How to spend 10 days in South Korea in spring: itinerary for cherry blossoms or autumn foliage

I dreamt about this tip for a long time- it was was a perfect tip. So I am sharing with you how to spend 10 days in South Korea in spring(or autumn), so you can see the beautiful cherry blossoms or fall foliage. Ever since I can remember, it has been my dream to visit South Korea.

Traveling to South Korea in spring is especially magical, as it’s the best time to experience the breathtaking cherry blossom season. Coincidentally, my birthday is also in early spring. So it’s not crazy to think that visiting South Korea for 10 days would make a perfect birthday present for me. South Korea is a captivating blend of ancient history, vibrant culture, and futuristic cities. It literally has it all. In this guide for first-time visitors, we’ll provide essential tips for your trip and a 10-day itinerary that covers the bustling streets of Seoul, the seaside beauty of Busan, and the historical treasures of Gyeongju. All set against the backdrop of South Korea’s stunning spring cherry blossoms.

Why you should visit South Korea in spring?

Ok, I will pretend that nobody asked this question. The answer is simple: have you seen the cherry blossoms in South Korea on pictures? Aren’t they spectacular? Apart from cherry blossoms, there is so much you can do in 10 days in South Korea in spring, so keep reading.

Spring, particularly from late March to early April, is one of the best times to visit South Korea. The country’s cherry blossom season is a highlight, with streets, parks, and temples covered in soft pink petals. Cherry blossoms bloom across the country, so the streets are filled with crowds (that might be the only downside of visiting in spring). I arrived towards the end of cherry blossom season, which lasts only for a short period of time and every year it changes. There are special websites that monitor cherry blossom and publish updates closer to the date.

How to travel around South Korea

Like anywhere, you can rent a car and drive from place to place, which will allow you to make as many stops as you’d like and visit some hidden gems. However, for 10 days in South Korea in spring, I thought it would be much easier to travel by trains, which are really convenient, not expensive and frequent. This is especially useful for this 10-day itinerary for Seoul, Busan and Gyengju. You can book your trains though this website.

Top tips to know before visiting South Korea

It’s always worth doing some research before going to a new country. There are quite a few things I wish I knew about South Korea before my trip. I hope you find them helpful and save some money and avoid stress in the meantime. To have a stress-free time, have a look at some logistics during your 10 days in South Korea in spring.

Visa Requirements

For many nationalities, including the U.S., most of Europe, and Australia, South Korea offers visa-free entry for short stays (up to 90 days). However, always double-check visa requirements based on your country of origin. Most travelers heading to South Korea will need to apply for a K-ETA (Korean Electronic Travel Authorization) at least 72 hours before departure. From April 1, 2023, until December 31, 2024, citizens from 22 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and several EU nations, can visit South Korea visa-free (no K-ETA needed). I am from Poland and I did not need to do any paperwork before travelling to South Korea.

T-Money Card

Buy a T-Money card for easy access to Seoul’s extensive public transport system. The card can be used on buses, subways, and taxis across South Korea and can also be loaded with money for purchases at convenience stores or metro stations. Just remember that it is only possible to top it up by paying cash.

Money

The currency in South Korea is South Korean won (KRW). 10000 KRW is equivalent to approximately 7 $US. While you can pay with credit cards nearly everywhere, have some cash with you as there are situations when you need it. For sure, you need cash if you want to top up your t-money card in convenience stores. This is also handy for markets and small food street vendors.

If you need to exchange currency to KRW, it’s cheaper if you do so once in South Korea (but not at the airport).

SIM Card or Wi-Fi Egg

Staying connected in South Korea is easy. Get a local SIM card at the airport or buy an e-sim, which makes life so much easier. You can also rent a Wi-Fi egg from the airport. This will ensure you have access to maps, translation apps, and ride-hailing services like Kakao Taxi. Getting a local number though, can be useful to book table in restaurants as many places require online booking even if you are personally standing in line. Often, the only way to do that booking is using the local phone number. You can explore some options here.

Travel insurance

Medical care is South Korea is of a high standard, and emergency services are widely accessible. However, it’s not free and medical costs for foreigners can be expensive. So the best thing you can do is purchase good travel insurance like World Nomads or Safety Wings. I recently tried as well EKTA and must say that they have quite a competitive coverage, so you might explore that as well. All of these three are very good.

Speaking with the locals

The official language in South Korea is Korean, and while English is widely taught in schools, it’s not spoken everywhere. You can get by in most tourist areas with English, but learning a few basic Korean phrases will go a long way.

