Gyeongju (경주시, 慶州市; also Kyongju [1]) is in North Gyeongsang province, South Korea.

Understand

Gyeongju is the former capital of the kingdom of Silla, which ruled most of Korea in the 7th to the 9th century.

Get in

By plane

Gyeongju doesn't have its own airport. The nearest are in Gimhae (near Busan) and Ulsan, both one hour away by direct airport shuttle bus from the Express Bus Terminal, Platform 5.

By bus

Buses leave from Busan every 20 minutes.

By train

There are four trains per day to Seoul.

Get around

The best way to get around the central city is to walk or bike. Sites further afield can be reached using the city's bus system. Be sure to visit the two tourist kiosks to get maps and guides. One is next to the express bus terminal while the other is beside the main train station.

See

Gyeongju is home to South Korea's first nominated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

• Gyeongju National Park

Either take a bus or taxi to get to the park. Once there, hiking trails lead up into the mountains. At first the signs are in both Korean and English but soon they become Korean only. Make sure your Hangul is up for the hike or you will get lost!

• Seokguram Grotto

• Bulguksa Temple

A wonderful temple well outside the main city. It can be reached by bus every half-hour. Try to go in the early morning for less tourists. It's a working temple so treat the site with the respect it deserves. Possibly the most impressive temple in Korea.

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

If you can find out when it is, the Gyeoungju traditional liquor and rice cake festival is a must for anyone interested in Korean alcohol. It's held on the grounds of the stadium in mid-April every year.

Sleep

There are luxuray hotels by Bumun Lake in which tourists can stay. 5 star hotels like wellich , Hyundai and Concorde.

Get out