After our stop in Andong to explore the historic village of Hahoe ( see the article here ), we arrived in Gyeongju, the penultimate stop on our journey across South Korea before Busan, where we would spend our last two days . Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, Gyeongju boasts nearly 1,000 years of history. Capital of the Silla kingdom from 57 BC—one of the three founding kingdoms of Korea—it later became the political center of a unified peninsula, before giving way to the Goryeo kingdom, which would take over for four centuries.
Even today, the heritage is everywhere. Royal tombs, temples, ruins, precious objects: we're talking about a veritable open-air museum. The city is even nicknamed the "Golden City," in reference to the numerous jewels and golden artifacts discovered during excavations. To explore it all, we opted for cycling in the central part, undoubtedly the best way to get between the sites, while the bus completed our mode of transport for the more distant sites.
Two days there allowed us to really enjoy it — although, as is often the case, we would have gladly stayed longer to be sure we didn't miss anything. We know that in two days, we still had time to see the essentials.
1st day in Gyeongju
For this first day, we decided to focus on the most distant sites. The goal was to go see the two main ones in Gyeongju, listed as UNESCO heritage sites: Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. This was already going to fill us up for a good part of the day, but the practical side of the bus lines is that we could easily stop to see other attractions on the way. Indeed, bus line 10 goes to Bulguksa Temple, and passes in front of a small notable temple, Bunhwangsa. On the way back, it takes a different route and then passes in front of Wolji Pond (you can do the reverse order by taking bus 11 instead, which does the same route in reverse).
Bunhwangsa
Since it was on the way, why not stop! But I especially wanted to stop at this little temple because it unassumingly houses the oldest dated pagoda from the Silla Kingdom. The temple, National Treasure No. 23 , was indeed built as early as 634. While it may seem modest in size, Bunhwangsa (which translates as "Perfumed Imperial Temple") was one of the four main temples of the Silla Kingdom used by the state to ask the Buddha to bless the kingdom. It is also located not far from the ruins of a much larger temple, Hwangnyongsa, which included a nine-story wooden pagoda and covered an area of eight hectares to the east of the city.
Its main interest therefore lies in its stone pagoda, a structure that today only has 3 floors, but written traces evoke an imposing pagoda with 9 floors originally. Its partial destruction dates mainly from the period of the Japanese invasions between 1592 and 1598 (called Imjin war). We can also glimpse the collapsed pieces in the pagoda through one of the large openings visible on each side of the tower. Each of these doors is guarded by two statues called "Geumgan-yeoksa" (which can be translated as "the powerful diamond men"), one of which also allows a glimpse of a small Buddha statue inside. There are also lion statues on each side of the platform on which the pagoda rests.
Excavations and attempted renovations in 1915 by the Japanese uncovered many artifacts including precious items such as gold and stone ornaments, coins, scissors and a needle (the latter likely to have belonged to a member of the royal family). They also found a "sarira", a reliquary containing the ashes of an important priest.
Outside the pagoda itself, there is a wooden building, decorated on the outside with half-faded murals. Since I can't find any information about it, I don't know if it is from the period or not, but what may give an idea is the standing Buddha statue (3,5 m) located inside. Called Bhaisajyaguru or Medicine Buddha, the latter holds a medicinal bowl in his left hand and is said to date from 1774 (Joseon era).
Another notable relic is a stone well with an unpronounceable name (Try it and see: Hogukyongbyeoneojeong , also known as Samnyongbyeoneojeong , yes, it's no better...). This well is small, but has an unusual octagonal base and symbolizes "the essence of Buddhism." According to legend, it contains the three guardian dragons of the Silla kingdom (in a well, having been transformed into fish).
