South Korea blends dynastic history with a high-speed present. Seoul’s royal palaces and hanok lanes sit steps from K-pop billboards and Michelin-starred street food, while Jeju Island—born of volcanoes—offers crater summits, lava tubes, tea fields, and surf-washed beaches. In one week, you can taste both sides: urban buzz and island calm.

From Joseon-era capitals to neon night markets, you’ll walk palace courtyards, sip traditional tea in alleyway houses, and sample sizzling barbecue at late-night hofs. On Jeju, greet sunrise at Seongsan Ilchulbong, hike a flank of Hallasan, and pause for green tea ice cream beside emerald fields at Osulloc. This itinerary balances must-sees with local haunts, coffee nooks, and scenic drives.

Practical notes: Pick up a T-money transit card for Seoul subways and buses. Spring and fall are temperate; summer is humid; winters are brisk but festive. Credit cards are widely accepted; eSIMs are easy to buy at airports. For flights into Korea and the hop to Jeju, check schedules and fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Seoul

Seoul is a kinetic capital where five grand palaces anchor a skyline threaded with mountains and rivers. Explore Gyeongbokgung at guard-change, get lost in the alleys of Bukchon Hanok Village, and refuel on knife-cut noodles, hotteok, and late-night tteokbokki. After dark, Hongdae buskers, Euljiro’s retro hofs, and Dongdaemun’s glowing curves keep the energy high.

• Top sights: Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon Hanok Village, Jogyesa Temple, Insadong, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, N Seoul Tower.
• Great eats: Myeongdong Kyoja (kal-guksu and mandu), Tosokchon (ginseng chicken soup), Gwangjang Market (bindaetteok, mayak gimbap, yukhoe), Palsaek Samgyeopsal (eight-flavor pork belly).
• Coffee & culture: Café Onion Anguk (hanok bakery-café), Fritz Coffee (butter bread and top roasts), Ikseon-dong’s tiny teahouses, and indie boutiques.

Where to stay (Seoul): Browse stays on VRBO or compare hotels on Hotels.com. Favorites include The Shilla Seoul (resort-like city icon with serene spa), Lotte Hotel World (connected to Lotte World Mall and Aquarium), budget-friendly Hostel Haru (central, clean, social), and minimalist Hotel 8 Hours (near City Hall and Namdaemun).

Getting in: Fly into ICN (Incheon). Search fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. The AREX Express to Seoul Station takes ~43 minutes; airport buses run 60–90 minutes depending on district. Expect ~9,500–17,000 KRW for these options; taxis cost more but are 24/7.

Day 1 — Arrival, Hanok Lanes, and Streamside Night

Morning: In transit to Seoul.

Afternoon: Check in, then stretch your legs in Ikseon-dong, a revived hanok maze of craft shops and tiny eateries. Grab a latte and the famed pandoro at Café Onion Anguk, set within a wooden hanok, then browse indie ceramics and stationery nearby.

Evening: Walk Myeongdong’s neon lanes for street bites—griddled tteokbokki, egg buns, and skewered chicken. Sit down at Myeongdong Kyoja for steaming kal-guksu (hand-cut noodle soup) and plump mandu, then stroll along Cheonggyecheon Stream’s lantern-lit banks toward City Hall for a calm first-night finish.

Day 2 — Royal Seoul, Bukchon Views, and Insadong Tea

Morning: Tour Gyeongbokgung with the 10:00 a.m. guard-changing ceremony, then cross to the National Folk Museum courtyard. Wander uphill into Bukchon Hanok Village for tiled rooftops and city panoramas; pause at small galleries and photo spots off the main lanes.

Afternoon: Lunch at Tosokchon Samgyetang near the west gate—ginseng chicken soup in a stone bowl that locals swear by. Continue to Insadong’s Ssamziegil for crafts, then sip green tea or mugwort blends at Tea Therapy or O’sulloc Tea House while learning about Korean tea traditions.

Evening: Head to Dongdaemun Design Plaza to admire Zaha Hadid’s flowing architecture. Eat at Jinokhwa Halmae Dakhanmari in nearby Dongdaemun—whole chicken simmered in garlic broth, finished with noodles—then browse late-night fashion stalls or watch the cityscape from N Seoul Tower if you still have energy.

Day 3 — DMZ Context, Market Classics, and Hongdae Night

Morning: Join an early DMZ tour (typical pickup 7:30–8:00 a.m.; return early afternoon) to see Imjingak, Dora Observatory, and the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. If you prefer to stay in town, the War Memorial of Korea offers a powerful and well-curated alternative.

Afternoon: Eat your way through Gwangjang Market: crisp bindaetteok (mung-bean pancake) sizzling on griddles, addictive mayak gimbap, and hand-cut kalguksu from old-school counters. Try fresh beef yukhoe at “Yukhoe Alley,” where butchers slice to order.

Evening: Explore Hongdae’s buskers, street art, and indie shops. For dinner, Palsaek Samgyeopsal grills eight marinated pork belly flavors at your table; finish with bingsoo (shaved ice) at Sulbing. Craft beer fans can sample seasonal pours at Jeju Beer Tap House Hongdae before a late subway back.

