Gyeongsang

Gyeongju

Gyeongju is the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom and often called a museum without walls. Royal burial mounds dot the city center, Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto are UNESCO masterpieces, and you can bike between thousand-year-old pagodas and palace ruins.

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Travel Information

Best Time to Visit

April for cherry blossoms around Bomun Lake, or October for autumn foliage at Bulguksa Temple and comfortable cycling weather

From Seoul

KTX ~2h

Local Food

Gyeongju Bread, Ssambap, Hwangnam Bread

Top things to see in Gyeongju

1Bulguksa Temple
2Seokguram Grotto
3Gyeongju National Museum
4Cheomseongdae Observatory
5Anapji Pond
6Tumuli Park
7Yangdong Folk Village
8Bomun Lake Resort

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Frequently Asked Questions about Gyeongju

How do I get to Gyeongju?
The KTX stops at Singyeongju Station, about 2 hours from Seoul. From there, buses run to the city center in 20 minutes. Express buses from Seoul take about 3.5 hours. Gyeongju is also an easy day trip from Busan (1 hour by bus).
Can I see the main sites in one day?
You can cover the core sites in a long day: Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto in the morning, the Tumuli Park burial mounds and Cheomseongdae observatory in the afternoon. But two days allows a more relaxed pace including Anapji Pond at night.
Is renting a bicycle a good way to explore Gyeongju?
Yes, cycling is ideal. The city center is flat and most major sites are within a few kilometers of each other. Rental shops cluster near the bus terminal and main tourist areas. The route from the tumuli to Wolseong and Anapji is especially pleasant.

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