Gyeonggi-do Travel Guide: All 31 Cities and Counties

Gyeonggi-do is the province that wraps around Seoul. Leave the capital in any direction, by subway, bus or train, and you are in it within minutes: a UNESCO fortress to the south, the DMZ to the north, river valleys and pottery towns to the east, mudflats and migrant food streets to the west. Many travellers see one or two of these places on a tour and never realise how much else sits within a subway ride.

The province has 31 local governments: 28 cities and 3 counties. We wrote a guide to every one of them. Each city guide answers the same four questions: how to get there from Seoul, what the place is known for, what is worth seeing, and where locals actually eat. This page is the map of the series. Use the region tables to find a city that fits the time you have, then follow the link for routes, opening hours and restaurants.

Which Gyeonggi cities are worth a day trip from Seoul?

If you have one free day and have not been to Gyeonggi before, start with Suwon, Yongin, Paju, Gapyeong, Gwangju or Ansan. These six have the strongest single reason to go, and none of them needs a car: a train, the subway or a direct bus gets you there.

For a shorter shortlist with door-to-door travel times, see our 6 Gyeonggi-do day trips from Seoul. If you only want places on the subway map, Seoul’s 12 neighbouring cities covers the ones that touch the city line.

---

What are the cities just south of Seoul known for?

This is the easiest belt to visit: seven cities strung along Line 1, Line 4 and the Sinbundang Line, most of them 10 to 60 minutes from Seoul with no transfer. Suwon is the headline; the others make good half-days or pair up with each other.

🚇 South of Seoul: 7 cities (routes and dishes from each city guide)

City	Known for	Fastest route from Seoul	One must-eat
Gwacheon	Seoul Grand Park zoo, MMCA Gwacheon, the easy way up Gwanaksan	Line 4 Sadang → Seoul Grand Park, 4 stops, about 10 min	Buckwheat makguksu by Seonbawi Station
Anyang	Anyang Art Park, Kim Chung-up Architecture Museum, Anyangcheon	Line 1 Seoul Station → Anyang, about 30 min	Sundae-gopchang stir-fry in Jungang Market’s gopchang alley
Gunpo	Azalea Hill in late April, Suri-san, Banwol Lake	Line 4 Sadang → Suri-san, 12 stops	Brisket seolleongtang at Gunpo Sikdang (since 1959)
Uiwang	Railroad Museum, rail bike round Wangsong Lake	Line 1 Seoul Station → Uiwang, 18 stops	Barley-rice set by Baegun Lake
Seongnam	Moran 5-day market, Pangyo and Bundang, Jeongja-dong café street	Sinbundang Line Gangnam → Pangyo, 4 stops	Chicken porridge in Namhansanseong Dakjuk Village
Suwon	UNESCO Hwaseong Fortress, Haenggung palace, Haengridan-gil	KTX Seoul Station → Suwon, 34–40 min (few trains); Line 1 about 1 hr	Salt-seasoned Suwon galbi at Yeonpo Galbi
Osan	Doksanseong hill fort, Mulhyanggi Arboretum, Jukmiryeong Peace Park	Line 1 Seoul Station → Osan, about 1 hr 15 min	Handmade tofu at Kongmadang below the fort

Gwacheon, Anyang, Gunpo and Uiwang sit next to each other on Lines 1 and 4, so two of them fit in one day. Osan is three to five stops past Suwon and works best as an add-on to the fortress. Seongnam’s Moran market only runs on dates ending in 4 or 9.

What is in the far south of Gyeonggi?

Yongin, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek and Anseong are farther out, but each has one strong draw: a theme park, a tidal sea road, a US base-town food scene and a folk performance troupe. Plan a full day for each.

🚌 Far south: 4 cities (routes and dishes from each city guide)

City	Known for	Fastest route from Seoul	One must-eat
Yongin	Everland, Korean Folk Village, Hoam Museum of Art and Hee Won	Bus 4105 Seoul Station → Everland, no transfer; bus 5002 from Gangnam	Baekam sundae-gukbap at Jeil Sikdang
Hwaseong	Jebudo sea road and cable car, UNESCO tombs of Sado and Jeongjo	Bus 1002 Sadang → Jeongok Port, 1.5–2 hrs; Line 1 to Byeongjeom for the tombs	Live-octopus hotpot at Ihwa Hoetjip
Pyeongtaek	Songtan Tourist Special Zone outside Osan Air Base, Tongbok Market	High-speed train (SRT/KTX) Suseo → Pyeongtaek Jije, 20–25 min	Songtan budae-jjigae at Kimne Jip
Anseong	Namsadang Baudeogi show, Anseong Farmland, brassware	Bus 4401 Gangnam Station → Anseong, about 80 min	Jangteo gukbap at Anil-ok

Hwaseong is not where Hwaseong Fortress is; the fortress is in Suwon. Hwaseong City holds the royal tombs the fortress was built to protect, plus the west coast. For Everland logistics, see our bus 4105 guide; for the Folk Village, Korean Folk Village tickets and shows.

