Gyeongju

Gyeongju may be just a two-hour train ride away from the fast-paced metropolis of Seoul, but as one of South Korea’s most traditional cities, it’s worlds away. It served as the capital of the Silla dynasty for around 1,000 years from 57 BC to 935. Remnants of that ancient time are still visible around town, from temples and tombs to palaces and pagodas.

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Rippled across the city are traditional hanok-style buildings, now housing modern cafés and boutique shops. One such cluster of classic architecture can be found at Gyochon Traditional Village, where cooking demonstrations and cultural performances are regularly held. Plus, one of Gyeongju’s most Instagrammable sites, Woljeonggyo Bridge, is right next door.

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To dive into the past, begin at the Daereungwon royal tombs complex in the heart of town, containing the burial chambers of Silla kings, queens, and other courtiers. The most famous among them is the Cheonmachong tomb excavated in 1973, which gets its name from the image of a flying, eight-legged horse painted on a saddle found inside. A little farther into the tombs complex are three other intriguing landmarks: the ruins of Cheomseongdae, the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia; the 18th-century indigenous ice storage unit called Seokbinggo; and the Poseokjeong Pavilion, the water channel of an old palace where noblemen once played poetic drinking games.