Walk the Seoul city wall over Inwangsan and Baegak

What the experience is

Hanyangdoseong, the city wall of Seoul, was built in 1396 by the first king of the Joseon dynasty. It runs for 18.6 kilometres along the ridges of the four mountains that ring the old capital, and long stretches of it have been restored and opened as a trail in six sections.

This walk joins the two finest. The Inwangsan section, 4 kilometres and about two and a half hours, climbs the bare granite mountain west of the palaces. The Baegak section, 4.7 kilometres and about three hours, crosses the mountain directly behind Gyeongbokgung. They meet at Changuimun, one of the wall’s small gates.

The route

Begin near the site of Donuimun, the lost west gate, and follow the wall uphill through a residential district on to open rock. The path keeps to the inside of the parapet, with the city falling away on both sides: the palaces and the towers of the centre to the east, apartment districts to the west, Namsan and its tower to the south. From the summit the wall descends steeply to Changuimun.

The neighbourhood around the gate has cafes and is the natural place to stop. The Baegak section starts at the gate with a long, steep staircase beside the wall to the top of the mountain, then drops by the north gate, Sukjeongmun, through pine forest to Hyehwamun. The stonework changes along the way, from the rough field stones of the first builders to the large squared blocks of the repairs of 1704.

When to go

Spring and autumn, on a clear day; the views depend on the air. Summer is hot and humid, and the granite is slippery after rain. In winter the steps can be icy.

Good to know

Each section can be walked on its own, and Inwangsan alone makes a good half-day. There is little shade on Inwangsan and many steps on Baegak; wear walking shoes and carry water. The Baegak section crosses a sensitive area behind the former presidential residence and has its own opening hours and rules, which have changed several times; check them before setting out. For a gentle alternative, the Naksan section on the east side takes about an hour and is pleasant at dusk.

Why OKYTO recommends it

No other capital in East Asia has kept so much of its wall, and none offers a mountain walk that starts from the city centre. The route explains Seoul’s geography in a morning: why the palaces stand where they do, and how far the modern city has spread beyond the ring that once contained it. The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, at Gwanghwamun, is a base close to the start.