Hello: Annyeong haseyo (안녕하세요)
Thank you: Gamsahamnida (감사합니다)
Excuse me: Sillyehamnida (실례합니다)
Yes: (Ne)네
No: (Aniyo)아니요
Where is…?: (Eodie isseoyo?)어디에 있어요?

Useful apps to download for South Korea that will make your stay easier

Here’s a list of useful apps for traveling to South Korea, covering everything from transportation to language translation and food. One thing you need to know is that Koreans use apps for everything, but many of the apps are not really easily usable for tourists. While many apps are already translated into English, they don’t work that well. Nonetheless, at some point you’ll realize that you cannot survive in South Korea without these apps. I even needed one to book a beauty session. For me, the most useful one for booking spa and attractions was Klook.

Discover Seoul Pass is for non-Korean passport holders only, so the tourists can enjoy lots of perks bu purchasing this card. For example, you get free entry to over 70 top attractions in Seoul with this pass, along with access to 100+ discount coupons for shopping, shows, and unique experiences. You can even enjoy complimentary rides on the Airport Railroad Express (AREX), Seoul Bike (Ttareungi), airport buses (K-Limousine), and city tour buses.

So here you have a list of apps that you need for South Korea:

KakaoTalk is a messaging app and it is South Korea’s most popular messaging platform. Apparently, many locals prefer it over other services like WhatsApp.
Naver Maps is an app for maps and navigation. Unlike Google Maps, which can be unreliable in South Korea (actually, it doesn’t work, so forget about Google Maps to save yourself time and stress), Naver Maps offers accurate directions, including public transport schedules and walking routes. It was my go to app for finding metro connections.
KakaoMap is an alternative to Naver and includes detailed maps with routes for driving, walking, and public transport. It’s especially useful for finding specific locations or attractions.
Klook is is used for tour booking and activities. You will quickly realize that quite often it is not possible to book a spa or massage without any form of an app. This one was recommended to me in a skincare centre as that’s how they were taking bookings even though I was already inside at the counter. You can use Klook to book a range of activities, including day trips, attraction tickets, renting a hanbok for unique experience and transport passes. What is even better is the fact that when using this app, you can find some great deals on tours etc.
KakaoTaxi is a taxi-hailing app, as the name suggests. Even though the public transportation is great in Seoul and beyond, we needed to use a taxi a couple of times and Kakao Taxi was perfect for it. It’s similar to Uber: you can request a ride, and the fare is automatically calculated.
Papago is an app for language translation app developed by Naver and offers better Korean-English translations than Google Translate. You can also use it for real-time speech, text and image translation. This app is really useful as in many places locals don’t speak English. I would also suggest that you learn a few words in Korean because this is so much appropriated.
Visit Korea is an official app from the Korea Tourism Organization that provides travel guides, suggested itineraries, event information, and tips for various regions in South Korea. All you need to do is write where you want to go and the app will give you a list of all attractions in the area including shopping and restaurant options. It’s worth checking out as some information included there shows discounts and free activities, for example, concerts.
Emergency Ready is an app created by the government for the locals and tourists in case of emergencies and disasters.
Korea Tour Card is an app for tourists with various discounts and benefits. The Korea Tour Card offers discounts at major tourist attractions, shops, and restaurants. The app helps you find places where you can use the card and save money.

What to see in South Korea in 10 days in spring

10 days might be little but also plenty to see the highlights of South Korea. Even though this is such a small country, it is so rich in history, cultural experiences and things to do in general. I think you can never get bored in South Korea and even a month would only allow you to scratch the surface of what this country has to offer. We spent 10 days in South Korea, therefore I have included what we managed to see and do during this time.

Some of the most unique or bizarre activities in experiences to try in South Korea

Hanbok experience
South Korea foliage tour (11 days of chasing amazing colours)
Beauty of cherry blossoms spring tour
Nanta show
Seoul: Michel and Bizarre food tour
DMZ tour with exclusive North Korean defector meet up
Moonlight walking tour with local historian
Ghost walking tour in Seoul through hidden alleys
Traditional soju class
Sky capsule in Busan (but book well in advance as this is something we couldn’t do even when trying to book 3 days earlier).

Busan- 2 days

Busan is so distinct from Seoul with its modern charm and seaside. It was a bit colder in Busan than Seoul in early April, but still stunning. We only had two days in Busan and it was not nearly enough. I’d say that one extra day would make the visit more interesting, but you could easily spend 5 days there.

