Beomeosa Temple

Beomeosa sits high enough on Geumjeongsan that the city noise stops before you reach it. It was founded in 678 and rebuilt more than once, with the present main hall dating from the early seventeenth century, and the layout climbs in terraces so each courtyard stands a step above the last. The entrance gate is the piece people remember: a heavy tiled roof carried on four stone pillars instead of the usual timber, which looks wrong until it looks right. A valley of old wisteria above the temple flowers in May. It is a working monastery with a well-known temple stay, so parts of it are closed to visitors.

What you actually see

• Iljumun - the entrance gate carried on four stone pillars.
• Daeungjeon - the early-seventeenth-century main hall on the upper terrace.
• The wisteria valley - the old grove above the temple, in flower in May.
• The Geumjeongsan paths - trails running from the temple up to the fortress wall.

When to go

May for the wisteria and October for the colour on Geumjeongsan. Come early, because the temple fills from mid-morning, and on Buddha's birthday in spring the courtyards are solid with lanterns and people. The bus up from the metro queues at weekends; the walk takes about twenty-five minutes uphill if you would rather not wait.

Honest expectations

It is an active monastery and several buildings are off limits, with monks working around the visitors. The bus from the metro is crowded and infrequent enough to be irritating. Buddha's birthday is beautiful and close to unbearable for crowds. It is a long way from Busan's beaches and takes a solid half day with travel.

Nearby

The Geumjeongsanseong wall runs along the ridge above; central Busan is forty minutes by metro.