South of Seoul lies Onyang, Korea’s oldest hot spring resort, famed for waters that have drawn emperors and scholars since the Baekje kingdom. The town’s bathhouses and hotels still channel these mineral springs, offering soaks said to ease circulation and restore energy. Beyond the baths, Onyang reveals a slower pace — tree-lined boulevards, local markets, and a legacy of healing rituals woven into everyday life. It’s both a retreat from the capital and a living link to Korea’s centuries-old bathing tradition.

Known as “the museum without walls,” Gyeongju was once the capital of the Silla dynasty, and its heritage lingers in temple eaves, ancient tombs, and lantern-lit streets. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, both UNESCO treasures, reveal the spiritual artistry of early Korea. The city’s tumuli parks, filled with grassy royal burial mounds, sit alongside quiet teahouses and markets. Cycling through the city or joining an evening lantern ritual connects you to a history that feels deeply alive.