Grand Tour of South Korea 2026-27

Departure on Emirates scheduled flights to Seoul - meals on board – overnight flight.

Arrival in Seoul – transfer to the hotel - dinner in a restaurant - evening at leisure – tour leader on hand – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided visit of Seoul, capital of Korea for more than 600 years (Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in 1395 at the behest of King Taejo, the grandest and most majestic of the five royal palaces of the period, the National Folk Museum with its vast display of traditional objects, the Jongmyo Shrine, a sacred site of Confucianism and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a pleasant stroll through the Insadong district, where you can find beautiful hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, handmade hanji paper made from mulberry bark, ceramics and traditional furniture - the area is usually closed to traffic at weekends, so we can enjoy its attractions all the better - visit to the National Museum of Korea, the largest in the country and the sixth largest in the world, housing precious works of Korean and Asian art - and finally the traditional Gwangjang market, the oldest daily market in the country, renowned for its fine silk, linen and satin fabrics) – lunch at leisure - dinner in a restaurant – after dinner Seoul by night, a stroll with the tour leader - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning, excursion to the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line, the DMZ, almost 70 years after the end of the Korean War (1953), when the 248-km ceasefire line was drawn along the 38th parallel, giving rise to the Military Demarcation Line - a symbol of both war and peace, of division and of unification, the DMZ is a place where time has stood still – from the Dorasan observatory, just across the border, you can see the peace village of Kijong-dong, which South Koreans call the North Korean propaganda village and which, together with its southern counterpart Daeseong-dong, is one of only two human settlements permitted within the DMZ - on clear days the city of Kaesong can be made out from Dora - visit to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, one of four dug by North Korea in 1978 to invade the South. It is estimated that the tunnel, 1,630 metres long in its entirety and 2 metres wide and high, would have allowed around 30,000 invading soldiers to pass through in an hour – return to Seoul – lunch in a restaurant – in the afternoon, guided visit to the spectacular N Seoul Tower, 240 m high, standing on the summit of Mount Nam and surrounded by a magnificent park, with 360° views of the city from the tower, and to Namdaemun market - dinner in a restaurant – after dinner Seoul by night, a stroll with the tour leader - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Gyeongju by KTX high-speed train – lunch at leisure - guided visit of Gyeongju (the Daereungwon royal tomb complex, Bulguksa Temple and the Seokguram Grotto, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory, the oldest surviving in Asia) - transfer to Busan – on arrival, guided visit of the city (visit to the unique Buddhist temple of Haedong Yonggungsa, perched on a cliff just metres from the sea, and to Yongdusan Park with Busan Tower, for panoramic views over the city and the harbour) - dinner in a restaurant - after dinner Busan by night, a stroll with the tour leader - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – excursion to Ulsan - guided visit of the city – Daewangam Park (a coastal park on the east coast. The park has a trail through a forest of pines, cherry trees, magnolias, camellias, apricot trees and forsythia - it lies at the south-easternmost tip of the country, facing the East Sea, and has a lighthouse serving as a marker for fishermen and sailors at sea - the park is also home to Daewangam Rock, which looks like a dragon rearing up towards the sky. It is linked to the mainland by an iron bridge and has an observation tower), Taehwagang National Garden (the river runs through the heart of Ulsan and flows into Ulsan Bay, which connects to the East Sea. The river basin, stretching 36 kilometres from east to west and 28 kilometres from north to south, is mostly mountainous terrain - the river is currently an important source of drinking water for the people of Ulsan) – return to Busan – lunch at leisure – visit to the Jagalchi fish market, where thousands of people work and haggle frantically over an incredible variety of fresh seafood), the lively, colourful old cinema street, BIFF Street, and the traditional Gukje market - dinner in a restaurant – after dinner Busan by night, a stroll with the tour leader - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided visit of Busan (Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gamcheon Cultural Village, the United Nations Memorial Park – the only international cemetery dedicated to UN soldiers who died in combat during the Korean War, Haeundae Beach, Dongbaekseom Island, near the southern end of the beach, Yongdusan Park and the ascent of Busan Tower) - lunch at leisure - dinner in a restaurant – after dinner Busan by night, a stroll with the tour leader - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Haeinsa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the famous Tripitaka Koreana, the complete collection of 81,258 wooden printing blocks of the Buddhist Scriptures, kept here since 1398 – the temple lies within a National Park – lunch at leisure – onward to Seoul – evening arrival – dinner in a restaurant – after dinner Seoul by night, a stroll with the tour leader using public transport – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure and guided visit in Suwon to Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – return to Seoul, in the afternoon guided visit to Cheonggyecheon Stream, Gwanghwamun Square and Dongdaemun Design Plaza – lunch at leisure - transfer to the airport – departure from Seoul on Emirates scheduled flights for the return to Italy – overnight flight.

Arrival in Italy.