South Korea Real Food Adventure

Welcome to Seoul, South Korea's vibrant capital of high-tech gadgetry, glittering skyscrapers and scrumptious eats. Your Real Food Adventure officially kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your accommodation, where you will meet your leader and fellow travellers. With the formalities out of the way, it’s time to dive into South Korea’s food scene! First we will enjoy a welcome dinner of Korean Fried Chicken and beer for a 'Chimaek' experience. We then head to the Gwangjang Market for an immersive introduction to the sights, smells and, of course, tastes of South Korean street food. Go deep into the gargantuan market featured in the Netflix series ‘Street Food’, following your leader to the best vendors for dinner and cultural experience like no other.

This morning take the metro to Yongsan Station (about 10 minutes). Set off for Jeonju, a city that’s all about doing things slowly and doing them well – both in food and in life. The journey should take around 2.5 hours, arriving just in time for lunch at a renowned local noodle restaurant which started as a food stall, but it’s tantizling noodles have made it a hallmark of the city. In the afternoon, spend some time exploring the historical Hanok Village, wandering cobblestone streets between hundreds of traditional homes and further embracing the relaxed pace of the city. Later, learn the art of making kimchi – a Korean slow food poster dish – during a cooking class. You’ll also learn how to make a delicious kimchi pancake. If you're keen for one more 'real food' experience, for dinner your leader will take you for locally brewed, cloudy rice beer called 'makgeolli'. Accompanied by a parade of inventive side dishes, this singular drink is enjoyed in ritual fashion, served in special brass bowls from the coveted makgeoli kettle. It is an experience unlike any other and a true South Korean highlight!

This morning you'll move from the hanok to a hotel for your second night in Jeonju. You'll have free time to explore the village or visit the historical shrines and palaces. Chat to your leader about which works for you. From here, travel by bus to Sunchang Gochujang, a village famous for the production of gochujang (a traditional red chilli paste), for a tasting and demo on how it gets made. Grab lunch at a restaurant that specialises in fermented bean soup. Later, take a stroll around the base of Mt Gangcheon, and choose whether to work up your appetite by walking a little further to a nearby waterfall. For dinner tonight, we will visit the most famous bibimbap restaurant in Jeonju. The bibimbap here is so good it’s been declared an intangible cultural asset because of its iconic chef. Seriously. Scoff down some of the classic rice dish topped with, well, lots of great stuff. Wash it down with a couple of beers at a craft brewery. South Korea’s craft beer scene is exploding all across the country after a rise to popularity in Seoul, and tonight your belly will reap the benefits.

This morning you'll have the opportunity to start your day with a breakfast of kongnamul gukbap – a hot soup of soybean and sprouts. Today, we will be traveling from the west coast to the east coast for our temple stay. The east coast is an area rich with temples, tombs and palace ruins (many of which are World Heritage sites). Stop en route to sample some of Korea's favourite driving snacks - hotteok, red bean walnut bread, kimbap and jjajangmyeon. At the temple you will be introduced to the life and meditation routines of a monk. Dinner will be plant-based, in line with monastic custom. In the evening, relax with a chanting and meditation service, then choose to be guided through a monastic training session or simply settle in for an early night's sleep.

Your life as a monk continues today with a 4am wake-up for a memorable morning meditation (you can opt out of it if early mornings are not your thing, but we highly recommend you partake in this unique experience). Following breakfast, learn about the spiritual values and beliefs of Korean Buddhism over tea with a resident monk. Leaving the tranquil life behind, stop at the Royal Tombs of Silla, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Discover the story of the ancient Silla dynasty and view their tombs from inside and out. We then drive to a local farm for an insight into agricultural life. After a walk around the farm and chat with the farmer, you'll be treated to some home-made snacks. Travel onwards to Busan to visit the beautiful Haedong Temple, built into the rocks by the sea. When night falls, you can decide whether to join in an optional dinner of Korean lamb skewers with eggplant, dumplings and other side dishes. After dinner you may want to take in the local nightlife in the Seomyeon Entertainment District.

Today is all about the flavours of the sea. Begin this morning by taking a public bus to the Taejondae Lighthouse, from which there are great views over the ocean and of the surrounding cliffs. Visit Jagalchi Market, an enormous seafood market situated by Busan port. Lunch today is at a restaurant overlooking the ocean for a clam bake with a view. Spend the evening at your leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, travel by Korea Train Express back to Seoul where you'll have a free afternoon to explore. Perhaps wander around Gyeongbok Palace, marvel at the views from Namsan Tower or check out Seoul’s most eclectic neighbourhoods of Sinsadong and Gangnam. For our final meal we will head to the youthful district of Hongik University for the most traditional Korean BBQ experience to celebrate our time together.

Your South Korea Food Adventure comes to an end this morning after breakfast. If you wish to extend your stay and explore more of Seoul, contact your booking agent for further information.