Must-See Routes l Visit Korea Committee

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Seoul, the capital of the Joseon Dynasty for 600 years, offers world cultural heritages and the essence of traditional Korean culture. The past and present of Korea are still vibrantly alive among the skyscrapers. Rich cultural heritages are reflected in traditional Korean houses, while Changdeokgung Palace showcases elegant harmony with natural surroundings. Enjoy great spots in Seoul offering the tastes and beauty of traditional Korean culture!

Public Transportation and Travelling

1 hour and 11 minutes by car from Incheon International Airport to Seoul City Hall
[public transportation: limousine buses]
48 minutes by car from Gimpo International Airport to Seoul City Hall
[public transportation: subways and buses]
Traveling among attractions: walking distances

Jongmyo Shrine

As a Confucian shrine, it is home to ancestral tables of kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty and the location where ancestral rites are performed. Built in the 14th century, Jeongjeon (1,270 ㎡), a main hall within the shrine, is considered to have been the largest single wooden structure in the world at that time. Boasting an elongated front as well as horizontality, Jeongjeon produces an atmosphere of majesty, solemnity, and piety. Often called the Asia’s Parthenon, the shrine was designated as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1995.

[Lunch] Insa-dong (traditional crafts, Korean food restaurants, and traditional tea houses)

The street offers easy access to traditional Korean culture. During the Joseon Dynasty, the street attracted artists from across the country, becoming the heart of Joseon art. Beginning in the 1930s, the street witnessed the explosion of bookstores and antique shops, while the 1950s saw an increasing number of shops selling traditional rice cakes. Modern galleries have appeared on the street since the 1970s. The street is flanked by modern buildings, traditional houses, antique shops, galleries, art studios, folk craft shops, and traditional tea houses.

Changdeokgung Palace

Designated as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1997, it was a main royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty. Unlike other palaces, it offers buildings that are harmonious with its natural surroundings. The back garden of the palace showcases the harmonious elegance of nature and artificial structures so that trees, flowers, and buildings seamlessly intermingle with each other. Built in 1405, it was used until the early 1900s. It remains one of the better palaces, preserving the original structure.

Bukchon Hanok Village

Witnessing 600 years of the Joseon Dynasty, the village is home to elegant traditional Korean houses where people still live. Lying between Changdeokgung Palace and Gyeongbokgung Palace, the village still preserves traditional, intimate, small alleys. Tourists can visit the Traditional Cultural Experience Center and restaurants in traditional house settings or stay in Hanok-style guest houses. The village is one of the most beloved spots in Seoul by tourists.

[Dinner] Samcheong-dong (shops, galleries, restaurants, cafés, and bars)

It is a main location in Seoul where numerous galleries are concentrated. This luxurious town boasts the combination of modern and traditional trends; there are galleries in traditional house settings and unique shops, wine bars, and restaurants with chic façades. Along the alleys in the town are colorful shops with unique items and interior designs. Thanks to chic restaurants, the town is a popular destination for important business meetings as well.

: Starting Point

As the capital city of the Silla Period for a millennium, Gyeongju is full of precious cultural properties and rich Buddhist cultural heritages. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto showcases the flourishing age of Buddhist art. Other attractions offer a glimpse of the splendid culture and history of the Silla Period.

Public Transportation and Travelling

2 hours and 10 minutes by KTX from Seoul to Singyeongju Station
By bus from Singyeongju Station to Bulguksa Temple
Traveling among attractions: by bus or taxi

Route Introduction

Bulguksa Temple
Seokguram
Grotto
Yoseokgung
Gyeongju
National Museum
Bomun Lake
Resort

Bulguksa Temple

Boasting over 1,500 years of history, the temple was designated as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1995. Thanks to national treasures including Seokgatap and Dabotap, the temple attracts millions of domestic and international tourists each year. In addition to precious cultural properties, it is also known for a major Buddhist sanctuary where many monks practice Buddhism; naturally, the temple attracts earnest Buddhists year-round.

Seokguram Grotto

Registered as a World Cultural Heritage site along with Bulguksa Temple, it is a stone hermitage built in 774. The ceiling of the main room within the grotto is built as if stones were laid like weaving silk (indicated in historical records); over 360 broad stone pieces were used to construct the ceiling, which is unprecedented in human architectural history. Showcasing the splendid combination of architecture, mathematics, geometry, religion, and art available at the time, the grotto is considered a masterpiece of Silla Buddhist art.

