Visit Gyeongju: 2 days to explore this open-air museum

After our stop in Andong to discover the historic village of Hahoe (see the article here), we arrived in Gyeongju, the penultimate stage of our crossing of South Korea before Busan, where we will spend our last two daysNestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, Gyeongju is home to nearly 1 years of history. The capital of the Silla Kingdom from 000 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 took 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 on site allowed us to really enjoy it — even if, as is often the case, we would have gladly stayed longer to be sure not to 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 road, why deprive yourself! But I especially wanted to stop at this small temple because it houses, seemingly, the oldest pagoda dating from the Silla kingdom. The temple, national treasure no.23, was in fact built in 634. Although it may seem modest in size, Bunhwangsa (which translates to "Fragrant Imperial Temple") was one of the four major temples of the Silla Kingdom used by the state to ask the Buddha to bless the kingdom. It is also not far from the ruins of a major temple, the Hwangnyongsa, which featured a 9-story wooden pagoda and covered an area of ​​8 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 to see: Hogukyongbyeoneojeong, also known as Samnyongbyeoneojeong, yes it is not better…). This well is small, but has an atypical octagonal base and symbolizes “the essence of Buddhism”. According to legend, it contains the three protective dragons of the kingdom of Silla (in a well because they have changed 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 group the two together because on the one hand, they are close to each other, and both were jointly classified by UNESCO in 1995. They are located 1 hour drive from the center of Gyeongju, so between the round trip and the on-site visits of each, count a good half-day to see this duo. First, there is Seokguram Grotto, nestled in the heights of the small mountain of Toham, known for its superb standing Buddha statue made of granite. Finally, at the foot of this same mountain, there is 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:

• Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju

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, there are not many structures visible today, as the Donggung Palace was abandoned after the fall of the Silla Kingdom and fell into disrepair. 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 in which it was integrated.

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 part of the site today corresponds to Wolji pond, a 200 m long basin with 3 small islands and small hills arranged as a garden on the eastern zone. Historically, this pond was called " Anapji " especially in the 1980th century since it is under this term that a document from the Joseon era mentions the site. But in the XNUMXs, a piece of pottery would call this name into question given that one could read an engraving with the letters "Wolji" (a pond that reflects the moon), revealing the real name of the pond.

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 bike rental shop we were passing.

The Daereungwon Tomb Complex

The city having at its peak welcomed a large population of up to 1 million, with a succession of crowned heads at its head, it was necessary that these deceased rest somewhere. And the particularity of Gyeongju is that the tombs are placed in an underground chamber, surrounded by blocks of stone and covered with a pile of earth, forming a mound that can reach several dozen meters. This is what is commonly called a tumulus. The Daereungwon complex is therefore a set of these burial mounds (the plural of tumulus, yes it sounds weird), dating mostly from the 6th and 7th centuries. Many have never been excavated and the identity of their occupants remains unknown to this day.

We can obviously get an idea of ​​the importance based on the size of the tumulus, the most imposing sheltering eminent members of the royal family while others, smaller, can be dedicated to the youngest. Finally, some piles form two hills side by side, these are twin tombs belonging to couples presumed married as is the case for the Hwangnamdaechong tomb, located north of Daerungwon.

The fact is that we don't count no less than 150 small hills spread around the city and that among those already excavated, they have collected so many artifacts from the Silla period that it was not considered necessary to do them all. There are already a good twenty of these tumuli in the main area, itself divided into two parts. There is the northern part, called Nodong-ri Ancient Tombs, where you will have some tombs identified as that of Geumgwanchong whose interior can be visited. For our part, we did not visit it, and we concentrated on the southern part, which constitutes the complex of Daereungwon. 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 broke out between Silla and a neighboring tribal confederation called Iseogoguk. Soldiers from the Silla Kingdom went out to meet their enemies but were unable to repel them. At the critical moment, a crowd of soldiers appeared, countless and all wearing bamboo leaves behind their ears. They fought with the Silla soldiers, defeated the enemy, and disappeared. Later, someone noticed a pile of bamboo leaves on King Michu's grave, which led people to say that the spirit of the deceased Michu had helped Silla with its secret army. This legend earned the tomb the nickname Jukjangneung, which can be translated as “ bamboo soldiers tomb"

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 pond next to the tomb.

The entrance to the Tomb of the Heavenly Horse (Cheonmachong).