As such, the site has its charm, it is quiet and quite shaded with trees dotted in the courtyard surrounding the temple, its only "flaw" is that it is a bit isolated compared to the rest of the attractions even if it remains relative since there is only about 2 km. It remained an interesting appetizer before moving on to the main attractions with the two listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Seokguram Cave and Bulguksa Temple
I'm grouping these two together because, firstly, they're close to each other, and secondly, they were both jointly designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995. They're located an hour's drive from the center of Gyeongju, so between the round trip and visiting each site, allow a good half-day to see both. First, there's Seokguram Grotto , nestled high in the hills of the small Toham Mountain, known for its magnificent standing Buddha statue carved from granite. Finally, at the foot of the same mountain, there's the imposing Bulguksa Temple , with its stone facade and staircases, as well as the two main pagodas in the central courtyard.
These two sites are examples of typical Korean architecture, at the height of the Unified Silla period (mid-8th century). I will not go into more detail for these major attractions of Gyeongju since I have written a dedicated article visible here:
I will just add to understand the rhythm of our day, that it was after the visit to the cave that we quickly took our lunch break near the Bulguksa temple.
Wolji Pond and Donggung Palace
Last visit of the day, with I must say a rather perfect timing, because this site is more famous to visit in the evening at sunset. We arrive on site shortly after 16:30 p.m., the sun setting around 17:30 p.m. This gave us time to discover the site during the day first, before appreciating the evening lights afterwards. Knowing that there can be people (and places apparently limited), it was better to be inside the site before the end-of-day rush.
As such, not many structures remain visible today, as Donggung Palace was abandoned after the fall of the Silla Kingdom and fell into ruin. This secondary palace was used by the crown prince of the Silla Kingdom. It also served as a banquet venue for important national events and distinguished visitors. The adjacent pond was created in 674, in the northeast corner of the Banwolseong royal complex, into which it was incorporated.
From what I understand, the site was completely rebuilt after the major excavations that began in the 70s and continued until the mid-80s. These excavations unearthed an abundance of unique objects, including a large number of tiles, various building materials, pottery, gilded bronze Buddha figures, jewelry, and numerous accessories and other everyday objects. In total, no fewer than 33 historical pieces were discovered here.
It was also during this work that waterway systems were restored, the pond was dredged, and the surrounding stone walls were rebuilt. As for the other buildings that made up this palace, unfortunately, only the foundations can be seen, and only three small structures bordering the lake have been rebuilt. These houses some of the rooms found in the area and fortunately kept us busy for a while, as otherwise, there isn't much to get our teeth into in terms of architecture.
The main feature of the site today is Wolji Pond , a 200-meter-long basin with three small islands and small hills landscaped into a garden on its eastern side. Historically, this pond was called " Anapji, " particularly in the 3th century, as a Joseon-era document mentions the site under this name. However, in the 1980s, a piece of pottery called this name into question, as it bore an engraving with the letters "Wolji" (a pond that reflects the moon), revealing the pond's true name.
Basically, we had seen the main sights in less than 30 minutes. So there were about 30 more minutes left before sunset, the highlight being mainly at nightfall, because the Koreans come in the shadows to take pictures of the site with the night lighting. Since we were there after all and had nothing planned that evening, I suggested staying and settling down a little further away with a nice view of the pond, just to anticipate the popular moment by having a prime spot.
At the time, it didn't really seem like a hustle and bustle, even though we noticed a lot of selfies being taken next to us. It was especially when we returned to the main exit that we noticed the excitement of the place at night. Many families were there and the vendors were also out. Vendor of what, you might ask? Well, clearly the trick here is to wander around with your colored LED balloon to perfect the photos in this illuminated historical setting. Enough to see a bit of the daily life of a family evening in Gyeongju, knowing, just a little clarification, that it was a Friday evening.
From what I remember, we were just snacking and buying junk food at the supermarket near our hotel for dinner, yes I know, not good... In doing so, it reminded us that we were indeed in a "love hotel" area because we passed a vending machine... for sexy outfits... (between €7 and €14 all the same!)
