Rich with historical heritage, Gyeongju is a beautiful city with stunning temples, large gardens and some of Korea's best cuisine.
Gyeongju is easy to get to, as there is a direct bus service from Busan. The ride time is about an hour long, but I mostly just slept and looked out the window at the rolling hills and little villages we passed along the way. Korean buses are usually clean, and the service is efficient.
Once there, the first stop should definitely be Bulguksa temple, which is located just outside the city. There are buses that go to the temple and leave a couple times an hour from a stop near the city bus station. Located on the slopes of Mount Toham, this beautiful temple was completed in 774 and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Walking around, you can see just how intricate, detailed and colorful the temple's architecture is. This is why Bulguksa is considered an artistic masterpiece in the Silla Kingdom. This sacred destination is home to 7 national treasures including the two cloud bridges, the two famous pagodas and the Amitabha Buddha Statue.
Down the hill and across the street from the temple stands the actual town of Bulguksa, which is mostly stores and restaurants. I checked out a small little café (which looked more like somebody's living room than a restaurant) and ordered one bowl of soup. When the lady came out with my order, she placed down my soup followed by eight bowls of Kimchi on the side! For only 7,000 won, this was one of the best (and filling) meals I had while in South Korea.
After the temple, I took a long walk in Tumuli Park. This park is in the center of town and holds the royal Silla burial mounds. Most small parks in Gyeongju require a small entrance fee (around 3,000 won per person). Adjacent to the mounds stands the Gyerim (Chicken Woods), a very beautiful and calm forest that you should be sure to check out.
Along the sides of the street, you will most likely notice the many traditional Gyeonju bread shops the line the streets. Gyeonju bread, also called Hwangnam is a local specialty of the region made from egg and wheat and filled with a delicious red bean paste. Chalboribbang, two small sweet pancakes filled with red bean, is also a local bread specialty. They are sold in small boxes all around the city, and I highly recommend giving them a try. They are delicious!
Gyeongju is easy to get to, as there is a direct bus service from Busan. The ride time is about an hour long, but I mostly just slept and looked out the window at the rolling hills and little villages we passed along the way. Korean buses are usually clean, and the service is efficient.
Once there, the first stop should definitely be Bulguksa temple, which is located just outside the city. There are buses that go to the temple and leave a couple times an hour from a stop near the city bus station. Located on the slopes of Mount Toham, this beautiful temple was completed in 774 and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Walking around, you can see just how intricate, detailed and colorful the temple's architecture is. This is why Bulguksa is considered an artistic masterpiece in the Silla Kingdom. This sacred destination is home to 7 national treasures including the two cloud bridges, the two famous pagodas and the Amitabha Buddha Statue. 
After the temple, I took a long walk in Tumuli Park. This park is in the center of town and holds the royal Silla burial mounds. Most small parks in Gyeongju require a small entrance fee (around 3,000 won per person). Adjacent to the mounds stands the Gyerim (Chicken Woods), a very beautiful and calm forest that you should be sure to check out.
Photo courtesy of http://budgettravel2korea.blogspot.kr/2011/04/gyeongju-bread-or-hwangnam-bread.html
No comments:
Post a Comment