[Lunch] Yoseokgung

This old house where the Gyeongju Choi clan, who produced many officials and magnates, lived for a long time was converted to a Korean food restaurant. Run by descendants of the clan, the restaurant’s name originated from the time in history in which Princess Yoseok, a daughter of King Muyeol of the Silla Period, lived. Visitors can enjoy traditional home-cooked food that the Choi clan used to serve its guests. The restaurant attracts major officials year-round including ambassadors from other countries, former presidents, and famous figures.

Gyeongju National Museum

The museum displays cultural relics over a millennium of the Silla Period. It operates three permanent exhibition halls (Archaeology Hall, Art Hall, and Anapji Hall), a special exhibition hall, and a children's museum. Cultural relics from the prehistoric age to the Silla Period offer the essence of the flourishing Silla culture and Buddhist art.

[Dinner] Bomun Lake Resort (Bomunjeong/Night View, Silla Period Royal Food)

Near Bomun Lake is a huge international complex (8 million m²). It is home to luxurious convention centers, Gyeongju World, water recreational facilities, golf courses, an outdoor performance hall, shops selling souvenirs and local produce, top-notch hotels, and condos. Bomunjeong Pavilion within the complex produces a beauty view with a pond and colorful flowers. Amongst cherry blossoms, many visitors come to the pavilion to enjoy the splendid night view.

: Starting Point

Andong Hahoe Village preserves the traditional culture of the Joseon Dynasty. The Pungsan Ryu Clan used to live here for 600 years. Prince Charles and Queen Elisabeth II of England visited the village and considered it "the most Korean village." The village offers a glimpse of the aristocratic and Confucian culture of the Joseon Dynasty.

Public Transportation and Travelling

2 hours and 50 minutes from Seoul to Andong Express Bus Terminal
By bus from Andong Express Bus Terminal to Andong Folk Museum
Traveling among attractions: by bus or taxi

Route Introduction

Andong Folk Museum
Andong
-jjimdak
Andong Hahoe
Village
Buyongdae Cliff
Old House Experience

Andong Folk Museum

The museum is home to old houses that were relocated there due to the construction of Andong Dam. Preserving the traditional culture and way of living, this spacious museum (171,630㎡) offers indoor and outdoor exhibitions. Exhibitions include the culture of aristocrats and ordinary people. Local folk games are displayed as models.

[Lunch] Andong-jjimdak

Restaurants in other areas offer Andong-jjimdak (Andong-style braised hot chicken), but the dish can best be enjoyed in its birthplace, Andong. Steamed chicken is braised with fresh vegetables, spices, and glass noodles to make this delicious dish. Andong Old Market boasts a slew of restaurants offering the dish and attracting many visitors. Famous among them are Bonga Jjimdak and Maeil Jjimdak.

Andong Hahoe Village

The village preserves precious tangible and intangible cultural properties including Hahoe Mask and Byeolsingut. Designated as a World Cultural Heritage site, the village boasts houses built in the early Joseon Dynasty, Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori (Mask Dance), and Seonyu Julbul Nori (Fireworks), offering a glimpse of Andong’s rich traditional culture. Along the many unpaved alleys are thatched-roof and tiled-roof houses that are hundreds of years old.

Buyongdae Cliff

Across the northwestern part of Andong Hahoe Village and over a river is 64m-high Buyongdae Cliff overlooking the village. Surrounded by pine trees, the cliff borrowed its name from a Chinese historical episode; Buyong means lotus flowers. It was initially called Bukae, meaning "Northern Hill." At the foot of the cliff where the Nakdonggang River flows are Okyeonjeongsa Pavilion, Gyeomamjeongsa Pavilion, and Hwacheon Seowon (Confucian Academy).

[Dinner] Old House Experience (Heotjesabap)

Visitors can stay for a day in traditional roof-tiled (Beonnam Gotaek and Bukchondaek) or thatched-roof (Choyeonjae) houses. Okyeon Jeongsa, across from Hahoe Village through a river, also offers lodging. The village offers a delicious local dish called heotjesabap (Andong-style bibimbap) that combines white steamed rice with fresh vegetables including balloon flower roots, green herbs, and bean sprouts. The dish also includes sanjeok (skewered broiled meat and vegetables), fried traditional pancakes, and shark meat. Kkachi Gumeongjip is one of better-known restaurants in the village offering the dish.

: Starting Point