Day 2 in Gyeongju
I'm cheating a bit on the title, because in our case, we actually stayed two nights, but we only had a day and a half to visit the city before taking the bus to Busan. As a result, it was a very busy day since we wanted to see the essentials before returning to the bus station. To avoid rushing, we decided to check out early in the morning and leave our bags in a locker at the bus station afterwards. However, we had a little leeway since we had booked a bus at 14pm.
By chance, our hotel was ideally located, just 400 meters from a bike rental place. This was not even planned, because given the distances, I originally thought I would do everything on foot. More than a temptation, we said to ourselves that it would be more practical to explore the surroundings more efficiently, given the limited time we had. I did not see a sign in English, but it is apparently the Gyeongju Express Scooter & Bicycle Rental, located in front of the bus terminal where we had disembarked in Gyeongju. You will also have bikes to rent from the train station (Gyeongju Station) or from the parking lot south of the Daereungwon tomb complex.
Once we had paid for our bikes for the day, we were ready to visit the main area of the historical park, starting with the Daereungwon tomb complex (you have to get used to it, the names are complicated in South Korea.
The Daereungwon Tomb Complex
At its peak, the city boasted a population of up to one million, ruled by a succession of crowned heads, so it was essential that these deceased individuals be laid to rest somewhere. Gyeongju's unique feature is that its tombs are placed in underground chambers, surrounded by stone blocks and covered with a mound of earth, forming a hill that can reach several tens of meters in height. This is commonly known as a tumulus. The Daereungwon complex is therefore a collection of these tumulus (the plural of tumuli, yes, it sounds strange), most of which date from the 6th and 7th centuries. Many have never been excavated, and the identity of their occupants remains unknown to this day.
One can obviously get an idea of the importance based on the size of the burial mound, the most imposing ones housing prominent members of the royal family, while smaller ones may have been dedicated to younger members. Finally, some mounds form two hills side by side; these are twin tombs belonging to presumed married couples, as is the case for the Hwangnamdaechong tomb , located north of Daerungwon.
The fact is that there are no fewer than 150 small hills scattered around the city, and among those already excavated, so many Silla-era artifacts have been unearthed that it wasn't deemed necessary to excavate them all. There are already about twenty of these burial mounds in the main area, itself divided into two parts. There's the northern part, called Nodong-ri Ancient Tombs, where you'll find several tombs identified as that of Geumgwanchong, the interior of which can be visited. We didn't visit it, however, and focused on the southern part, which constitutes the Daereungwon complex. And there too, you can visit the interior of one of these tombs, that of Cheonmachong.
In concrete terms, we parked the bikes directly next to the main entrance to the north of the site, and we started to follow one of the paths crossing this atypical landscape. We come across quite a few Koreans out and about, because although it is not a place of eternal rest for some, it is now used more or less as a public park. We walk there with our lovers, family, friends, the setting is indeed pleasant, surrounded by greenery, with an area that is even covered by a pine forest. It is also a popular place for Instagram. There are even iconic photo spots in Gyeongju where queuing to get your funny photo is perfectly normal, and we completely forget that it is technically still a cemetery.
The Tomb of King Michu
Passing through the wooded area, we come across the entrance to a tomb that is special for several reasons. First, it is one of the few to be clearly identified, since we know that it was the resting place of King Michu, 13th sovereign of the Kingdom of Silla. Which brings me to a second reason, it is one of the oldest since King Michu reigned from 262 to 284. Inside, a sumptuous gold sword hilt, encrusted with precious stones, was found. Beyond the notorious aesthetic aspect, its discovery is of capital importance because it testifies to a cultural exchange between the East and the West, because its shape and pattern are different from those of the gilded bronze swords found in the tumuli of the Three Kingdoms period. However, such short swords are found in Europe and the Middle East, but almost never in Asia.
In front of the mound, we can see a small stone table, which was once used by the inhabitants to meditate or perform ceremonies in memory of the monarch. But the other notable feature is the presence of a door in front, as for temples, with a stone wall protecting and delimiting the area of the tomb.