---

Which Gyeonggi cities are on the west coast?

Four cities lie between Seoul and the Yellow Sea: two indoor-friendly ones close in, and two coastal ones at the end of Line 4. All four are reachable by subway.

🌊 West: 4 cities (routes and dishes from each city guide)

City	Known for	Fastest route from Seoul	One must-eat
Gwangmyeong	Gwangmyeong Cave, a 1912 mine turned theme cave; traditional market; IKEA	KTX Seoul Station → Gwangmyeong, about 20 min, then bus 77	Hand-cut kalguksu in Gwangmyeong Traditional Market
Bucheon	Korea Manhwa Museum, Art Bunker B39, the BIFAN film festival in July	Line 7 to Samsan Gymnasium, 11 stops from Gasan Digital Complex	Gopchang hotpot at Buil Gopchang Sundaeguk (since 1984)
Siheung	Gaetgol Ecological Park mudflats, Oido’s red lighthouse, Wave Park surfing	Line 4 to Oido, the last stop	Grilled clams on the Oido seawall
Ansan	Wongok-dong multicultural street, Sihwa tidal power station, Daebudo	Line 4 Seoul Station → Ansan, about 1 hr (27 stops)	Uzbek shashlik and samsa at Hursheda Samarkand

Gwangmyeong Cave is the pick for a hot summer afternoon or a rainy day. Ansan and Siheung share the Sihwa seawall: Oido is three Line 4 stops past Ansan Station, so Wongok-dong lunch and an Oido sunset fit in one trip.

---

Which Gyeonggi cities are near the DMZ?

Paju, Gimpo and Yeoncheon are the ones where you can actually look into North Korea; Paju’s Imjingak is the easiest to reach without a tour. The northern belt also holds Seoul’s commuter cities on Line 1, the old US base towns and Pocheon’s landscapes.

🕊️ North: 8 cities (routes and dishes from each city guide)

City	Known for	Fastest route from Seoul	One must-eat
Gimpo	Aegibong Peace Ecopark (North Korea views), Munsusanseong, Daemyeong Port	AREX, Line 5 or Line 9 to Gimpo Airport, then Gimpo Goldline, about 20–30 min	Seasonal seafood at Daemyeong Port fish market
Goyang	Ilsan Lake Park, Seooreung royal tombs, Haengjusanseong, KINTEX	GTX-A Seoul Station → KINTEX, about 17 min	Chicken-and-clam kalguksu at Ilsan Kalguksu
Paju	Imjingak and Freedom Bridge, Paju Book City, Heyri, Majang Lake	Bus 2200 Hapjeong → Book City, about 30 min; GTX-A to Unjeong Jungang, about 22 min	Jangdan-bean tofu at Haesmilae The Table
Yangju	Hoeamsaji temple ruins and museum, Byeolsandae mask dance, Chang Ucchin Museum	Line 1 Seoul Station → Yangju, about 60–75 min	Arrowroot naengmyeon at Uil Myeonok
Uijeongbu	The original budae-jjigae street, Uijeongbu Music Library, Jeil Market, temple hikes by Bukhansan	Line 1 Seoul Station → Uijeongbu, 22 stops, no transfer	Budae-jjigae at Odeng Sikdang (since 1960)
Dongducheon	Soyosan and Jajaeam hermitage, the Bosan-dong foreigner street by Camp Casey	Line 1 Seoul Station → Dongducheon Jungang, about 80–95 min	Budae-jjigae at Hosu Sikdang
Pocheon	Pocheon Art Valley quarry lake, Hantan River gorge, Sanjeong Lake	Intercity bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, 1 hr 10 min–1 hr 40 min	Idong galbi in Idong-myeon
Yeoncheon	Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Site, Jaein Falls, Taepung and Yeolsoe observatories	Line 1 to Jeongok or Yeoncheon, allow about 2 hrs	Bibim-guksu at Manghyang Bibim Guksu (since 1968)

---

What is east of Seoul in Gyeonggi?

