Contemporary Art & Design in Seoul & Jeju Island

(8 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Seoul, Jeju Island

This private luxury tour of South Korea features the country's most interesting contemporary art and design, the best museums, top art galleries, exciting markets and spectacular landscapes in Seoul and Jeju Island.

Begin in Seoul, the fascinating capital of South Korea. During flexible private touring, visit highlights such as the Changdeokgung Palace complex—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and its "secret garden." Learn about traditional Korean lifestyles while walking through Ikseondong and Bukchon, neighborhoods filled with hanok (traditional Korean houses). Stop for a cup of tea in a traditional teahouse in the Insadong neighborhood, and browse the best local shops for Korean antiques, textiles, ceramics, clothing and more. Visit Gwangjang Market, Namdaemun Market or one of the other vast markets dedicated to food, clothing, antiques, herbal medicine and more.

Discover the treasures of Seoul's best museums, such as the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Korea Furniture Museum, the War Memorial of Korea or National Museum of Korea. Other options include visiting the Zaha Hadid-designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza, walking along scenic Cheonggyecheon Stream, touring Gyeongbokgung Palace and additional royal palaces, visiting the National Folk Museum of Korea, learning about Confucian traditions at Jongmyo Shrine, eating fresh sashimi at Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market, walking through trendy neighborhoods such as Myeongdong to see the latest fashions and pop culture (including K-Pop), visiting high-end fashion boutiques and restaurants in Gangnam, going to the top of N Tower, hiking in the mountains surrounding Seoul, stopping by top art galleries and visiting the vibrant Hongdae university district. One day, if desired, take a fascinating excursion to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom.

Next, fly to Jeju Island, a beautiful volcanic island and popular vacation destination with a wealth of modern architecture. Tour interesting contemporary structures designed by top architects, such as the Bonte Museum and Genius Loci / Yumin Art Nouveau Collection by Tadao Ando, and the Bangju Church and the Water, Stone and Wind museums by Jun Itami.  Learn about the unique history of Jeju Island, and see unusual geological features, including Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak), a volcanic tuff cone and UNESCO World Heritage Site with spectacular views over the sea and rural landscapes below. Other Jeju Island highlights we can arrange according to your interests are exploring the Spirited Garden bunjae (bonsai) park, touring a tea plantation and museum, visiting the Kim Tschang-Yeul Art Museum, walking along coastal trails, visiting a traditional island village, touring an impressive lava tube (and UNESCO site), and guided hiking on an oreum (volcanic cone) or on the slopes of Hallasan, the high volcanic peak at the center of the island.

Return to Seoul for a final night in the exciting capital. Artisans of Leisure can also arrange a private excursion to Museum San (Hansol Museum), which was designed by Tadao Ando and features a collection of contemporary art, modern Korean art and traditional Korean crafts.

Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can further customize this tour to include special interest activities such as a private Korean cooking class to learn to prepare kimchi or other typical Korean dishes, a private soju and makgeolli (rice wine) tasting, a strawberry picking activity or lessons in taekwondo. We can also arrange excursions to ceramics villages, folk villages, other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, amusement parks, hallyu sites and other destinations outside Seoul.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

• Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
• Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
• Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
• Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
• Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
• A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
• Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
• Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world