Today, we are heading to Gyeongju. Gyeongyu was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla from 57 BC to 935 AD. It is often referred to as The Museum Without Walls. But before going on a bus to Gyeongyu, we took the Sky Capsule from Mipo to Cheongsapo in Busan. The Sky Capsule is really cute and it was fun to have a tiny train all to ourselves on such a scenic ride!
Then from Cheongsapo, we rode the Beach Train all the way to Songjeong. We enjoyed a short walk by the beach and ate the most delicious and beautifully prepared seafood before heading back on a Beach Train.
Then it was time to leave Busan. We took a bus from the Haeundae Intercity Bus Terminal which is basically just a bus stop. There is a ticket machine there and the staff who was just about to leave, stayed to help me buy the tickets. Before she left, she even told the other staff that we were going to Gyeongju just so we are directed to the right bus. She was really kind. The bus was just an hour ride and cost 10,000 KRW per person which is around 7 EUR.
Gyeongju is very pretty and I wished we had stayed longer. It was also here where we stayed at a Hanok. It was such a memorable experience! The Hanok has an extension which accommodates a bathroom and a small kitchen. The floor was really warm and I love the feel of it! There are many cool restaurants and cute cafes near our accommodation. And lots of street food too. One thing that is a must try is the famous Gyeongju Bread. People seem to be carrying a box of it for souvenirs and they are only sold in a set of 10 pieces or more. We got a box of freshly baked ones and they were very good. Our Hanok is also a walking distance to the Daereungwon Tomb Complex and the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. These places were really pretty with Cherry Blossom in full bloom. The streets of Gyeongju was also lined with Cherry Blossom. I think I fell in love with Gyeongju!
We stayed 2 nights in Gyeongju. We decided against taking a 4 hours plus bus ride to Jeonju so we decide to return to Busan. The bus terminal was a 15 minutes walk from our Hanok and the bus ticket only cost 5,700 KRW per person which was around 4 EUR. And as usual, the bus was really comfortable with large seats and almost empty.
Check out the reels here:
More photos from Gyeongju by Ari Vitikainen can be found here.
The things I've seen. The places I've been. 