East is river and mountain country: royal tombs close to Seoul, then the Han River valleys, pottery towns and two rural counties. Line 5, Line 8, the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, ITX-Cheongchun and the Gyeonggang Line from Pangyo do most of the work.

⛰️ East: 8 cities and counties (routes and dishes from each city guide)

City	Known for	Fastest route from Seoul	One must-eat
Hanam	Misa Gyeongjeong Park (1988 Olympic rowing course), Iseongsanseong, Starfield Hanam	Line 5 Gwanghwamun → Hanam, 22–25 stops, about 1 hr	Chik-naengmyeon in Deokpung-dong
Guri	Donggureung, the largest Joseon royal tomb group (UNESCO)	Line 8 Jamsil → Donggureung, 8 stops	Spicy gopchang in the Doldari alley
Namyangju	Dasan Historic Site and Silhak Museum, Sujongsa, Hongyureung	Line 8 Jamsil → Byeollae, 27 min	Soft-tofu set at Giwajip Sundubu by the river
Gapyeong (county)	Nami Island ferry dock, Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France, rail bike	ITX-Cheongchun Cheongnyangni → Gapyeong, about 42 min	Makguksu at Songwon Makguksu
Yangpyeong (county)	Dumulmeori, Semiwon, Yongmunsa’s 1,100-year-old ginkgo	Gyeongui-Jungang Line Cheongnyangni → Yangsu, about 40 min	Yangpyeong haejangguk
Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do	UNESCO Namhansanseong, Hwadam Botanic Garden, Gonjiam ceramics	Line 8 Jamsil → Sanseong, 8 stops, then bus into the fortress	Baeksuk in the fortress restaurant village
Icheon	Sagimakgol pottery village, Yes Park ceramic village, hot springs	Sinbundang Line to Pangyo, then Gyeonggang Line 7 stops to Sindundoyechon	Stone-pot rice set on the Doyechon rice street
Yeoju	Yeongneung (King Sejong’s tomb), Silleuksa, premium outlet	Gyeonggang Line Pangyo → Yeoju, about 48 min	Spicy makguksu in the Cheonseo-ri noodle village

Hanam, Guri and Namyangju are close enough for a half day. Gapyeong and Yangpyeong each fill a full day of rivers and gardens, or a night away; Icheon and Yeoju share the Gyeonggang Line, so pottery in the morning and Sejong’s tomb in the afternoon is one route. Gapyeong’s ferry dock serves Nami Island, which is technically in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do; see our Nami and Gapyeong day trip for how many stops fit in a day.

---

Which Gyeonggi cities can you reach by subway?

More than half of them. Seoul’s Lines 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8 all run into Gyeonggi, and you pay with the same T-money card. These are the easiest half-days with a single line from Seoul:

• Line 1: Anyang, Uiwang, Suwon, Osan to the south; Uijeongbu and Yangju to the north, and Yeoncheon at the far northern end.
• Line 4: Gwacheon, Gunpo, Ansan and Oido in Siheung.
• Line 5: Hanam, from Gwanghwamun with no transfer on Hanam-bound trains.
• Line 7: Bucheon and Gwangmyeong.
• Line 8: Guri, Namyangju (Byeollae) and the old town of Seongnam.
• GTX-A: Goyang (KINTEX, about 17 min from Seoul Station) and Paju (Unjeong Jungang).

---

Where should you go in Gyeonggi for food?

Go to the towns that have a dish named after them. Several Gyeonggi cities are known across Korea for one food, and eating it where it started is half the reason to visit.

• Beef galbi: Suwon's large salt-seasoned ribs, and Pocheon's Idong galbi village.
• Budae-jjigae: the street in Uijeongbu where it was first served, the Songtan style in Pyeongtaek, and the base-town version in Dongducheon.
• Rice and soups: stone-pot rice sets in Icheon and Yeoju, jangteo gukbap in Anseong, haejangguk in Yangpyeong.
• Buckwheat makguksu: Gapyeong, the Cheonseo-ri noodle village in Yeoju, and Seonbawi in Gwacheon.
• Tofu: Jangdan-bean tofu in Paju; the Jangdan Bean Festival runs November 27–29, 2026 at Imjingak.
• Gopchang alleys: Doldari in Guri and Jungang Market in Anyang.
• World food: Uzbek, Nepali, Vietnamese and Indonesian restaurants in Wongok-dong, Ansan.
• Seafood: Daemyeong Port in Gimpo, clams on the Oido seawall in Siheung, and the Hwaseong coast.