Cathedral
Our Lady of Lourdes CathedralAn icon and motif of Daegu, this lovely cruciform church is quite a sight, with its twin spires. Originally constructed in wood, the first incarnation…
Image by Copyright of Jeffrey Yap, Jeff Ryan Studio / Getty Images
Daegu
South Korea’s fourth-largest city is a pleasant and progressive place with a fascinating traditional-medicine market; a historic central area packed with heritage, old churches and missionary residences; some excellent eating options; and a humming downtown that’s good fun to explore. The city is a popular place for exchange students and English teachers, and the large student population gives Daegu (대구) a young and carefree feel.
A simple, three-line subway system makes getting around easy, and Daegu (sometimes spelled Taegu) is also a great hub for day trips; including to Haein-sa and Jikji-sa, both of which offer templestays.
The name Daegu means 'Big Hill', deriving from the hanja characters you will see on maps and signs: 大邱.
Explore Daegu
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Daegu.
Church
Daegu Jeil ChurchThis red brick structure is one of the city's historic churches. Within the church is a fascinating history of the building and a collection of Bibles and…
Museum
Daegu National MuseumThis excellent museum has English labelling throughout most of its collection – and what a collection. Armour, jewellery, Buddhist relics from various…
Market
Daegu’s Herbal Medicine MarketThis market, west of the central shopping district, has a history as vast as its scope. It dates from 1658, making it Korea’s oldest medicine market and…
Tomb
Bullo-dong Tumuli-gongwonIn the north end of the city, Bullo-dong Tumuli-gongwon is an enormous open space covering some 330,000 sq metres. The grassy hillocks that rise like…
School
Daegu Hyanggyo Confucian SchoolThis tranquil Confucian School at the heart of Daegu is an oasis of introspective calm which dates to 1398 (though it was burned down by the Japanese and…
Area
Cheongna HillNot far from Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral is this very historic hilly area of Daegu, which contains various early-20th-century missionary houses and…
Gardens
Daegu ArboretumThese superb botanical gardens in the south of town offer shade from the sun and a huge range of trees and plants, as well as several large greenhouses…
Museum
Daegu Yangnyeongsi Museum of Oriental MedicineAn interactive museum on the upper two levels has re-creations of traditional clinics and video quizzes, but offers a decreasing number of English…
Museum
Daegu Modern History MuseumLocated within the fabulous former Joseon Siksan Bank building (check out the brickwork) which dates to 1918, this very educational museum gives you the…
Park
Gyeongsanggamyeong ParkOnce known as Central Park, this is a beautiful spot to flee from Daegu's modernity and fumes; it's a place of birdsong, where old folk and couples gather…
Monument
Monument to the Old City WallThis monument records the existence of the old city wall that once ringed the town. The wall was pulled down in 1905, but its history survives in road…
Buddhist Temple
Daeseong-saA temple in Apsan-gongwon, southern Daegu, with a large, white standing stone Buddha.