It is super easy and convenient to get to Busan by train , so if you have some time on hands, put it on your itinerary, even if it’s just a day trip.

Where to see cherry blossoms in Busan (remember that the full bloom takes place at different times in different regions of South Korea):

Cafe Itti
Namcheon-dong Cherry Blossom Street
Samnak Ecological park
Oncheoncheon Stream
Moontan Road
Maekdo Eco Park
Hwangryeongsan Mountain

If you only have time to spend 1 day in Busan, join a full day tour that will allow you to see all the highlights without a hassle. Also,, get a Busan City Pass for free tickets and entries as well as tons of discounts (this card in only available to tourists).

What to see in Busan on day 1:

Gamecheon Cultural Village
Jagalchi market
BIFF Square and Busan Tower
Seomyeon

One of the must-do things in Busan is wandering around Gamcheon Village. You have probably seen the colourful part of Busan with a statue of the Little Prince. Don’t plan too many things on that day as Gamcheon Village, although small, will ”kidnap you” for many hours. You can get to Gamcheon by a bus and while it is only 1km from the stop to the village, the road is very steep, so you’ll end up sweating. Instead, wait for another bus (a small one) that can take you a bit further up the hill.

In the afternoon, go to Jagalchi Market from Gamcheon Village (it takes 25-30 minutes by bus number 87 or 124). Jagalchi market is an attraction on its own with many stalls and restaurants selling fresh seafood. This is the place where you can see (or try if you’re brave enough) alive octopus or eel. Not my cup of tea, but since it’s part of the Korean life, I was fascinated to immerse myself into the bustling market. The market has an indoor and outdoor part- the indoor area is closed on Tuesdays.

Many walking tours and group of tourists visit the market as it is also a great place to attend a cooking class of some traditional Korean delicacies. Market tours with local guides are a great way to learn so much about the way Koreans live and eat.

From the market, after filling yourself with some food, take a short walk to BIFF Square– a pace full of entertainment and shopping options. This bustling area is not far from Busan Tower, so just walk there. This place is for the view of colourful houses, the ocean and skyscrapers.

If after such a busy day you still have some energy left, go to Seomyeon, where you will be dazzled by all the shopping options on every budget.

What to see in Busan on day 2:

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Haeundae Beach
Haeunde Blueline Skypark
Gwangalli Beach

This is another busy day is lovely Busan. Start the day with a visit to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, whcih is a one-of-a-kind temple located on cliffs by the sea, offering stunning ocean views. Although it’s a bit farther from Seomyeon, there are two main ways to get there:

The easiest and quickest way is by taking a 20-minute taxi ride.
Alternatively, you can use public transportation, which takes about an hour. To do this, take Line 2 from Seomyeon Station to Haeundae Beach, then catch Bus 1001 to the Dongbusan Tourist Complex, followed by a 10-minute walk to the temple.

Afterward, head back to Haeundae Beach (take bus 1001). This popular spot is perfect for lounging on the sand, taking a swim, and exploring the beachfront cafes and shops. It’s the ideal place to unwind and recharge before continuing your adventure. In might be too cold for a swim in spring, but a beach stroll will be great.

A short 15-minute walk from the beach takes you to Haeundae Blueline Skypark, where you can hop on the Sky Capsule for a fun ride along the coastline. Be sure to book your tickets ahead of time, as it’s a popular attraction! I tried to buy tickets a day before and they were all sold out.

To wrap up your day, visit Gwangalli Beach in the evening. It is such a bustling beach, even in the evening (or maybe especially in the evening). After sunset, Gwangan Bridge illuminates, creating a magical atmosphere. It seems like a perfect spot for a date since there were so many couples watching the bridge.

Gyeongju- 2 days

During 10 days in South Korea in spring, I was very excited about our next stop: Gyeongju, a town that goes under the name of museum without walls. It was a residence of Silla dynasty for over 1000 years.

How to get to Gyeongju from Busan:

By bus– there are a few buses daily and it is a cheap and easy option (1 hour from Busan).
By train– slightly more expensive but much faster that the bus (30 minutes from Busan).

It is a small town and easily walkable. There are many archeological sites scattered throughout the area, picturesque temples and traditional houses. Also, some of the best noodles in my life I tried in Gyeongju.

For me, the highlight of Gyeongju was Bulguksa temple– a Buddhist temple located outside of the town (that can be easily reached by bus). It is a UNESCO site with beautiful architecture and peaceful gardens. Unfortunately, it started pouring down rain, so I could not enjoy the cherry blossoms. If you are chasing cherry blossoms around South Korea, this place is just perfect.

