3 days 2 nights in Gongju for friends
First visit to Gongju: 3 days: a route through Gongsanseong & Jemincheon Old Town → Muryeong Tomb, Museum & Gomanaru → Geum River & Sinkwan-dong. 20 stops, estimated cost about ₩120,000 per person (excluding lodging).
Based on public transit and walking · Walking: Heavy · Timetable includes travel time
The timetable below is built from the distances between stops. You can follow it as is, or open the Gongju planner at the bottom of the page to swap any stop and have the times recalculated.
Day 1 · Gongsanseong & Jemincheon Old Town
Starts at 10:00 and wraps up around 20:00. 7 stops, about ₩35,000 per person.
10:00
This hillside fortress above the Geum River was the royal citadel of Ungjin, the Baekje ca…
1 hr 40 min · Under ₩10,000 · From Gongju Intercity Bus Terminal it is about a 20-minute walk across Geumgang Bridge, or a short taxi ride. City buses stop near Sanseong Market, five minutes on foot from the west gate, and a paid lot sits at the gate. (Show a driver: 공산성)
17 min walk · ~1.2 km
11:57
A long-standing Chinese-Korean restaurant in the old town, the sort of place where residen…
50 min · Under ₩10,000 · It is a short walk from Jemincheon in the central old town, about ten minutes from Sanseong Market. Nearby street parking is limited. (Show a driver: 진흥각)
9 min walk · ~670 m
12:56
This is the largest traditional market in Gongju, on the north side of the old town, and i…
1 hr · Under ₩10,000 · It sits in front of the Sanseong Market bus stop, and a public parking tower stands next door. From the intercity bus terminal, a city bus takes roughly ten minutes. (Show a driver: 공주산성시장)
11 min walk · ~790 m
14:07
A dessert cafe themed around the chestnut, between the literature museum and the boarding-house lanes.
45 min · Under ₩10,000 · Walk about ten minutes from Sanseong Market, close to the Na Tae-ju museum and the boarding-house lanes. (Show a driver: 체스넛프렌즈)
13 min walk · ~910 m
15:05
Jemincheon is a narrow stream that runs north through the old town before it joins the Geu…
50 min · Free · Get off at the Sanseong Market stop and walk down to the water, or park in the public tower beside the market and start from there. Naver Map shows the stream path clearly. (Show a driver: 제민천 산책로)
10 min walk · ~750 m
17:40
A noodle shop on a lane near Jemincheon that serves knife-cut wheat noodles in a clear, savory broth.
40 min · Under ₩10,000 · Five minutes on foot from Sanseong Market, close to the stream path. Street parking is tight; use the market tower. (Show a driver: 고가네칼국수)
~17 min by transit · 1.7 km
19:00
A broad riverside park on the north bank of the Geum River, facing the fortress across the water.
1 hr · Free · It is a 10-minute walk from Gongju Intercity Bus Terminal. City buses run from the old town; free parking is available. (Show a driver: 금강신관공원)
What to bring and keep in mindA rechargeable transit card (T-money, or the Climate Card in Seoul) works on subways and buses with free transfers. Buy one at a convenience store or station and top it up with cash. Foreign credit cards and cash work in most shops and taxis, but keep some cash for markets and rural buses. A power bank helps too.
Palaces, historic houses and temples stop admitting visitors 30 to 60 minutes before closing, so do not save them for last.
For outdoor walks, wear comfortable shoes and carry a bottle of water. It gets windy after sunset, so bring a layer.
Lots of walking today. Plan one long rest at a cafe somewhere in the middle.
Day 2 · Muryeong Tomb, Museum & Gomanaru
Starts at 09:00 and wraps up around 20:00. 7 stops, about ₩35,000 per person.
09:00
The Songsan-ri hillside holds the tombs of Baekje kings, and the star is the burial of Kin…
1 hr 20 min · Under ₩10,000 · Take a city bus or taxi from the old town, about ten minutes; it is also a 20-minute walk from the National Museum. A parking lot sits at the entrance. (Show a driver: 공주 무령왕릉과 왕릉원)
10 min walk · ~710 m
11:40
A noodle shop focused on pure buckwheat noodles served in a cold, tangy broth or with a sp…
40 min · Under ₩10,000 · It is a few minutes' walk from Gongsanseong's west gate area, and a short taxi ride from the bus terminal. There is no dedicated lot, so use public parking nearby. (Show a driver: 매향)
12 min walk · ~860 m
12:32
This national museum holds the finest treasures from Baekje's Ungjin period, and above all…
1 hr 30 min · Free · From Gongju Intercity Bus Terminal take a taxi or city bus, roughly ten to fifteen minutes; there is a large parking lot on site. It sits beside the royal tombs. (Show a driver: 국립공주박물관)
14 min walk · ~990 m
14:16
A bakery known for pies and breads that use whole Gongju chestnuts, sweet and dense inside a flaky crust.
