Things to do in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do: The Best Historical & Heritage Tours

December 20, 2021 Frederic Celentano

Gyeongju (Korean: 경주, pronounced [kjʌŋ.dʑu]), historically known as "Seorabeol" (Korean: 서라벌, pronounced [sʌ.ɾa.bʌl]), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering 1,324 km (511 sq mi) with a population of 264,091 people (as of December 2012.) Gyeongju is 370 km (230 mi) southeast of Seoul, and 55 km (34 mi) east of Daegu. The city borders Cheongdo and Yeongcheon to the west, Ulsan to the south and Pohang to the north, while to the east lies the coast of the East Sea. Numerous low mountains—outliers of the Taebaek range—are scattered around the city.
Restaurants in Gyeongju

1. Korean UNESCO World Heritage Tour including Gyeongju, Andong and Daegu(2N3D)

Kangsan Travel Service Co.,Ltd
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Gain a true appreciation for Korea’s history and UNESCO world heritage sites on this package of day trips from Busan. Visiting Gyeongju, Daegu and Andong over three days, this comprehensive tour allows you to understand Korea’s most important ruling dynasties, sample each regions’ culinary specialties, and compare city to rural life. With your dedicated English-speaking guide and private minivan, sit back and enjoy Korea’s most spectacular sights. Day1 First destination is Gyeongju that's the oldest unified Kingdom in Korean History is called a Museum doesn't have a roof. Day2 after look around capital city of Shilla Dynasty you are supposed to go to Daegu where you are staying 2nights and you are going to see Andong which is known as good place about learning Joseon Dynasty Day3 for the last day, you are going to Haeinsa Temple which has 2 UNESCO heritages from Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon, before going to Seoul you are walking around Herb Museum and public market in Daegu as well.

Inclusions: Lunch, Lunch, Bottled water, Lunch, Driver/guide, Professional guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Transport by private vehicle, Transport by air-conditioned minivan, WiFi on board

Exclusions: Gratuities, accommodation in Daegu for 2 nights is not included. Our office is happy to provide information and can recommend places to stay. It is possible to start the tour from Gyeongju or another city near Busan.

Reviewed By paigeal

My friends and I had such a fun time touring with our guide, Jade. He was very informative with a sense of humor. We learned a lot about Busan culture and the history of the places we saw. My favorite was the village. Thank you Jade!

2. 3-Days 2-Nights Gyeongju UNESCO Sites & Busan City [Private Tour from Seoul]

Outdoors Korea
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

This tour is a private tour that reduces the cost per person as the number of participants increases. It is a very rewarding tour schedule that allows you to travel between Gyeongju, the capital of the old dynasty of Silla which unified 3 kingdom to one, and Busan, the second largest city in Korea. ● This tour was designed for tourists who visit Korea for the first time or who visit more than once in Korea and want to see other than Seoul. ● Our journey starts with Korea travel specialist who has full of knowledge about Korean History, Politics, Religions and Nature So Our tourist can listen a lot of story while moving. ● Tour start from Seoul or Incheon Airport, and drive down to southeast about 4 hours and then will reach in the millennium city called Gyeongju city and move to Busan city which is the second largest and biggest port city of Korea with full of joy and variety seafood. ※ Tour Itinerary is subject to change by customers request.

Inclusions: Breakfast, Breakfast, 2-nights accommodation, Breakfast, Vehicle Service, Private Driving guide, Hotel pick-up and sending

Exclusions: Personal Food(Lunch & Dinner) and Drink, Gratuities

Reviewed By chrisparker91

Chance was a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide. My fiancé and I enjoyed the trip and we feel that it was worth the money spent. Chance gave us a private skiing lesson and his visible passion for the job made the trip one to remember.

3. Full day Private Gyeongju UNESCO Heritage Tour : a glimpse into Silla

Here Korea Travel
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5.0 based on 10 reviews

Do you want to catch splendid history of Shilla which lasted about 1,000years? Through the tour, you will visit major tourists spot in Gyeongju : Bulguksa temple, Seokguram Grotto, Tomb park, Cheomseongdae observatory, Anapji(Dongung and wolji),etc, learning the history of Shilla by your professional tour guide. If you’re into ancient cultures and traditions or just want a break from the fast cars and bright lights of cities in South Korea, take a day trip to Gyeongju. Make a time travel at Gyeongju! Tour guides are friendly, accommodating and experienced. They will make your trip to Korea more special and memorable! Our guide will bring you local restaurant! This tour is a private tour so you can make your own plan, discussing with your tour guide! Plus, Here Korea Travel offers only quality tour program without any compulsory shopping centers to tourists visiting Korea. Enjoy more time at tour stops!

