One day in Jeonju Hanok Village

One day in Jeonju Hanok Village: heritage on foot, then bibimbap

With around 700 hanok, Jeonju Hanok Village is Korea's largest and only urban traditional hanok village. Entry to the village is free and it is open all year. Jeonju is also Korea's first UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

A day trip from Seoul is possible. The sights around the village are easy to combine on foot: Gyeonggijeon, Jeondong Cathedral and Pungnammun in the morning, Omokdae and Imokdae, Jaman Mural Village and Jeonju Hyanggyo in the afternoon, and Jeonju bibimbap for dinner.

• Morning: Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Jeondong Cathedral, Pungnammun Gate
• Afternoon: Omokdae and Imokdae, Jaman Mural Village, Jeonju Hyanggyo (closed Mondays)
• Evening: Jeonju bibimbap; with time left, bus or taxi to Deokjin Park's Yeonhwajeong Library (closed Mondays)

• Jeonju travel guide →

Getting to Jeonju: about 1 hr 40 min by KTX from Yongsan

Take the KTX from Yongsan Station in Seoul to Jeonju Station. It takes about 1 hr 40 min; check times and fares on Korail's official site (korail.com).

Express buses run from Seoul Central City Terminal to Jeonju Express Bus Terminal in about 2 hr 40 min. Check timetables and fares on the bus operators' official booking sites.

From the station or terminal, take a city bus to the Hanok Village. Check routes with a map app or official information. With luggage, a taxi is handy. Korea Tourism Organization's 1330 Travel Hotline (+82-2-1330) answers transport and travel questions.

• KTX: Yongsan Station to Jeonju Station about 1 hr 40 min; check fares with Korail
• Express bus: Central City Terminal to Jeonju Express Bus Terminal about 2 hr 40 min; check fares with the operators
• Station or terminal to the Hanok Village: city bus (check routes with a map app or official info) or taxi

• Another KTX trip: Gangneung in 2 days →

Morning: Gyeonggijeon, Jeondong Cathedral, Pungnammun

Start at Gyeonggijeon Shrine, inside the Hanok Village. Founded in 1410, this Historic Site holds the portrait of King Taejo, founder of the Joseon dynasty, and has a main hall, stone walls and a bamboo forest. It closes at 18:00 November–February, 20:00 June–August and 19:00 otherwise, with last entry 1 hour before closing. It is free on the last Wednesday of each month, for ages 6 and under, and for ages 65 and over.

Jeondong Cathedral was built on the very spot where Catholic martyrs of the Joseon dynasty died. Made of gray and red brick, it mixes Byzantine and Romanesque styles and was designed by the priest who designed Seoul's Myeongdong Cathedral. It is a working church with Mass, so check Mass times on its official site (jeondong.or.kr) and visit quietly.

Pungnammun Gate is a Joseon-era Treasure that was the southernmost of Jeonju's four city gates. It is open all year.

• Gyeonggijeon: adults (25–64) KRW 3,000, ages 13–24 KRW 2,000, ages 7–12 KRW 1,000
• Gyeonggijeon closing: 18:00 Nov–Feb, 20:00 Jun–Aug, 19:00 otherwise (last entry 1 hour before)
• Jeondong Cathedral: check Mass times at jeondong.or.kr
• Pungnammun Gate: open all year

Afternoon: Omokdae and Imokdae, Jaman Mural Village

In the afternoon, head uphill. Omokdae is a Historic Site on a steep hilltop where Yi Seong-gye, later King Taejo, stopped to celebrate his victory over Japanese raiders at Unbong, Hwangsan. Across a bridge, Imokdae lies at the foot of Seungamsan Mountain.

Jaman Mural Village sits on the ridge between Omokdae and Imokdae. Colorful murals cover its buildings and walls, and the Hanok Village is visible from the wide street. The climb is steep, so wear comfortable shoes.

• Omokdae: the hilltop Historic Site where Yi Seong-gye celebrated his victory
• Imokdae: across a bridge, at the foot of Seungamsan Mountain
• Jaman Mural Village: steep climb, wear comfortable shoes

Late afternoon: Jeonju Hyanggyo, then Deokjin Park

Jeonju Hyanggyo was a Joseon-era local Confucian school. Daeseongjeon Hall enshrines the tablets of 7 Chinese and 18 Korean scholars. Its 400-year-old ginkgo tree makes it most beautiful in fall. It is free and closed on Mondays; if Monday is a public holiday, it closes the next business day.

In the Hanok Village you can book a hanok stay or visit the Hanok Life Experience Hall, and there are hanbok and traditional performance experiences. If you want to stay a night, look at hanok stays.

With time left, take a bus or taxi to Deokjin Park. The ㄱ-shaped hanok library Yeonhwajeong stands in the middle of its lotus pond. The library is open 10:00–19:00, closed Mondays, and free. Summer lotus flowers are even more beautiful at night.

• Jeonju Hyanggyo: free, closed Mondays (next business day if Monday is a public holiday)
• Hanok Village experiences: hanok stays, Hanok Life Experience Hall, hanbok, traditional performances
• Deokjin Park Yeonhwajeong Library: 10:00–19:00, closed Mondays, free

What to eat in Jeonju, and the budget

Dinner is Jeonju bibimbap: seasoned vegetables, beef and yellow mung bean jelly on warm rice, mixed with red chili paste. The ingredients are arranged in a circle so the colors blend evenly. There is also kongnamul-gukbap, rice soup with crunchy bean sprouts in a rich anchovy and seafood broth, hanjeongsik set meals and kalguksu, and for a snack, the Jeonju Choco Pie made with chocolate, strawberry jam and cream.

Hanok Village entry and Jeonju Hyanggyo are free, so walking the sights costs little. The paid site is Gyeonggijeon, KRW 3,000 for adults. Check KTX and express bus fares on Korail and the bus operators' official sites, and hotel and food costs on booking sites. If you stay in a hanok, accommodation is most of the budget.

• Jeonju bibimbap: vegetables, beef and mung bean jelly in a circle, mixed with chili paste
• Kongnamul-gukbap: bean sprouts in anchovy and seafood broth
• Hanjeongsik: a Korean set-course meal
• Kalguksu: knife-cut noodle soup
• Jeonju Choco Pie: a snack with chocolate, strawberry jam and cream

Checklist before you go

Jeonju Hyanggyo and Yeonhwajeong Library close on Mondays. On a Monday, drop them and focus on the sites inside the Hanok Village. Gyeonggijeon's closing time changes by season and last entry is 1 hour before, so it is easiest to see it in the morning.

The climb to Jaman Mural Village is steep, so wear comfortable shoes. Entry rules for Korea depend on your nationality, so check official information before you travel. Weather, event dates and fees can change, so check official information before you go.

• KTX and express bus timetables and fares: check official info
• Mondays: Jeonju Hyanggyo and Yeonhwajeong Library closed
• Gyeonggijeon last entry: 1 hour before closing
• Comfortable shoes (steep climb to Jaman Mural Village)
• Fees and opening hours: check official info

• Full Jeonju travel guide →
• Another Korea trip: Jeju in 3 days →

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