If I had to pick just one area for some history and stuff, I’d probably stump for Gyeongju. As well as one of Korea’s prettiest sights, the museum was a stand out. Nearby Yangdong is yet another hanuk- traditional village- but quieter than those in the cities.
And when you can’t do any more temples, Juwungsan mountain has some of the nicest, quietest hiking in the country.
By the end of our Korean trip, old towns and historic temples were all getting a bit ho-hum.
Individually, most of these places are certainly impressive, but there is a great similarity and repetitiveness about them.
Gyoengju didn't disappoint, but then again, we we not expecting to have our socks knocked off.
The museum there was probably the best general museum we saw.
But the famed royal burial mounds -tumli- just look like small green hills in a park.
There are old this and that spread out all over the town, but a lot of the time, it's just a nice walk in the park.
Gyeongju does have two outstanding structures.
One of the Woljeonggyo Bridge, which spans the river at the entrance to the old hanuk village.
The bridge was built during the 19th year of King Gyeongdeok’s reign (AD 760). It was burnt down, This is a 2018 reconstruction. (I didn't know that at the time...)
One of South Korea's most photogenic sights is the dusk views of Donggung Palace over Wolji Pond.
The museum contain some awesome jewels of the city's past.
Probably more so than the sights, the museum's large collection shows the importance of ancient Gyeongju.
Some of the gold piece, like this jeweled sword, are stunning.
Buddhist statues attest o it being a city of learning.
The hanuk was just another hanuk, although quite large and pleasantly quite, as well as a pleasant riverside stroll to get there.
Gyeongju's main city market held a huge quantity and variety of edible treats.
In the downtown old city, hip new cafes put a modern, Korean twist of some foreign classics.
An hour or so from town, Yandong is a very well preserved, living old town.
The residents are quite accustomed to wandering tourists. Being away from the city in the hills, it is possibly the pick of the many old hanuk villages.
Thanks to the transport App nava, and a quite crazy old lady at the bus stop, getting to Juwungsan National Park is relatively easy.
The main focus of the town is the ancient temple, which sits between the start of the hiking trails and the long line of restaurants and shops.
The hiking, 5-6 hours round trip, is superb, and virtually deserted after the first hour.
The town is deadly quite after dark, but there are a few hotels and places to eat. Rock on.