Gyeongju walking tour & city guide

Tombs and palaces in the center

Daereungwon is a park of huge grass-covered burial mounds of Silla kings and nobles. Inside one, the Cheonmachong tomb, you can see how the tombs were built and where a famous painting of a flying horse was found. Nearby stands Cheomseongdae, a 7th-century stone tower often described as the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in East Asia.

Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, a royal pleasure garden, are spectacular at night when the reconstructed pavilions are illuminated and reflected in the water. The Gyeongju National Museum displays golden crowns and treasures of the Silla era.

Bulguksa and Seokguram

On the slopes of Mount Toham, Bulguksa Temple is one of the most celebrated temples in Korea, with stone stairways, bridges and two elegant pagodas. Higher up the mountain, the Seokguram Grotto shelters a serene granite Buddha facing the East Sea. Together they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hwangridan-gil and tips

Hwangridan-gil, near the tombs, is a trendy street of hanok cafés, bakeries and boutiques. Gyeongju is easy to explore by bicycle, and the Bomun Lake resort area has hotels and lakeside paths. The city is about 2 hours from Seoul by KTX and under an hour from Busan. Spring cherry blossoms are magical here.