A trip to South Korea is an adventure like no other. Massive and manic, but with a charming traditional side, Seoul is one of our favorite cities, and over the course of a few days here we’re sure you’ll feel the same. On the very first night you’ll sample its culinary delights at a street-food market and traditional barbecue restaurant. Temples and folk tradition – plus a walk around the “secret garden” of arresting Changdeokgung palace – are also on the menu on a jam-packed first full day. The next morning, you’ll head out of the city to Suwon’s World Heritage-listed Hwasong fortress, and perhaps try your hand at some traditional archery.

After a high-speed train ride from Seoul, you’ll arrive in stately Jeonju, home to a neighborhood of traditional wooden housing. Though the area looks like a movie set, it’s very real – and guess what? You’ll be staying in one of the “props”, a traditional hanok guesthouse. Here you’ll have a free day, during which you can get a handle on Korean folk traditions, wander the painted streets of a nearby cultural village, or eat what Koreans deem the best food in the country, including the city’s own sophisticated take on the national staple, bibimbap (“mixed rice”). After dark, the area looks absolutely spellbinding, its humble alleyways lit up with fairy lights.

After that trip-back-in-time hanok stay, it’s back to modern Korea in Busan, the country’s second-biggest city. Your first day is at leisure, so why not head out to its most famous neighborhood? Haeundae is home to Korea’s most popular beach, a stretch of fine sand picturesquely surrounded by gleaming modern skyscrapers. The next day, after learning the secrets of Korean cooking from local experts, you’ll be dashing all around sprawling Busan, visiting the hipster mecca of colorful Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi’s otherworldly fish market, and taking in the views from the top of Busan Tower.

After seeing some of Korea’s very best destinations, it’s back to Seoul. Though it’s on the opposite side of the country to Busan, high-speed trains make this journey a cinch, and it can be quite thrilling if you’ve never traveled up to 300 kilometers per hour on land before. Back in Seoul, you’ll have a day to rest up if you need to, though if you’ve any energy to spare, you can revisit your favorite spots from the beginning of the tour, or perhaps head somewhere new. You could try teeming Myeongdong, Seoul’s most famous shopping district, or head across the river to affluent Gangnam, to see what the song was all about, and to hunt down clothing from Korea’s most famous designers.