Shortly after King Michu's death, a conflict erupted between Silla and a neighboring tribal confederation called the Iseogoguk. The soldiers of the Silla kingdom marched out to meet their enemies but were unable to repel them. At the critical moment, a multitude of soldiers appeared, countless in number, each wearing bamboo leaves behind their ears. They fought alongside the Silla soldiers, defeated the enemy, and vanished. Later, someone noticed a pile of bamboo leaves on King Michu's grave, leading people to believe that the spirit of the deceased Michu had aided Silla with his secret army. This legend earned the grave the nickname Jukjangneung , which can be translated as "the tomb of the bamboo soldiers ."
Cheonmachong: Tomb of the Heavenly Horse
With the exception of Geumgwanchong, which was recently converted into a museum and is located in the nearby Nodong-ri, Cheonmachong Tomb is the only one open to the public among all the ancient large tombs of kings and nobles of the Silla Kingdom that can be seen in the Daereungwon complex. The name of this tomb, Cheonmachong, comes from a saddle cloth with a painting of a celestial horse that was discovered inside the tomb (cheonma specifically means celestial horse in Korean).
But besides the saddle cloth, there are more than 10 artifacts that were found in this tomb alone, a good part of which are still there, because Cheonmachong is a small museum in itself. You can see how the inside of the tombs is made, namely, a large stone dome, under which is another dome where the burial chamber is placed, resting under a wooden structure and also covered with stone.
The burial chamber is also visible through a window, placed on each side of the wooden coffin visible inside. In the wooden overcoat, one can admire some gold jewelry, adornments accompanying the deceased on his last journey. There is even a whole trunk filled with bronze pottery, terracotta and probably a host of other jewelry. Others are exhibited and highlighted in these display cases distributed around the vault.
It is in one of these display cases that the famous saddle cloth with the white horse depicted on it is exhibited, and I was left in awe of the finesse of a gold crown, a true goldsmith's work that demonstrates a sense of detail and know-how of the time. Normally, I am not very museum-minded, but because here, it was quick to go around it, well exhibited with the explanatory panels (readable in French as well), it made the experience interesting.
Hwangnidan-gil
If we had been on foot, we would have continued our tour directly to the south of the Daerungwon complex. But since we had the bikes, we had to return to the parking lot located to the north to pick them up and continue the walk. In doing so, we passed to the west of Daereungwon Park, thus joining the charming district of Hwangnidan-gil, famous for its alleys dotted with cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. Its appeal comes in particular from the presence of many Hanok, these traditional houses whose curved roofs are often decorated with patterns, with exposed and untreated wooden beams, giving the structure a natural color tending towards orange.
Many of these Hanok have been transformed into cafes where you can enjoy Korean tea or local pastries, and some have pretty gardens. The shops also offer handcrafted souvenirs and local culinary specialties. We enjoyed getting lost in the small cobblestone streets, lined with flowers, in a quieter atmosphere than on the main street. As we wandered, we came across a few murals and other decorations, and after spending a good half hour in Hwangnidan-gil, we took our bikes again to go to the next stop, knowing that it was still too early to take a drink or other break.
The traditional village of Gyochon
After a few pedal strokes, we arrived at a small traditional village, marked Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village on Google Maps. It wasn't really what attracted us, because, having already seen Hahoe and having just come from a neighborhood with that vibe, we were happy to skip it. However, it does hold an interesting story, as everything revolves around a house, the house of the Choe clan, also spelled Choi; at least, that's how it appears on Google: Historic House of the Rich Man Choi.
And indeed, when we look a little into the history of this family, it is a set of mottos focused on generosity, which has allowed this powerful clan, very famous in South Korea, to maintain significant wealth for 12 generations, the current house having been established near the old royal palace of the time of the Silla kingdom, in the middle of the 18th century. To learn more and if English is not a problem for you, I found a site that summarizes the history of the clan and information on the house:
Another notable house is Yoseokgung, which is said to date from 1779 and was the home of a Silla princess, Yoseok.