Other things to do in Gyeongju is a walk in Tumuli park to see royal tombs. Plan to see Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in the evening, although during the day is also pretty.

Seoul- 5 days

After arriving in Seoul in the evening, we decided to stay for 3 nights to have a chance to catch the cherry blossoms as it was already end of the season. So our stay in Seoul was divided: first 3 nights, then another 3 nights at the end of the trip. So let me put it together with all the things we managed to see and do in Seoul in 5 full days.

Where to see cherry blossoms in Seoul:

Seoul forest
Yeouido Hangang park
Children’s Grand park
Seokchon lake
Greylab cafe

Seoul day 1:

In the morning visit Gyeongbokgung Palace: Begin your visit with a trip to the grandest of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces. Be sure to catch the changing of the guard ceremony that happens twice daily: 10 am and 2 pm, and if you’re lucky, the palace gardens will be covered in cherry blossoms.

One of the coolest things to do is to wear a hanbok– a traditional South Korean aattire. I have written a full guide to renting a hanbok in Seoul, so check it out to learn more about the experience. You can prebook it or rent it from one of the shops near the palace (but you might need to wait). When you wear the hanbok, you’ll get free entry to the palace. There are so many different options of hanboks for men and women and you could also chose accessories and a hairstyle you’d like to be done. If I ever go back to Korea, this is one of the things I’d do again. You can rent hanbok per hour or for the full day. I’d suggest at least 3 hours for the palace visit as it takes some time to enter from the shops…and you’ll want to take many photos. You won’t be able to walk as fast in hanbok, so give yourself plenty time.

After you visited the palace, not too far from there, you can visit Bukchon Hanok Village. Wander through this traditional village and discover Korean architecture, with wooden houses dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. It is a very popular place among tourists, so the place very likely gets crowded by noon. If you are able, go there very early in the morning before the palace to avoid the crowds or after the palace still wearing the hanbok (but then you need to have more than 3 hours of the rental).

In the evening, head to Insa-dong: Enjoy a traditional tea or pick up local arts and crafts in this charming neighborhood.

Seoul day 2:

Visit Demilitarized Military Zone (DMZ)

Take a half-day tour to the DMZ, the border between North and South Korea. It’s a fascinating look into the history and present state of the Korean Peninsula. You need to book in advance as it is a very popular tour to do and you cannot enter the zone by yourself as it is still a military area. Technically, you could drive there, leave your car at the parking and try to join specially organised groups for buses. There are strict rules when it comes to how many people can be on a bus and you won’t be allowed to enter without a passport.

Seoul day 3:

Myeongdong: Seoul’s premier shopping district, known for its mix of international brands and Korean skincare shops. It is also a great place to grab traditional street food- but we warned- the place gets extremely busy

While you are already in Myeongdong, go to see Nanta show in the evening. South Korea is knows for some unique, and at times quirky things, and Nanta is one of them. It is a cooking show, but nothing you have ever seen. It’s loud and messy. I don’t remember when was the last time and laughed so much. It is really so much fun.

Day 4

Gangnam and Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

The trip to Seoul wouldn’t be complete without visiting the famous Gangnam neighborhood. It’s a place full of trendy cafes and expensive shops as well as some of the best beauty clinics.

Take advantage of the amazing beauty and skincare services in South Korea. I attended a hair spa treatment in this clinic and it was such a relaxing and amazing experience. You can also try make up colour analysis.

Then head to Dongdaemun Design Plaza. DDP is a very important urban development and home to one of the largest shopping centres in Korea, which an attraction in itself.

Finish the day by a relaxing walk along Han river. There are many parks at the river, but Jamwon might be the one for the evening. Conveniently situated between Youngdong Bridge and Banpo Bridge, this park is an ideal spot to visit due to its easy access from popular areas of the city, including Gangnam. You can even pack up a picnic, rent a tent and a blanket or chair and enjoy your time in Seoul.

See also:

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Use my favourite travel resources to plan your dream trips

Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
Travel Payouts is my favourite platform for monetizing the blog.
Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
World Nomads and EKTA travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
Klook for all sorts of bookings- offers discounts.
Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money. You can even save 50%.
Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.

Did you like the post? Pin it for later:

Guide to South Korea for first timers: 10 days itinerary in spring (would also be great in autumn)

How to spend 10 days in South Korea in spring: itinerary for cherry blossoms or autumn foliage

Why you should visit South Korea in spring?

How to travel around South Korea