[1] Suwon Hwaseong Fortress (수원 화성) : My hometown South Korea city "SUWON" (S Korea)
* This blog post is focused on a walking tour of Suwon.
For those who have studied geography, you may already know this... Why is Suwon Fortress called "Hwaseong"? The "Hwaseong" in Suwon Hwaseong and the "Hwaseong" in Hwaseong City are the same. Originally, Suwon and Hwaseong were part of the same administrative district, but after the areas were split, "Hwaseong" became Suwon Hwaseong. Although this is basic information you might pick up during a Suwon trip, I only recently learned about it myself, haha.
There are eight scenic spots in Suwon that King Jeongjo loved, but I’ll cover those in another post!
When you think of Suwon, you think of King Jeongjo, and vice versa. Do you know why? Jeongjo wanted to move the capital to Suwon, but he wasn’t able to, and instead, Suwon developed as an administrative city.
Check out my other post for more on Suwon and Jeongjo:
https://blog.naver.com/ykk209/70172492204
Moving on to the actual trip. I suggest setting aside a full day for a Suwon Hwaseong tour. It takes about 3 hours just to walk around the fortress, so if you're coming from Seoul or nearby, there's no need to stay overnight. However, to enjoy a relaxed meal and explore slowly, I'd recommend planning for about 6 hours.
Here's a map below, and if you're into walking, I recommend following this route: Starting at Seojangdae, which has a small entrance fee (1,000 KRW, free for Suwon residents with ID), you'll begin the tour here. I strongly recommend participating in the stamp tour as well! You can get a stamp booklet at the ticket office.
For those who don't like walking:
If walking isn't your thing, you can take bus 700-2 from platform 7 at Suwon Station to Hwaseong Haenggung(화성행궁) or Changnyongmun Gate (창룡문) and Yeonmudae (연무대). From there, hop on the Hwaseong Tour Trolley, which is a really fun ride that stops at all the main gates. I highly recommend trying it out. You can even book tickets online via the Suwon Cultural Foundation website. The bus ride from Suwon Station to Haenggung (화성행궁) takes about 15-20 minutes and about 30 minutes to Yeonmudae(연무대)
Hwaseong Trolley Route:
Yeonmudae - Hwahongmun - Jangan Park - Hwaseomun - Paldalsan - Hwaseong Haenggung - Traditional Market - Chicken Street - Suwon Hwaseong Museum - Yeonmuda
□ 화성어차 이용요금 (Price)
구 분 | Adult | Military, Youth | Child |
일 반 | 4,000won | 2,500won | 1,500won |
단 체 | 3,200won | 2,000won | 1,200won |
□ 화성어차 시간표 (Scheduled)
연 무 대 출 발 (Departure from Yeonmu-dae) | |||||||
1st | 09:40 | 6회 | 11:20 | 11회 | 14:00 | 16회 | 15:40 |
2nd | 10:00 | 7회 | 11:40 | 12회 | 14:20 | 17회 | 16:00 |
3회 | 10:20 | 8회 | 13:00 | 13회 | 14:40 | 18회 | 16:20 |
4회 | 10:40 | 9회 | 13:20 | 14회 | 15:00 | 19회 | 16:40 |
5회 | 11:00 | 10회 | 13:40 | 15회 | 15:20 | 20회 | 17:00 |
You can see more details :
👉Now, let's start the walking tour!
The tour begins at Suwon Station. The key focus of this tour is following the fortress walls. The route is as follows:
Suwon Station -> Seojangdae -> Hwaseomun -> Janganmun -> Banghwasuryujeong -> Hwahongmun -> Yeonmudae -> Changnyongmun -> Paldalmun -> Hwaseong Haenggung
수원역 - 서장대 - 화서문 - 장안문 - 방화수류정 - 화홍문 - 연무대 - 창룡문 - 팔달문 - 화성행궁
If you're starting at Suwon Station, you can follow this route. After arriving at Suwon Station, exit through gates 7 or 8, walk toward Gyeonggi Provincial Office, and then follow the Paldalsan trail up to Seojangdae. The walk from Suwon Station to Seojangdae takes about 40 minutes. Once you reach Seojangdae, the rest of the tour becomes easier since you'll just follow the fortress walls! Seojangdae is located at the top of Paldalsan, which is a small mountain, so take your time climbing up. (The photos were taken in March and July 2021.
(1) Seojangdae: Entrance fee is 0KRW.
For the stamp tour, pick up your stamp booklet at the Seojangdae ticket office.
(2) Janganmun: This is the largest and most central gate in Suwon. After visiting Seojangdae, you'll pass Hwaseomun. Don't forget to stamp your booklet at Hwaseomun. From Seojangdae, follow the signs to Janganmun/Haenggung.
Janganmun at night
(3) Hwahongmun & Banghwasuryujeong: These two are next to each other and easy to find. Don’t forget to stamp your booklet at Hwahongmun!
Don't forget the stamp book!
Hwahongmun
(4) Yeonmudae & Changnyongmun: Once you reach here, you're halfway through the fortress. Take a break on the wide grassy area and enjoy the view before continuing.
Yeonmudae
Changnyongmun
(5) Paldalmun (South Gate): Walk along the fortress from Changnyongmun, and you’ll reach Paldalmun. This is where you can explore the traditional market and Chicken Street. I recommend trying some local food here.
Paldalmun
(6) Hwaseong Haenggung: This is the last stop on the tour. There is an entrance fee if you want to go inside the palace, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary unless you're doing the stamp tour.
If you’re done with the Hwaseong tour and have some extra time, I recommend visiting the Suwon Museum nearby. You can also purchase a combined ticket that includes admission to Seojangdae, Hwaseong Haenggung, and the museum.
Food recommendations near Nammun/Paldalmun:
Here are some local spots only true Suwon natives know about!
Jinmi Tongdak (Chicken): Famous for over 15 years since my high school days. Their fried chicken is the best. Price: 10,000 ~ 20,000 KRW.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vGBFu4eqABBc5aqy9
Tip : If the line is too long, just move to another chicken restaurants. most of chickens are there so good!
2. Nammun Tteokbokki: Must-try! I’ve loved this place since high schoo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/omF1hkeziUNEnqVE7
3.Nammun Spicy Fish Cake: Delicious, plump fish cakes.
5. Daewonok: Authentic Pyeongyang-style cold noodles. The taste is mild but grows on you. If you're curious about true Pyeongyang cold noodles, this is a must-try. Price: 20,000 KRW. The boiled pork is also recommended (38,000 KRW).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/waBRuoiaGFsNYe37A
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