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Illustration: Suwon
Gyeonggi-do · provincial capital

Suwon 수원

An 18th century fortress wall you can walk

4 places2 local dishes

Why go

Hwaseong Fortress wraps around central Suwon with almost 6 km of walls, gates and towers. King Jeongjo had it built between 1794 and 1796, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Walking the wall at sunset is one of the best outings near Seoul.

Getting there

Subway Line 1 from Seoul Station to Suwon Station, approx. 1 hour. Korail ITX or Mugunghwa trains take approx. 30 to 40 minutes. From the station, a city bus drops you near the wall.

Travel times are approximate. Verified in October 2026.

What to see

  1. Hwaseong Fortress

    수원 화성 Suwon Hwaseong

    You can circle the old town on top of the wall in about two or three hours. Along the way you pass four great gates, watchtowers and platforms with views over the whole city.

  2. Hwaseong Haenggung Palace

    화성행궁 Hwaseong Haenggung

    A temporary palace where King Jeongjo stayed when he visited his father's tomb. It was the largest and best equipped of all the temporary palaces of the Joseon era.

  3. Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion

    방화수류정 Banghwasuryujeong

    A pavilion on the wall beside a small pond. It began as a military command post, but it is so pretty that today it is the favorite spot to watch the sunset and sit on the grass.

  4. Paldalmun Market

    팔달문시장 Paldalmun Sijang

    Several traditional markets gather around the south gate, Paldalmun. It is a good place to try street food such as tteokbokki (떡볶이, tteokbokki), rice cakes in spicy sauce.

What to eat

  1. Wanggalbi Suwon's big beef ribs

    수원 왕갈비 Suwon wanggalbi

    Extra large beef ribs with a light, salt-based marinade, grilled over charcoal at your table. Suwon has been famous for them since the mid 20th century.

  2. Tongdak Old style fried chicken

    통닭 tongdak

    Fried chicken the old Korean way, crisp outside and juicy inside. Near the south gate a whole street of tongdak places has drawn crowds for decades.

Best time to go

Autumn, from September to November. In October the city usually holds the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, with a parade that recreates King Jeongjo's royal procession.

Tip

Start at Paldalmun or at the north gate, Janganmun, and wear comfortable shoes, since some stretches have stairs. After dark parts of the wall are lit up and the walk feels completely different.

Sources