Woljeong Bridge
Woljeong Bridge , also known as Woljeonggyo, spans the river south of the city. The river originates at Mount Toham, home to Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. It is a majestic stone bridge, a replica of the one that stood there during the Unified Silla period (676-935 CE). Historical records exist of such a bridge, built in this area during the Unified Silla period (676-935 CE), but it was destroyed by fire during the Joseon Dynasty. Korea possesses a valuable document called the Samguk Sagi , literally, the "Historical Records of the Three Kingdoms" (the kingdoms of Koguryo, Baekje, and Silla), a chronicle covering the first ten centuries CE, compiled in 1145 during the Goryeo period. It mentions the construction of the bridge during the 19th year of King Gyeongdeok's reign (760 AD), linking Wolseong, the capital at the time, to the foot of Mount Namsan, the sacred mountain.
Extensive research was carried out to collect information about this bridge between 1984 and 1986, and it was discovered that it was originally made of wood. The ultimate goal of this process was to recreate the bridge as faithfully as possible, and 20 years later, the reconstruction project was able to come to fruition. The bulk of the work took place from 2008 to 2013, with the finishing touches being applied from April 2016 to April 2018. It is safe to say that when we visited, the bridge was brand new.
However, they used and respected the techniques of the time as much as possible and the least we can say is that it was worth it. The building gives a good idea of what this type of structure could look like. The bridge is impressive with its stone pillars and its deck made of beams and covered with a roof with the famous tiles similar to the Hanok, and the whole thing is supported by a framework with shimmering colors. On each side of the bridge, two two-story buildings stand, probably that they included guard posts at the time. Crossing it really gives a feeling of being projected in time, a few centuries back. In addition, the view of the river and the mountain in the background adds an undeniable charm.
Woljeong Bridge is an architectural feat and a testament to Korean history. The reconstruction of the wooden bridge has allowed for the rediscovery and preservation of ancient construction techniques, while also providing a glimpse of what the original bridge looked like. The entire process has provided insight into the craftsmanship of the time and can now serve as a reference for future renovation projects. It will also be a bridge of similar historical value in the future (as long as it lasts).
Gyerim Forest and Astronomical Observatory (Cheomseongdae)
On our way to our next stop, the Cheomseongdae Observatory , we came across a small grove enclosed by a low stone wall, the Gyerim Forest, whose name literally means ' rooster forest '. A sign briefly explains the place, but we didn't linger too long at the time, because apart from the trees and the small stream flowing through it, there wasn't much to entice us to explore the paths crisscrossing the area. However, the Gyerim Forest is actually a site of historical importance, linked to a legend that gave rise to the Kim clan of Gyeongju, a major branch among the Kim clans, which are the majority in Korea (nearly 20% of the population bears this name!).
To summarize the legend, King Talhae, the third ruler of Silla, heard a rooster crowing deep in the forest. He sent someone to investigate and found a rooster crying under a tree, on which was hung a golden box. The box contained a baby, which the king adopted. This baby was Kim Alji (sometimes spelled Gim, a term that can be translated as "gold"). Although Kim Alji never succeeded to the throne, the Kim clan later became the royal line with the coronation of King Michu seven generations later. Since then, the Gyerim Forest, formerly called 'Sirim', has been known as 'Gyerim'.
Today, Gyerim Forest is part of Gyeongju National Park and is home to a population of centuries-old trees, such as zelkovas and willows. A memorial stone was also erected in honor of Kim Alji during the Joseon Dynasty. Despite its historical significance, Gyerim Forest remains relatively unknown to tourists, who often pass through it without noticing it, ourselves included.
