Gyeongju Activities

Spend an hour or a day peddling among ancient temples, royal tombs and peaceful gardens. Most of the town’s terrain is flat and attractions are closely spaced to one another. There are several roads for bicycles only. Over a dozen shops in the downtown area alone rent bikes by the day or hour.

Being a traditional city, Gyeongju has excellent Korean restaurants. There are many fresh seafood restaurants near Kampo Port. Have fun sampling the many national dishes and rice wines. Gyeongju popju and Hwangkumju are two famous locally made rice wines.

The town of Hwangnam in Gyeongju is famous for its bread. It is a sweet, bean-paste bread the size of a cookie, often called Hwangnam bread.

Kimchi, Soju and Ginseng are all produced and consumed in abundance, so they should be a part of your dining experience at some point. Kimchi, is a fermented cabbage marinated in red pepper sauce and is served at every sitting. Soju is a famous traditional Korean liquor comparable to Vodka. Soju was originally brewed from grains; today it is mass produced mainly from sweet potatoes. After drinking too much Soju you will need the medicinal properties of Ginseng which is usually produced and consumed in the form of tea.

Street vendors sell all types of snacks from makeshift stalls at the side of the road. Such snacks include Korean Pancakes, rice cakes, skewered chicken or fish sticks and are an excellent and inexpensive way to fill your stomach after a touring around. Also worth a try are Bulgogi and Dolsot Bibimbap. Bulgogi is widely known as Korean barbeque. Thin strips of beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, onion and chilli are grilled over charcoal and served with rice and vegetables. Dolsot Bibimbap is boiled rice, vegetables and egg in a hot stone pot and is basically cooked before your eyes. Raw meat may also be added and makes a very tasty, nutritious meal.

Vegetarians are well catered for because vegetable dishes have always been essential to everyday Korean meals as a source of important nutrients.

Gyeongju boasts many low mountain ranges which are widespread throughout the city. The highest of these are the Taebaek Mountains, which run along the city's western border. Gyeongju's highest point, Munbok Mountain, is 1,013 meters above sea level. East of the Taebaek range, other peaks lie within the Jusa subrange. The city's eastern peaks, such as Toham Mountain, belong to the Dongdae Mountains, another minor subrange.

During the Shilla Kingdom, Mt. Toham was one of the five principal mountains. This mountain used to be home to 122 temples. Even today the 745 meter high Mt. Toham serves as a sacred place of the Buddhist religion. Numerous relics and temple remains are scattered around in settings with breath-taking views. The treasured Sokkuram Grotto is at the summit, while magnificent Bulguk Temple is at the base of the mountain.

Many of the historical sites in Gyeongju town are within walking distance. This can be a healthy and enjoyable way to spend the day.

Gyeongju is very different from big cities like Seoul or Busan. There are no multi-storied malls or sprawling market places. However, there are plenty of traditional crafts being made and sold.

At the Gyeongju Folk Handicraft Village you can watch artisans at work and purchase their handicrafts. The village was established in order to preserve and develop the traditional artistry of Silla crafts and reproduces various folk handicrafts similar to that era. Spreading over an area of 6,000 square meters at the foot of Tohamsan, this village is equipped with 17 workshops producing metallic wares, ceramics, woodcrafts, jewelry, embroidery and bamboo works.

The village is open year-round. The entrance fee helps to support the village and preserve the traditional arts and crafts. Hours: 9:00-18:30 (closed Thursday)