Excursion Gyengju: thousand-year-old cultural heritage tour at Busan

Discover Gyeongju, the museum without walls, on this full-day tour. Drive 1.5 hours north of Ulsan to the modern city of Gyeongju, with its historical area that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the southern part of Korea was first unified under the Silla Kingdom; many archaeological remains can be seen in the area.

Gyeongju was once the capital of the Shilla Kingdom and blossomed into a major cultural center after the Shilla Dynasty unified the Korean peninsula in AD 676. Today, Gyeongju is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with highlights that are revealed on your tour of the city; see spectacular architectural points of interest, as well as extraordinary museums and ornate temples.

Proceed to the Gyeongju National Museum, where much of the Shilla heritage is on display, including artifacts such as magnificent gold crowns, ancient pottery, Buddhist treasures and stone sculptures. A special attraction is the legendary Emille Bell, one of Asia's largest and most resonant bronze bells, weighing 23 tons.

Then move to Tumuli Park, where there are numerous burial mounds, as well as 23 of the more than 200 royal tombs found in Gyeongju. The Cheonmachong (Heavenly Horse Tomb) was excavated in 1974 and yielded more than 10,000 treasures.

After enjoying a Korean style buffet lunch, take a tour of the Bulguska Temple before making the 90-minute drive to the ship.

Points of interests

points of interest to see, as well as extraordinary museums and ornate temples. Continue to the Gyeongju National Museum, where much of the Shilla heritage is on display, including artifacts such as magnificent gold crowns, ancient pottery, Buddhist treasures and stone sculptures. Visit Tumuli Park, where there are numerous burial mounds, as well as 23 of the more than 200 royal tombs found in Gyeongju. After lunch, visit the Bulguska Temple before returning to the ship. Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Gyeongju (UNESCO World Heritage Site0, Gyeongju National Museum, Bulgaska Temple

Note

Please note: Order of sites visited may vary. There are over three hours of driving involved on this tour, not include transfer time in between sites. There are more than 50 steps required to enter the museum building, making this part of the tour unsuitable for guests with limited mobility or for those in wheelchairs. Guests needing to miss a walking portion of the tour may remain on the coach. Casual clothes and comfortable shoes are recommended.