Inclusions: Lunch, Air-conditioned vehicle, Professional Guide, Entrance fees in the itinerary, Hotel pickup and dropoff, Bottled water, KTX - Korean bullet train from Seoul(Seoul option)

Exclusions: Gratuities(optional), Other activities not on the tour plan

Reviewed By Ulrikagemini

We went on a fullday sightseeing in the Busanarea with Yeoni Cho (Lada) as our guide. She is the best ☆☆☆☆☆!!!

4. (Private) 9-Days Tasty Journey Around South Korea Tour

Tagy Travel Korea
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

This 9 days tour will take you to beautiful fishing villages, mountain villages, and big cities such as Busan and cities with thousands of years of history. Korea has a perfect combination of mountains and beaches. Historical sites and beautiful scenery can be found not only in the small coastal towns but also in the remote forested mountains. This is a tour around Korea to uncover the many flavors and delicacies that define the very identity of a region, the lifestyle of its people as well as the many ways in which eating habits and cities give shape to one another. Enjoy the adventure of exploration when traversing around South Korea. The tour allows you to enjoy the beauty of nature, energetic trendy big city, peaceful rural areas, mountain range canyon sightseeing train, and tasty Korean local foods. ◆ A great tour for first-time visitors to South Korea who want to get to know a detail history of Korea and Korean foods. ◆ Take a Mountain Range Canyon Train (V-Train)

Inclusions: Lunch, Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Lunch, Private transportation, Accommodation (8nights) 3 or 4 star Hotel, 8N/ double, twin, Triple sharing room based), Local English-speaking tour guide , Mountain Range Canyon Train(V-Train fares), Pick up & Drop off Service, Lunch : Local delicacies

Exclusions: Dinner, Travel insurance, Gratuities, ZIP Line fares

Reviewed By jeonbuk_en

Jeonbuk has Korail Jeonbuk One-day. 2D1N tours. All you have to do is just follow amazingly talented guide. they will show you all you need and all you have to know about the Jeollabukto area.

5. Gyeongju UNESCO heritage Private tour

KOREA DISCOVERY TOUR
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

#Knowledgeable and years of experiences #Licensed tour guide #Fluent in English #Flexible schedule #Good choice of meals

Inclusions: Bottled water, Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board, Private transportation, Parking Fees, Tolls

Exclusions: Lunch, Entrance fees, Personal expenses

Reviewed By KdramaDreams

My daughter and I had an absolute blast exploring Busan with our tour guide, 정봉기. He was punctual, very funny and friendly, knowledgeable (I must have asked him a million questions and he answered all of them!! I should add patient to this list!!), and he spoke great English so there was never any problems communicating. We went from one end of Busan to the other and saw a lot of the major attractions: Busan Tower, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Haeundae Beach, really too many places to list. My two favorite places ended up being Taejongdae Cliffs (so many stairs but totally worth it for the view) and the Gamcheon Culture Village which was filled with neat shops, charming art murals around nearly every corner, statues, and colorful buildings. I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to go back. When I do, I am going to ask for the same tour guide because he was fantastic!

6. Korea Live Virtual Tour from Gyeongju, Art & Culture in HISTORY KTourTOP10

Bulguksa, 15-1 Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea Busan Mate - English Small Tour
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Instantly teleporting you to Korea right now! You can learn about the history of Silla, one of Korea's old kingdoms, which you have watched in historical K-dramas at least once. For those of you who think that Gyeongju is a boring city with only similar-looking Hanok buildings, get ready to take a look into various aspects of Gyeongju! A fun tour in the historical city Gyeongju with a local expert who will guide you with hidden stories at each UNESCO heritage site. Don't miss out as well the hidden photo zones, various experiences, and of course, food in Gyeongju! 'KTourTOP10' series consists of 10 most recommended tour themes and tour areas in Korea. Search 'KtourTOP10' in Viator to see the whole tour series! - A virtual tour with real-time communication with a local guide will make you think you are on a real trip - All participants are provided with tips on traveling Gyeongju (in a PDF file) which will be useful for future trips - Each tour is in Korean Timezone (KST)

Inclusions: Access Link to The Virtual Group Tour - 100% online., Live Professional Local Guide from Korea, Local’s Top Secret Tour Guide Book in PDF

Exclusions: PC or Mobile Device to Join Virtual Tour, Internet Connection

Reviewed By Belle S

My sister found this company online and I'm so glad she booked with them. Our party of 4 consisted of my sister, our elderly parents and myself. Our super guide Jun Eun-jong met us at our hotel, went over what sights we wanted to cover and understood our need to be flexible depending on how our parents were feeling. I cannot say enough about Jun! Her English is excellent, she is knowledgeable native of Busan, great sense of humor and just an all around joy. The vehicle we had was perfect for the four of us, easy for my parents to get in and out of, and very clean. Jun let us set the pace of the tours, never hurrying us and made sure everyone's needs were met. Lunch at a local restaurant was very good, ordered ahead as to minimize wait time. The food was good but more importantly for my mom, it was super clean. Our day lasted from 9 am to just about 5 pm, we covered what we had wanted and more. I specifically asked Jun for her business card because I would recommend her in a heart beat to anyone going to Busan. Thanks Jun!