After this very brief interlude where we barely set foot on land, we arrive at the heart of the eastern section of the historical park (Gyeongju Eastern Historic Site on Google Maps), and approach Cheomseongdae, National Treasure No. 31 , which stands proudly in the middle of an open area. The name couldn't be more explicit, as Cheomseongdae means "star-gazing tower." Cheomseongdae was built in the 7th century at the behest of Queen Seondeok and holds the title of the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia (perhaps even the world). Its antiquity is all the more remarkable given that the tower has remained unchanged for 1,300 years and has withstood the ravages of time and war. And despite its modest size, approximately 9 meters, it is undoubtedly an iconic monument of the city.
Its construction is full of symbols since the tower rests on a granite stone base, twelve in number for the 12 months of the year when the observatory itself is composed of 365 blocks for each day of the year. The layers of stones are also 12 in number up to the window to symbolize once again the 12 months and 12 additional ones above, which brings the total to 24, like 24 solar periods of the Chinese calendar. Moreover, the opening located in the middle of the structure is not in fact a window, but the entrance door to access the summit, the lower part not being hollow, but filled with earth to balance everything.
Gyeongju National Museum
After 10 minutes, we had literally toured the observatory and it was time to move. In our initial schedule, we hadn't planned anything else at that point, because we weren't sure we'd have time (we didn't want to be too greedy about the amount of sites to see). It's not even 11:30 so we're good to go since that still leaves us with over 2 hours free. Given the proximity, we decide to go to the National Museum, just 1 km south of Cheomseongdae.
A non-negligible point, which also weighed in the balance, the museum, except for special exhibitions, is free! This is greatly appreciated so it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. However, if there is indeed nothing to pay, you are asked to go to the ticket office to get a ticket, so think about it.
The museum is made up of several galleries, each displaying unique and fascinating pieces, as well as an outdoor area.
- Silla History Gallery
- Silla Art Gallery
- Wolji Gallery
- Treasury of the Silla Millennium
In the outdoor area (Outdoor Exhibition), over 1 exhibits can be seen, most of which are stone sculptures such as pagoda remains, Buddha statues, steles, etc. Most of them come from temples, palaces, and fortresses collected in and around Gyeongju. The centerpiece for this outdoor area includes the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok (National Treasure No. 300), a massive 29-ton bronze piece cast in the late 19th century.
The other galleries are quite self-explanatory and are themselves divided into several rooms. The Silla History Gallery focuses on the millennium of the Silla kingdom, from its founding to the unification of the Three Kingdoms, showcasing Silla culture and goldwork, which was widely used in jewelry, particularly crowns. The Silla Art Gallery primarily displays Buddha statues and religious artifacts such as reliquaries. The Wolji Gallery , as its name suggests, is a collection in its own right, dedicated to the numerous objects found during excavations prior to the site's renovation. It presents only a sample of its cultural assets, carefully selected from among some 30,000 objects dating from the Unified Silla period that were discovered at the Donggung Palace and Pond site. These objects have been arranged according to specific themes to help visitors better understand Unified Silla culture and the lifestyle of the royal family. Finally, Treasury of the Silla Millennium turns out to be more of a storage and research area (via a library-like room) and therefore less interesting.
In our case, we took our time to explore the first two galleries and admire the gold objects that particularly fascinated me (well, gold always has its little effect!). In one of the rooms, we could see an impressive model reconstructing the appearance of the capital at its peak of the unified Silla kingdom. Overall, the museum makes a good impression, it is modern, well explained, the display cases are well distributed so even if there were quite a few people, we are not crowded either.
To conclude this extra half-day in Gyeongju, we thought we could stop in one of the tea rooms in the village we had passed through earlier (Gyochon). Right next door, there was one of the shops offering traditional outfits for rent (Hanbok), very fashionable for taking pictures at historical sites (I suspect Thailand was inspired by this, because it is a phenomenon that can also be found in Ayutthaya or temples in Bangkok like Wat Arun).
Where to stay in Gyeongju
To sum up, the choice for our hotel was made according to the following criteria: close to the Intercités bus station, not too expensive obviously and not too bad reviews. Staying close to the station had a triple advantage for us:
- we arrived in the evening, with our suitcases, so we didn't want to struggle to find transport or anything when we arrived, so we might as well walk to our hotel directly.
