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CITYSCAPE
busan Gamcheon Culture Village
Set on a steep hill on the outskirts of Busan, this was a poor village until an art project revitalized this community in 2009. Artists began to paint murals and add street art throughout the maze of alleyways. Now the community is a living art piece and a draw for tourists to explore.
Beomeosa Temple
Located slightly north of the city on the edge of Geumjeongsan Mountain, this has been a religious site for over 1300 years. Beomeosa represents some of the best of Korean traditional architecture and even offers overnight temple stays. Nearby mountain springs, pine forests, and a grove of wisteria aid contemplation of one’s place in the natural world, giving a sense of peaceful calm.
Songdo Beach
A haven for swimmers during warm months; even off season this beach is great to visit. Extending from the sand is a large elevated walkway over the ocean to get snapshots of the lighthouse in the harbor and to see the clear blue water below. Flying overhead is a cable car affording amazing views of both sea and city that ends at Amnam Park – a protected forest reserve overlooking rocky cliffs on the water.
