suncheon Bay. Arrive in Yeosu for a seafood dinner by the harbour.
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Day 7
Yeosu by the sea
Odongdo island and the cable car over the bay, and the hermitage of Hyangiram on its cliff. Try gejang, soy-marinated crab, a Yeosu speciality. Evening free by the water.
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Day 8
Back to Seoul
Take the KTX to Seoul (about three hours). A free afternoon and a farewell dinner.
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Day 9
Departure
Transfer to Incheon Airport for your flight home.
Seasons
- Spring: Boseong's tea fields turn bright green from April, and first-flush tea is picked in spring.
- Autumn: the Jeonju bibimbap festival and Seoul's kimchi festival fall in autumn, so the programme can be timed around them.
- Summer is hot and humid; winter is quiet, with warm hanok floors.
Make it your own
Jeju extension, 2 to 3 nights
Add Jeju at the end: a short flight from Busan or Seoul, then the volcanic coast, haenyeo culture, tea fields and Olle trail sections.
What a proposal usually covers
- Hotels, hanok and temple-stay accommodation as listed, with breakfast
- Private vehicle and driver, or KTX and domestic flights where the route says so
- An English-speaking local guide; other languages on request, subject to availability
- Entrance fees and experiences named in the plan
- Airport transfers at the start and end
- Selected meals, as described day by day
Exact inclusions, hotels and dates are set out in your written proposal.
Cooking classes, hanok stays and regional visits are confirmed when we send your proposal, subject to availability. Please tell us about dietary needs early.