- The bus station and therefore the street of our hotel, is ideally located less than a kilometer from the main sites of Gyeongju.
- We were planning to take a bus again, from the same station, to reach Busan, our next stop.
We landed at the Sugar Hotel, and if the photos intrigued us a little about the style, and in hindsight, its name could raise a flea in our ears, we quickly understood on the spot… So be careful, it does not take away from the qualities of the hotel but we could clearly see that it was a street with only “love hotels”. If you are not familiar with the term, in Asia, these are establishments offering rooms which, in addition to being rented classically by the night, can be rented by the day and/or by the hour. If obviously they can be used in the context of prostitution, they more often welcome couples in search of intimacy, either because they share a home with parents, or because they are lovers.
Entrances to this type of hotel are usually discreet for an obvious reason, and interaction with the staff is limited. Suffice to say that check-in is done in no time. The room is nonetheless spacious, and, apart from the tinted window and the jacuzzi in the bathroom, it is generally a fairly standard room, so in the end, it suited us very well.
Sugar Hotel
Budget: from 48€
I will summarize with the same opinion that I left on Agoda, namely that the Sugar Hotel is a love hotel certainly, but apart from the slightly rococo look, the rooms are nickel, spacious and comfortable. It is ideally located, very close to the Intercités bus terminal and in an area with restaurants. Brief breakfast, but it remains good value for money.
With the same criteria and on the same street, there's also the Gyeongju The CL , which was under construction when we were there. It looks like it has much nicer rooms and is even slightly cheaper than the Sugar Hotel; if I were to do it again, I would definitely choose the latter.
Otherwise, as I can understand that sleeping in a love hotel can be morally disturbing or otherwise, and because they are “large structures”, here are some more family-friendly suggestions:
- Gallery Jin Hanok Guesthouse, a guesthouse housed in a traditional-style house (Hanok), located in the center, close to the northern area of the historical park.
- Doran Doran Guesthouse, also in a traditional style, located in the southern area, not far from the Gyeongju Observatory.
- Cheonggong Hanok Stay, superb Hanok-style guesthouse with garden, off-center from the main area but close to Bulguksa temple (and therefore Seokguram cave).
If you have more time
Because in two days (and even a little less), we clearly focused on the essentials, we had to make choices. Considering everything there is to do, you can easily spend 3 or 4 days there.
Yangdong Village
One example of a possibility is the Yangdong Folk Village , which we ruled out in our case because we had already visited Hahoe, which is similar. Another drawback is that it's a 1.5-hour drive from Gyeongju. However, if you're not going through Andong and Hahoe Village, it could be a good option; the village is located on a mountainside and looks quite photogenic. Furthermore, Yangdong is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (jointly with Hahoe).
Hiking on Mount Namsan
Not to be confused with the small hill where Seoul Tower stands, this mountain peak, located south of Gyeongju Historical Park, is ideal for walks in nature, even though it is part of Gyeongju National Park . A sacred mountain during the Silla period, it bears many traces of this history; you will likely encounter pagodas and numerous sculptures and carvings of Buddha directly into the rock.
There are several access points for the hikes, the most popular being from Samneung (Gyeongju National Park Samneung Visitor Center). Information is scarce, but thanks to Amélie's website, I was able to find maps in English:
- Map of the West, between Samneung and Yongjang, you can also view or download the pdf version directly here
- Map of the East, from Tongiljeon Temple, same thing with the pdf version available here
With this, you have all the information you need to make the most of your stay in Gyeongju. Personally, I really enjoyed it; just taking two days to relax was a welcome break, and being able to get around easily by bicycle is a definite plus. I was also quite impressed by the exquisite gold crowns and jewelry, and my favorite spot was Bulguksa Temple , which truly captivated me. Overall, a great experience, and I definitely recommend visiting Gyeongju if you're planning a trip to South Korea.
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