City Tour: The 5 best (smaller) cities in Korea

Now, I’m not talking about the uber-big cities, like Seoul or Busan (although they’re great). I’m talking about those smaller ones that took my breath away from the moment I first arrived. These are five cities in Korea you must visit.

One day you might hop up to Seoul and realise you’re not as enchanted by the towering apartment blocks and neon signs as you once were. You begin to long for a different city, but where should you go? Busan, done. Daegu, done. Daejeon, done. What are some of the best (smaller) cities that offer a unique experience while still being full of activities to keep you entertained? Luckily, I’ve scoured Korea to come up with my five favourite cities. I like each of these cities for different reasons. Either because they offer a different pace of life for the weekend, or have stunning architecture unlike surrounding areas. So add these to your travel list and enjoy all the amazing places that Korea has to offer.

1. Jeonju
2. Pohang
3. Sokcho
4. Gyeongju
5. Boryeong

Jeonju

This city hands-down has the best food. Delicious bibimbap and tasty Dakgalbi. Quite a few of the foods I mention here can be found in Jeonju. The famous PNB bakery offers their sweet, sweet choco-pies. Plus, you can wash this feast down with Jeonju’s chestnut rice wine. If you’re still peckish after all this food, you can sample some of Jeonju’s varied street cuisine. Did someone say coin bread and torched marshmallow ice cream for dessert? There’s no going hungry in this city, making it one of my favourite places in Korea. Jeonju is perfect for both culinary connoisseurs and hungry travellers, and it is a great place to check off many traditional foods on your list. After all, this was the city where I first tried silkworm as a side dish. 

Once you’ve filled up on delicious delights, you can take a gentle stroll around the hanok village to digest. You might be familiar with the famous traditional villages found in Seoul like Buckchon, but Jeonju has its very own collection of authentic Korean buildings. Jeonju throws the doors of these buildings wide open to the public, with some hanok structures housing cute cafes, while others are home to beautiful gift shops. Dress up in hanbok and stroll through these streets to feel like a King in the Joseon dynasty. You can even consider sleeping in the hanok village while staying in Jeonju, to gain an unparalleled experience of traditional Korean life. Just note that this isn’t your usual hotel experience. It’s far far better. 

Pohang

Okay, so there are three beach cities on this list, so I obviously have a type. Being a peninsula, Korea has a lot of beautiful coasts and beautiful cities to match. Just above Busan, it’s easy to get to Pohang by train, bus or car. And I’d recommend a car, or shelling out for taxis if you want to explore this city to its fullest as the bus can be a little slow and difficult to predict. Pohang differs from bigger cities by having a certain small-town charm. This charm might be the reason the K-drama “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” was filmed here. Go visit the iconic boat atop a mountain that appears several times in the Kdrama and relive the action you’ve seen on Netflix.

Don’t worry if you’re not a Kdrama buff, there are other fun things to see and do in this city. My favourite activity was the Pohang Skywalk. Note: this is not the best activity if you’re afraid of heights, but if you can face your fears, it offers stunning views of the coastline and city. Even from ground level, this structure plays fun tricks on your eyes and is cool for some group photos. If the sound of all this upside-down, highrise walking makes you feel queasy, head to the beach and check out the cool sand sculptures there. It’s fun to pose with these statues and produce some quirky shots for your Insta.

Sokcho

My word for Sokcho would be ‘healing’. Something about this city cleansed my soul and helped me to fall in love with Korea all over again after. Now, this city isn’t easy to get to. Most of Korea is well connected by railway, but it’s actually easier to travel by bus to get to this rural city up in Gangwon-do. Once you finally arrive, all the hours packed in a coach will become worthwhile. A long stretch of beach is the foreground to a glitzy Ferris wheel backdrop in this city’s beachscape. The ruralness of this city helps it to stand out as a place uncluttered by the pressures of a busy life. Walk along the streets and see families wander unhurried into restaurants packed with seafood. 

Don’t fret about Sokcho being too rural for you as it’s easy to visit other surrounding cities or attractions while you’re staying here. With Sokcho as your base, it’s easy to hop on a bus to Seoraksan, a local mountain with incredible views. On this hike, I saw not one, but two amazing waterfalls and truly felt like I had earnt my lunch after all the steps. Yangyang is also just down the road if you’re craving more nightlife or want to try your hand at surfing. If you enjoy planting yourself on the beach for a day, Sokcho and Yangyang are two ideal cities for you. 

Gyeongju

If you’re looking for stunning photos, this is the place to go. The landscape, the nature, the weather. It was all perfect when I visited Gyeongju. Just a bus ride from Daegu, this city is brilliant for history buffs who might be interested in seeing Cheomseongdae, a large astronomical clock from the Silla Kingdom. If you’re planning to visit this city, I recommend you go during cherry blossom season (March and April). Dressing up in pastel hanbok and walking past the ancient tombs, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the marvellous culture and history of the city. And you might think you can visit cherry blossom trees in countless other cities around Korea (and you would be correct) but nowhere else have I seen such an amazing field of canola flowers, with their vivid yellow buds. Soak up the spring in this beautiful city.

If history doesn’t pique your interest and you prefer to focus on the here and now, Gyeongju also has a thrilling theme park (justly named Gyeongju World) perched next to an extensive lake. It’s worth wandering away from the historic centre to explore this area of Gyeongju, nestled within mountains. Gyeongju World offers countless rides to attract thrill seekers, from stomach-lurching rollercoasters to adorable arcade areas. After an action-packed day at the theme park, you can pop a squat next to the lake and watch the swan boats peddle by. A perfect close to a day in this wonderful city. 

Boryeong

Beach, beach, beach. Boryeong can provide this. On the other side of the country to Pohang and Sokcho, Boryeong offers its own worn-out charm to the mix. I visited this city in mid-December and was still delighted by how it thrummed with life, unlike the dull beach towns in the UK that shut their doors in the colder months. You won’t be starved of entertainment in this city with a whole host of cafes, restaurants and bars to visit, plus the beach to enjoy. If you need more structured fun, you can also try the Boreyeong zipline and fly across the beach like a majestic seagull. This was an exhilarating way to see the city and a good alternative to the sea train they offer. Whatever you choose to do, you won’t be bored in Boryeong.

Boryeong…Boryeong…where have I heard that name? Well, if you’re clued up on your Korean festivals, you might be aware of the Boryeong Mud Festival. This event is held in the summer, around July to August, and attracts incredible amounts of tourists. Not only is this festival an excuse to enjoy the great skin care properties of mud, but you can let loose in the seaside town and enjoy a large-scale party of wet, muddy fun. The mud festival offers a very unique experience, unparalleled by any other festival in Korea for its quirkiness, making Boryeong a must-visit city on my list. 

Seoul, Busan or…

Which city did you think sounded the best? Did you like the idea of gouging yourself on Jeonju’s cuisine or feeling like royalty in the streets of Gyeongju? Maybe you want to party it up at Boryeong’s mud festival or act out an iconic Kdrama scene in Pohang. Whatever your interests are, these five cities accommodate a wide range of tastes, making them very special places in Korea. Before arriving in Korea, Seoul and Busan were the only cities on my lips, but it didn’t take long to discover there is more to this country than these two immense cities.