Best spot for walking in winter or for all seasons

Winter is getting colder and colder, but if you're looking for a place to enjoy the winter.

A free activity that everyone can enjoy during winter in Korea is a walk in the streets when snow falls. Korea’s cities can be drab during the day, but come alive with neon lights at night. During snowy days, which are more dark than light, seeing snow-covered streets and shining lights is a real treat.

Walking around Seoul and other historic cities, such as Gyeongju or Andong, is especially rewarding as you can see fortress walls, palace grounds, hanok houses, and curved rooftops covered in snow.

Not sure where to walk in Seoul? Check out these 'places' that you can enjoy in winter or any other time of year, all for free. It’s really the best way to see a city.

Here are some videos showing what Seoul looks like when it snows.

 

1. Saetgang Ecological Park

The park preserves as much as possible of the reeds, silver grass, and wetlands including willow trees, which made up the natural environment of this region. A walking trail and bicycle road are connected along the forest, wetlands, and river and this is an excellent place to go for a walk or ride a bicycle. The forests are so dense that it is almost difficult to believe it is in the center of a city, so it is easy to find a shaded area to rest even on hot days. The trail leads towards Yeouido Park and the Hangang River so this park is great if you want to visit those areas too.

• Address  49, Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
• Tel  +82-2-3780-0570 (Yeoudio Saetgang Information Center

2. World Cup Park

The World Cup Park trail, which connects from the Peace Park to Haneul Park and Noeul Park, is a trail where you can enjoy a forest inside the city. A peaceful lake welcomes visitors at the center of the World Cup Park and it is surrounded by intertwined sylvan trails that create harmony with nature. The small streams that flow in between the forests create bucolic scenery reminiscent of the countryside. If you go towards Haneul Park and Noeul Park, you can also see the splendid metasequoia that line the roads. This unique forest trail is an essential course for the World Cup Park.

Since 1996, efforts have been made for the stabilization of large-scale landfills such as this. A region for landfills was organized and facilities were created for the purpose purifying the leachate (contaminated water) from the waste and using it. The landfill gases, which were generated as much as the leachate, are used to power boilers for nearby apartments and the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The area that was once a landfill has now been turned into an eco-friendly park. This was the beginnings of the World Cup Park, which opened in May 2002. Nanjido was originally one of the many beautiful islands of the Han River. Legend has it that there used to be an ecosystem replete with a wide variety of flowers that migratory birds would come to visit. However, these accounts were only transmitted through ancient stories. It has become a symbol of environmental destruction, to the point where any past lushness it may have housed is unimaginable.

• Address  108-1, Haneulgongwon-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Tel  +82-2-300-5500
• Website  http://parks.seoul.go.kr/template/sub/worldcuppark.do

월드컵공원

3. Seolleung & Jeongneung

Seolleung and Jeongneung are popular trails frequented by office workers working in the Gangnam area or other local residents. There is a well-preserved, dense forest surrounding the three royal tombs thanks to the peaceful forest trail located in between. The quiet and serene atmosphere found at this trail will help you forget that you are in the bustling city center of Gangnam.  There are two of the royal tombs from the Joseon Dynasty that are registered in the UNESCO World Heritage list and that hold the royal remains of King Seongjong, Queen Jeonghyeon, and King Jungjong. They hold historical significance because they show us the appearance of the royal tombs from the Joseon Dynasty as well as contain the traces of the two kings.

• Address 1, Seolleung-ro 100-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• Tel +82-2-568-1291
• Admission Individuals (25 - 64 years) KRW 1,000 / Groups KRW 800 [Per person]
  * Special Passes
• Passes * Unlimited Pass - KRW 10,000 [1 month expiry]
  * Limited Pass - KRW 30,000 [1 year expiry] / Applies from opening - 09:00 & 11:30 - 13:30 * Lunchtime Pass - KRW 3,000 [Valid 10 times over 3 months] / Applies from 11:30 - 13:30
• Hours Mar - Oct 06:00 - 21:00 / Nov - Jan 06:30 - 16:30 / Feb 06:00 - 17:00 (Ticket office closes 1 hour prior to closing)
  (Closed Mondays)
• Night Entry Only areas with lights installed may be visited at night
  * Night entry is suspended from Nov - Feb for visitor safety

4. Seoul City Wall Trail

The Seoul City Wall Trail has a variety of attractions. You can see a verdant forest, as well as the open sky, and even the scenic skyline of Seoul. The history of Hanyang, which was the heart of Joseon, permeates the entire trail. It is filled with the nature of Seoul and the story of Hanyang. The entire trail can be divided into six smaller trails. Each trail has a different level of difficulty as well as different scenery to enjoy. You don't need to walk all the trails in one go. We recommend selecting a trail that you want to see, before walking. You can take in great views of Seoul from the Baegak Trail or the Inwangsan Mountain Trail but these are relatively hilly areas with steep slopes; you should be prepared for that. Once you reach the peak of the mountain, you can enjoy a view that allows you to appreciate the scale of the old Seoul City Wall. T

hey are connected to the Dongdaemun Fashion Street and Daehangno, so they are perfect for travelers. The Sungnyemun Trail contains areas that gives hikers a peek into the history of the late Joseon period. It is recommended for those who want to know more about the history of the late Joseon period. Finally, the Namsan Trail (Mokmyuk Mountain) is the most beloved by tourists.

For whom wants for seeing beautiful sunset nearby Seoul area, where N Seoul Tower is located, and the night scenery that follows is one of the most beautiful scenes to see in Seoul.

• Baegak Trail (4.7 km) : Changuimun Gate - Sukjeongmun Gate - Malbawi Information Center - Waryong Park - Hyehwamun Gate
• Naksan Trail (2.1 km) : Hyehwamun Gate - Naksan Park - Seoul Museum of History - Huenginjimun Gate 
• Heunginjimun Trail (1.8 km) : Huenginjimun Gate - Dongdaemun History & Culture Park - Gwanghwamun Gate - Jangchung Arena
•  Namsan (Mokmyeok Mountain) Trail (4.2km) : Jangchung Arena - Namsan N Seoul Tower - Baekbeom Square
• Sungnyemun Trail (1.8 km) : Baekbeom Square - Sungnyemun Gate - Souimun - Jeongdong - Donuimun
• Inwangsan Trail (4 km) : Donuimun - Woram Neighborhood Park - Inwangsan Sunseong Road - Changuimun Gate
•  
• Tel  +82-2-2133-2657 (Sunseong-gil & program inquiries)
• Website  http://seoulcitywall.seoul.go.kr
• Hours  Nov - Feb 09:00-17:00 / Mar - Apr & Sep - Oct 07:00 - 18:00 / May - Aug 07:00-19:00

서울 한양도성