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, notified Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village on Google Maps. It wasn't really the latter that attracted us, because, having already seen Hahoe and literally just coming back from a neighborhood with that vibe, we happily skipped. However, it contains an interesting story, because everything revolves around a house, that of the Choe clan, also spelled Choi, in any case it appears under this name 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:

• https://www.kocis.go.kr/eng/webzine/201901/sub02.html

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 called Woljeonggyo, spans the river south of the city, which originates at Toham Mountain where Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto are located. It is a majestic stone bridge, rebuilt identically to the one that stood there during the Unified Silla period (676-935 AD). Specifically, there are historical records of such a bridge, built in this area during the Unified Silla period (676-935 AD), but it was burned down during the Joseon Dynasty. Korea has a precious document called Samguk Sagi, literally, the "Historical Records of the Three Kingdoms" (the kingdoms of Koguryo, Baekje, and Silla), a chronicle covering the first ten centuries of our era, compiled in 1145 during the Goryeo period. It mentions the construction of the bridge in the 19th year of King Gyeongdeok's reign (760 AD), connecting 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 the way to our next visit, Cheomseongdae Observatory, we came across a small wood surrounded by a stone wall, the forest of Gyerim, whose name literally means 'rooster forest'. A sign briefly explains the place without us dwelling too much on the moment, because apart from the trees and the small stream flowing in the middle, there was not much that encouraged us to explore the paths crossing this area. However, Gyerim Forest is actually a site of historical importance, linked to a legend that gave birth to the Kim clan of Gyeongju, a major branch among the Kim clans, 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 the Gyeongju National Park and is home to a population of centuries-old trees, such as zelkova and willows. A stele was also erected in honor of Kim Alji during the Joseon period. Despite its historical significance, Gyerim Forest remains relatively unknown to tourists, who often pass through it without paying attention, including us.

After this very short interlude where we have barely set foot on land, we arrive at the heart of the Eastern zone of the historic park (Gyeongju Eastern Historic Site on Google Maps), and we are approaching Cheomseongdae, National Treasure No. 31, which sits in the middle of an open area. The name couldn’t be more explicit since Cheomseongdae means ‘stargazing tower’. Cheomseongdae was built in the 7th century under the leadership of Queen Seondeok and holds the palm of the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia (perhaps even the world). Its antiquity is all the more remarkable since the tower has remained unchanged in its 1-year history and has managed to escape the ravages of time and wars. And despite its modest size, around 300 m, it is undoubtedly an emblematic 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.

Entrance to the Gyeongju National Museum (it doesn't look like much from the outside).

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.

A sculpture, with the famous bell in the background.

The other galleries are quite self-explanatory and are themselves divided into several rooms. Silla History Gallery will focus on the millennium of the Silla Kingdom, from its founding to the unification of the Three Kingdoms, presenting in particular the Silla culture and the work of gold, very widely used in jewelry and particularly crowns. Silla Art Gallery mainly exhibits statues of Buddhas and religious artifacts such as reliquaries. Wolji Gallery, as its name suggests, is a separate collection dedicated to the many objects found during the excavations before the site was renovated. It displays only a sample of its cultural assets that were carefully selected from some 30 objects from the Unified Silla period that were discovered at the site of Donggung Palace and the pond. They have been divided according to specific themes to help visitors better understand the 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 room similar to a library) 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.

A model representing the capital at its peak.

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:

1. 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.
2. The bus station and therefore the street of our hotel, is ideally located less than a kilometer from the main sites of Gyeongju.
3. 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.

With the same criteria and in the same street, there is also the Gyeongju The CL, under construction when we visited. It seems to have much nicer rooms and is even a bit cheaper than the Sugar Hotel, if I had to do it again, I would probably 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

An example of the possibilities, the Yangdong Folk Village, which we ruled out in our case because we had already visited Hahoe, which is similar. The other drawback being that the latter is located 1h30 drive from Gyeongju. But if you do not go through Andong and the Hahoe village, This can be a good option, the village is located on the mountainside and looks quite photogenic. In addition, Yangdong is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with Hahoe).

Hiking on Mount Namsan

Not to be confused with the small hill where the Seoul Tower is located, this mountain peak, located south of the Gyeongju Historical Park, is ideal for walks in the heart of nature, while the latter is part of the Gyeongju National Park. Sacred mountain in the Silla era, there are many traces there, you will come across pagodas and many sculptures and engravings of Buddha on the rock.

View from Mount Namsan. Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There are several entry points for the hikes, the most popular being from Samneung (Gyeongju National Park Samneung Visitor Center). There is little information but thanks to Amélie's site, 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 cards in hand to optimize your stay in Gyeongju. Personally I really liked it, just settling down for two days feels a bit good and the fact of being able to easily get around by bike is an undeniable plus. I was also quite impressed by the finesse of the crowns and gold jewelry, and my favorite is for Bulguksa Temple, which did not leave me indifferent. Overall a good experience and I definitely recommend visiting Gyeongju if you are planning a South Korea itinerary.