Taking its name from the Busan International Film Festival, BIFF is certainly at its liveliest during this esteemed annual event, but remains a happening place throughout the rest of the year. It's best known for the street food stalls dotting the area and the 400+ metre-long street itself, with a plethora of Korean specialities cooked up by the skilled vendors (look for Gwangbokdong Food Street for the biggest selection). Our top pick among those would have to be the ubiquitous 'hotteok' pancakes stuffed with a sweet mix of crushed seeds and brown sugar. Nampo-dong is the greater area around the street itself, packed with a dizzying array of restaurants, shops, cafes, movie theatres, and more. Evening is the best time to come.

Explore the wood walkways traversing Dongbaekseom Park and take in the spectacular views of the coastline from several viewing platforms along the way. It's a very pleasant, scenic walk in the shade of pine trees that lends itself well to photos; you'll see Busan's own mermaid statue looking out longingly to the sea soon upon entering. Busan's most popular public beach, Haeundae, is right next to the park. It gets rather busy during the summers (in August especially so); bring your own sun umbrella if you plan to stay longer.

Patras Castle stands on the city's highest point, built over the ancient acropolis in the 6th century. Its strategic location grants you panoramic views over the city, the port, and the Gulf of Patras. The site is an open-air historical archive, its triangular walls and towers bearing the architectural imprints of Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman occupiers. Today, it functions as a free public park where you can walk the grounds, explore the ruins and find shaded benches.