Andong

Andong is a small city in the province of North Gyeongsang, in the east of South Korea, and it is often described as the spiritual and cultural heart of the country. For centuries it was home to some of the most important scholars of the Joseon dynasty, and the Confucian values that shaped Korean society for more than five hundred years are still visible in its villages, its academies and its customs. Most visitors come for a single day from Seoul or Busan, but those who stay longer find a place of quiet beauty and a table that is particular to the region.

Hahoe Folk Village is the main sight. It lies in a bend of the Nakdong River, which wraps around the settlement on three sides, and it is one of the best preserved traditional villages in Korea. The Ryu family has lived here for some six hundred years, and the thatched cottages and the tiled mansions of the old aristocracy are still occupied by their descendants. The layout follows the principles of geomancy, with the river, the mountain and the pine forest arranged around it, and the village was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2010. A walk along the lanes and the river path is the best way to feel the calm of the place, and the sandy riverbank across the water offers a view of the whole settlement. Visitors should remember that people still live in the houses, so keep your voice low, respect the signs that mark private homes and avoid entering courtyards that are closed.

From Buyongdae Cliff, across the river, the view over Hahoe and the bend of the Nakdong is one of the best-known landscapes in Korea. The village is also the home of the Hahoe mask dance, known as Byeolsin-gut Talnori, a folk ritual that combines humour, satire, spirituality and folk beliefs. Performers wear wooden masks that are among the most famous in the country, and the dance mocks the aristocrats and the monks in a lively performance. Shows are held at set times, usually not on Mondays, and the Andong Mask Dance Festival in autumn draws visitors from all over the world.

The Confucian heritage is just as striking. Byeongsan Seowon, a Confucian academy at the foot of a mountain facing the river, is a masterpiece of Joseon architecture, with wooden pavilions and lecture halls arranged to harmonise with the landscape, and it is part of a group of academies listed by UNESCO in 2019. Dosan Seowon, further north, honours Yi Hwang, known as Toegye, the great scholar whose ideas on education and morality still influence Korea. Ryu Seong-ryong, who served as prime minister during the war with Japan at the end of the sixteenth century, was also born in Hahoe, and the stories of the two men are part of every guided visit.

Buddhist heritage is also present. Bongjeongsa Temple, in the hills north of the city, preserves a hall that is considered one of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in Korea, and the temple's setting among trees, with long stone steps, offers a restful stop. Other temples, pavilions and old houses are scattered through the countryside, and the Woryeonggyo Bridge, a long wooden footbridge across the Nakdong, is a favourite place for a walk, especially at dusk, when it is lit.

Food in Andong is hearty and distinctive. Jjimdak, braised chicken with potatoes, glass noodles and vegetables in a sweet and spicy soy sauce, is the city's most famous dish, and the street of restaurants that serve it in the old market is one of the main attractions. Heotjesabap, a ceremonial rice dish prepared for ancestral rites, shows the link between food and tradition, and salted mackerel, called ganjaengi, is a regional speciality. Andong soju, a traditional distilled spirit, is a more refined alternative to the mass-produced variety, and many families still make their own.

Getting here has become simpler. The KTX-Eum train connects Seoul with Andong in about two hours, and buses link the city with Daegu, Busan and Gyeongju. From the station, the main sights are spread across a wide area, and taxis and private cars are the easiest way to reach them. A day trip from Seoul is possible but long, and a night in a hanok guesthouse gives a more relaxed visit. Spring brings blossoms, autumn brings colour to the hills, and winter is cold, with snow that makes the village look beautiful.

One day is enough to see Hahoe, Byeongsan Seowon and Bongjeongsa with a guide who can drive and explain the history, and a second day adds Dosan Seowon, the mask dance museum and the market. Distances are long, and a private tour is a practical choice. The Andong experience on Excurze is a private nine-hour tour with a licensed guide that links the two UNESCO sites, the temple and the mask dance. Our concierge can combine it with Gyeongju, Daegu and Busan, and arrange the trains, the hanok stay and the dinners for a trip through the cultural centre of Korea.