Kaesong was the capital of the Koryo dynasty from 918 until 1392, and the name Korea comes from the name of that kingdom. A prosperous trading city, it was a centre of Buddhism, celadon pottery and printing, and the court at its height was among the most refined in East Asia. When the Joseon dynasty took over in 1392, the capital moved to Seoul, but Kaesong remained known for its merchants, who were pioneers in ginseng trading and banking, and its cuisine, which many Koreans still regard as among the most elegant in the country.
I should be plain that this is another place that cannot be reached by an independent rider. Kaesong lies in North Korea, just north of the demilitarised zone, and foreigners may only visit it on organised tours, with official guides and fixed itineraries. What I can offer is some context. The city's historic monuments and sites were listed by UNESCO in 2013, and include the remains of the palace, the walls and gates, the Koryo Museum, once a Confucian academy, the Sonjuk Bridge, and royal tombs on the hills around the city. The bridge is famous for a dark story: the loyal scholar Jeong Mong-ju was killed here in 1392 by men sent by the future Joseon king, and a brownish stain on the stone is said to be his blood, and bamboo is said to have grown at the spot.
The setting is a basin surrounded by hills, with Songak mountain behind the old palace, and a landscape of terraced fields, pines and small villages. The old quarter has traditional tile-roofed houses, courtyards and narrow lanes, and the city is known for ginseng and for its table d'hôte dishes. The city has more than three hundred thousand people, so as a place it is large, though what visitors see is arranged by their hosts.
If you ever travel here by official arrangement, the best months are spring and autumn, when the hills are green or gold, and winter is bitterly cold.
For readers with an interest in Korean history, Kaesong is a place that rewards reading before travelling, and the museums in Seoul hold many Koryo treasures.