40 min · Under ₩10,000 · It sits a few minutes' walk from Gongsanseong's west gate; paid parking lot nearby. A taxi from the terminal takes ten minutes. (Show a driver: 베이커리 밤마을)
~16 min by transit · 1.3 km
15:12
A cluster of newly built hanok, traditional Korean houses, set on a slope near the tombs and the National Museum.
1 hr · Free · Take a taxi from the old town in about ten minutes, or walk from the National Museum in around ten. Parking is on site. (Show a driver: 공주한옥마을)
17 min walk · ~1.2 km
17:40
A family-run gukbap house, serving the clear beef-bone rice soup that Gongju is known for.
40 min · Under ₩10,000 · A short walk from the fortress west gate in the old town, and a few minutes from Sanseong Market. Roadside parking is limited. (Show a driver: 새이학가든)
~17 min by transit · 1.4 km
19:00
Gomanaru was an old ferry crossing on the Geum River, and its name is tied to a legend about a bear.
1 hr · Free · It is a 15-minute taxi or city-bus ride from the old town, and a short walk from Gongju Hanok Village. Free parking is available. (Show a driver: 고마나루 솔밭)
What to bring and keep in mindSome stops need a reservation. Tap the reservation tag on the card to check in advance.
Palaces, historic houses and temples stop admitting visitors 30 to 60 minutes before closing, so do not save them for last.
For outdoor walks, wear comfortable shoes and carry a bottle of water. It gets windy after sunset, so bring a layer.
Lots of walking today. Plan one long rest at a cafe somewhere in the middle.
Day 3 · Geum River & Sinkwan-dong
Starts at 09:00 and wraps up around 18:30. 6 stops, about ₩45,000 per person.
09:00
A small island park in the middle of the Geum River, linked to the north bank by a short bridge.
50 min · Free · A 10-minute walk from the riverside park, and a short taxi ride from the bus terminal. Parking near the bridge. (Show a driver: 미르섬)
~20 min by transit · 2.6 km
11:40
This old-school Chinese-Korean restaurant is known for a clear but fiery jjamppong, a seaf…
40 min · Under ₩10,000 · A short taxi ride from the old town; a car is easiest, with parking nearby. (Show a driver: 동해원)
~18 min by transit · 1.9 km
12:38
Built in the 1930s on a rise at the east edge of the old town, this red-brick Gothic church is still a working parish.
30 min · Free · Walk about seven minutes from the Sanseong Market stop. Drivers can leave the car at the History Museum lot and climb the connecting steps. (Show a driver: 공주중동성당)
~19 min by transit · 2.2 km
13:27
A bright, roomy cafe built around waffles and shaved ice, with Gongju chestnuts as a signature topping on the ice.
50 min · ₩10,000–30,000 · A taxi from the bus terminal takes around ten minutes; there is a parking lot. (Show a driver: 미세스피베리)
16 min walk · ~1.2 km
14:33
A steel truss bridge across the Geum River, built in the 1930s and now a symbol of Gongju.
30 min · Free · It connects the old town with Sinkwan-dong, about a 15-minute walk from the bus terminal; the old-town side has parking. (Show a driver: 금강교)
~17 min by transit · 1.7 km
17:40
A Chinese-Korean restaurant north of the river, known for tangsuyuk, crisp sweet-and-sour …
50 min · ₩10,000–30,000 · It lies north of the river, about 15 minutes by taxi from the bus terminal; there is a parking lot. (Show a driver: 피탕김탕)
What to bring and keep in mindPalaces, historic houses and temples stop admitting visitors 30 to 60 minutes before closing, so do not save them for last.
For outdoor walks, wear comfortable shoes and carry a bottle of water. It gets windy after sunset, so bring a layer.
A rechargeable transit card (T-money, or the Climate Card in Seoul) works on subways and buses with free transfers. Buy one at a convenience store or station and top it up with cash. Foreign credit cards and cash work in most shops and taxis, but keep some cash for markets and rural buses. A power bank helps too.