Experience the best of Daegu

Daegu lies in a basin ringed by mountains in the south-east of the Korean peninsula, one of the country's largest cities and a long-standing centre of textiles and trade. The Yangnyeongsi herbal market, the largest of its kind in Korea, scents the old streets with roots and herbs, and Seomun Market is a huge traditional market. Gyesan Cathedral, a red-brick Gothic church from 1902, stands on a hill in the centre.

Apsan Mountain rises over the south of the city, with a cable car and walking trails. To the north, Palgongsan Mountain has Donghwasa Temple and the stone Buddha of Gatbawi on a summit. Haeinsa Temple, which keeps the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks, and the old capital of Gyeongju lie within a couple of hours' drive.

Daegu's own dishes include makchang, grilled pork intestine, spicy braised short ribs and flat-fried dumplings, and its apples were once the pride of Korea. The summers are some of the hottest in Korea, and winters are dry and cold. The mountains turn gold in October, the most pleasant month.