In a nutshell

Gyeongju holds some of the most enchanting Korean treasures. In a magical atmosphere brimming with legends, temples, Buddhist statues and treasures hidden by majestic tombs, this wonderful 'museum city' will not cease to amaze us.

Main stops

Gyeongju National Museum and the Bell of King Seongdeok
Tombs in Tumuli Park
Korean lunch
Bulguksa Buddhist temple

The programme

We will travel by coach to Gyeongju, one of the most visited cities in Korea known as the 'museum city' due to the numerous historical traces that the Korean civilisation has left on the area. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla kingdom and became a particularly thriving cultural centre after the union with the Korean peninsula in 676.
Our first stop is Gyeongju National Museum, where we can admire many findings dating back to the Silla kingdom: gold crowns, pottery, Buddhist treasures and sculptures, which will tell us more about the roots of this ancient civilisation from the south-east of South Korea. But the highlight of the museum is undoubtedly the Bell of King Seongdeok, also known as the Emille Bell, a huge bronze bell weighing 23 tonnes that was perfectly forged with no imperfections in 771. Legend has it that its completion was linked to the sacrifice of a young girl, a story that adds to the bell’s intrigue.
After visiting the museum, we will stop inTumuli Park, an extensive park containing 23 of the 200 or more royal tombs that are located around the city. The only accessible tomb is that of Cheonmachong, but it is enough to give us an idea of the magnitude and the structure of these constructions filled with treasures and artefacts.
Our intense morning of visits will end with a delicious Korean buffet lunch in a nearby hotel.
After about an hour, our coach will take us to Bulguksa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been restored several times since its creation in 535 at the request of King Gyeongdeok. It is a masterpiece made from stone and wood, which was completed during the era of the Silla kingdom and still preserves various rooms, lanterns and statues dedicated to Buddha.

Good to know

Not appropriate to heart conditions, limited mobility people, especially motor-wheelchair users.The surface of Tumuli park is mix of sand and paved walkway.
Bulguksa temple has earthen floor and pavement, but some part of the temple has many steps and considerable steep slopes for wheelchair.