7. Gyeongju UNESCO World Heritage Sites and History Full-Day Tour with Lunch

Busan Tourism Center
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4.8 based on 58 reviews

During this 8-hour small group tour, your dedicated guide and driver will take you around the beautiful city of Gyeongju. Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, Bulguk Temple and Seokguram Grotto, as well as other important historic places. This tour also includes lunch, entrance fees, and transportation. This tour requires a minimum of 2 to operate; if this requirement is not met the tour may be cancelled.

Inclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off, Haeundae subway station pickup and drop-off, Professional guide, Transport by air-conditioned minivan, Guaranteed to skip the long lines, Bottled water, All taxes, fees and handling charges

Exclusions: Food and drinks, unless specified, Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase), Gratuities

Reviewed By eowv

My tour was lead by Beth who is so sweet, knowledgeable and personable. I learned so much and had an amazing time. And Beth was so helpful, even taking the time to help me sort out my issue with my train to Seoul. And I am grateful to the company too as accommodations were made for me to be able to go on both the tours I booked with them. 10/10 on all three accounts.

8. Korail Day Trip to Gyeongju's Unesco World Heritage Sites from Seoul

Singyeongju Station, 80 Singyeongjuyeong-ro, Geoncheon-eup, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea Travel in South Korea with the top leading Korean Travel Agency: Aju Incentive - Gyeongju
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4.7 based on 3 reviews

Journey down to Gyeongju from Seoul by taking a ride on Korea's bullet train, KTX. After the 2 hour ride, explore into the past of Korean history, religion, and science. The 5-hour guided tour will amaze you as you discover the wonders of an old Buddhist temple, ancient tombs, and the oldest existing astronomical observatory in Asia. You will head back to Seoul in awe and understanding why the historic sites at Gyeongju were registered as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Driver/guide, Private tour with private transportation (with fuel surcharge), Pick up/ Drop off at SinGyeongju Station

Exclusions: Meals, Gratuities, Drop-off/ Pickup at Seoul Station

9. Gyeongju Small Group One Day Tour from Busan (Max. 7)

Jungang-daero, Choryang 3(sam)-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea Triends
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4.5 based on 25 reviews

From 57 BC – 935 AD, Gyeongju was the capital of the once powerful Silla Kingdom. Silla is known for having a very dynamic culture and heavy focus on arts and therefore many cultural artifacts have survived throughout Korea’s tumultuous history. Gyeongju is a city where the historical feeling of the kingdom still can be felt and experienced even today as it is so well preserved. During the tour, you can experience Gyeongju’s magical mix of history, tradition, and nature while we visit some of the historical sites that the city has to offer.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, All Fees and Taxes

Exclusions: Lunch, souvenirs

Reviewed By AnselmJo

I booked the tour with three friends. There was no one else with us, so we had the comfortable bus to ourselves. The guide Jesse spoke English very well and was very flexible and in a good mood. We talked a lot about everything. We really enjoyed it with him. He also took some nice pictures of us during the tour. I am happy to do a tour with him again. :)

10. 2-Day Gyeongju Rail Tour from Seoul

Paju, Paju, Gyeonggi-do Travel in South Korea with the top leading Korean Travel Agency: Aju Incentive - Gyeongju

Journey by bullet train from Seoul to Gyeongju to experience a 5-hour guided tour as part of this 2-day adventure. During your guided tour, learn about Korea’s history, religion, and science by visiting a Buddhist temple, ancient tombs, and the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia. Your tour includes train tickets to and from Seoul (on consecutive days) as well as overnight accommodation in Gyeongju.

Inclusions: Local & professional guide, Private tour with private transportation , Overnight accommodation, Breakfast, Pickup from SinGyeongju Station & Drop-off at Gyeongju Hotel

Exclusions: Lunch, Dinner, Pickup at Seoul Station, Gratuities

Reviewed By suemacp6

Great day with our English speaking guide. As a retired local school teacher, Sarah made our day very enjoyable and informative. Would happily recommend this day trip to a beautiful historical part of Korea. So glad we made the effort.

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