Jeju City (Jeju Island)

Jeju is Korea’s volcanic playground—UNESCO-listed lava caves, a central shield volcano, and a ring of beaches and fishing villages. Local haenyeo (women divers) still harvest abalone and sea urchin the old way, and coastal cafés sit atop black lava rock with sweeping ocean views.

• Top sights: Seongsan Ilchulbong (sunrise peak), Manjanggul Lava Tube, Hallasan National Park (Yeongsil or Eoseungsaengak trails), Osulloc Tea Museum, Hyeopjae and Hamdeok beaches, Jeongbang & Cheonjiyeon waterfalls (Seogwipo).
• Signature tastes: Jeju black pork (heuk-dwaeji), abalone porridge (jeonbok-juk), seafood hotpot (haemultang), hallabong citrus desserts, peanut ice cream from Udo.
• How to explore: Renting a car offers the most flexibility; otherwise, combine buses with taxi hops and cluster sights by coast (east one day, west another).

Where to stay (Jeju): Compare options on VRBO or Hotels.com. Standouts include oceanfront Hotel RegentMarine The Blue (near Dongmun Market), resort-style The Shilla Jeju (pools and coastal trails), and Lotte Hotel Jeju (spacious rooms in Jungmun).

Getting there from Seoul: Morning flights from GMP (Gimpo) to CJU (Jeju) take ~1 hr 10 min and run every 10–20 minutes; fares often range $30–$80 one way if booked early. Check schedules on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Day 4 — Fly to Jeju, City Coast, and Black Pork Street

Morning: Depart Seoul on a morning flight to Jeju (aim to land by late morning). Drop bags at your hotel and grab a quick bowl of gogi-guksu (pork noodle soup) at Jamae Guksu, a Jeju City favorite with rich pork broth and chewy noodles.

Afternoon: Stroll Dongmun Traditional Market for hallabong juice, abalone kimbap, and buttered cuttlefish skewers. Continue to Yongduam (Dragon Head Rock) for sea views and a coastal walk past wind-bent pines.

Evening: Feast on Jeju black pork in Tapdong’s Black Pork Street—try Dombedon or Jeju Donsadon for expertly charred, thick-cut belly grilled over charcoal. Cap the night with a seaside stroll on the Tapdong promenade and tangerine soft-serve from a nearby stand.

Day 5 — East Jeju: Sunrise Crater, Lava Tube, and Turquoise Bays

Morning: Catch sunrise at Seongsan Ilchulbong. The 20–30 minute stair climb rewards you with a bowl-shaped crater glowing over the sea—bring water and a windbreaker. Afterward, visit a local Haenyeo House (look for “해녀의 집”) for a simple breakfast of fresh sea urchin or abalone with rice and seaweed soup.

Afternoon: Explore Manjanggul Lava Tube, one of the world’s finest accessible lava caves—cool temps and dramatic lava stalactites. On the way back, pause at Hamdeok Beach for a wade in clear shallows and coffee at Café Delmoondo, perched over the water.

Evening: Return to Jeju City for seafood hotpot at Samseonghyeol Haemultang, where bubbling cauldrons brim with crab, shellfish, and octopus. Dessert can be hallabong tart or green-tea tiramisu at a downtown pâtisserie.

Day 6 — Hallasan Trails, Tea Fields, Aewol Sunset

Morning: Stretch your legs on Hallasan’s Yeongsil Trail (scenic, 2–4 hours round trip with sweeping ridge views) or the shorter Eoseungsaengak Trail (1–2 hours, lava forest and crater glimpses). Start early; weather shifts fast at elevation.

Afternoon: Drive west to Osulloc Tea Museum for a quick exhibit and matcha roll cake with soft-serve; stroll the emerald fields across the road. Continue to the Aewol-Handam Coastal Walk, a lava-rock path lined with photogenic cafés—Bomnal is beloved for ocean decks and citrus-ade.

Evening: Watch sunset at Hyeopjae Beach’s pale sands and calm lagoon. For dinner, pick another take on black pork at Neulbom Heukdwaeji (a reliable island-wide chain) or tuck into grilled tilefish and mackerel at a local seafood grill near Hallim, then linger over a nightcap coffee back in Aewol.

Day 7 — Fly to Seoul and Depart

Morning: Catch an early Jeju→Seoul flight (GMP) to line up with your international departure. Aim for a departure 4–5 hours before your long-haul to allow transfer time to ICN if needed; check options on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Grab a quick airport breakfast—hallabong pastry and coffee—to go.

Afternoon: Depart South Korea. If you have a cushion at ICN, browse K-beauty counters and pick up last-minute market snacks. Safe travels!

Evening: In the air.

In one week, you’ll have stood under palace eaves, bargained for bites in historic markets, watched a crater glow at sunrise, and traced tea-scented fields to a lava-black coast. Seoul supplies the rhythm; Jeju delivers the exhale—together, a balanced South Korea itinerary you’ll remember long after your last hallabong tart.