The southern circuit road of Nam-san Park will take you up to the N-Seoul Tower, where the most breathtaking nightscape of Seoul will unfold in front of you. (image: travel oriented/ Flickr)
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Korea Bizwire) – Amid the summer heat reaching its peak as the month of August begins and Seoulites searching for ways to make the best of summer within the city by going to outdoor pools or enjoying camping in Han River parks, the Seoul city government has introduced the best trails in the city where cool tree-shaded stroll ways let you escape from the heat waves and present you various charms of the city.
The city government selected “170 best trails to enjoy Seoul’s Summer,” and introduced them on July 29 to the citizens. The selected trails, “Summer Green Trails” as they are named, are the park trails, sidewalks, streamside walks and roads through the skyscrapers of the city that are lined with closely-spaced trees where scorching city heat can be avoided as well as beautiful sceneries are offered.
Especially, the city, to add a little bit more fun into it, has divided the 170 trails into four different themes; trails into culture and history, trails into city nightscapes, trails with the sound of water stream, and trails with special trees.
These trails will “walk you through” the splendid 600-year history of Seoul under cool tree-shades (image: Doo Ho Kim/ Flickr)
Here are some of the summer green trails the city offers. These trails will “walk you through” the splendid 600-year history of Seoul under cool tree-shades: Samcheong-ro (ro or gil means a road or a street in Korean), lying through the heart of the city, leads to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the royal palace of Seoul, the National Modern Art Museum, and the National Folk Museum of Korea where the rich culture of the Joseon dynasty can be relished while savoring the cool breeze through the tree leaves.
Hyoja-ro offers a quiet and peaceful stroll way along the stone walls of the royal palace, which leads to the National Palace Museum of Korea, where diverse cultural events and concerts are held. Donhwamoon-ro will take you to Jongmyo, the UNESCO-named world heritage site of ancestral shrine of the Joseon’s kings and queens, and the path down the Jeongdong-gil, one of the most gorgeous streets in the city, will offer you an pleasant encounter with the 550-year old pagoda tree in front of the Embassy of Canada.
When tropical nights are hampering your sleep, Seoul city recommends you to take a walk on these streets and enjoy the world-renowned nightscape of the city.
The southern circuit road of Nam-san Park will take you up to the N-Seoul Tower, where the most breathtaking nightscape of Seoul will unfold in front of you, in a tunnel filled with flowering cherry trees. The walk-up in the tunnel will make you feel, although located right in the middle of the city, as if you are walking through the pristine forest.
Wa-Ryong Park’s prospect point is where you can enjoy different but as much marvelous scenic views of Seoul at the top of Nam-san. The cityscape viewed from the opposite side of Nam-san will introduce you to Seoul’s night in a different angle, not to mention the alluring scene of the LED-lighted N-Seoul Tower.
Just opened in 2005, a walk in Seoul Forest is a great way to enjoy the city’s summer with splashes of water nearby. The ground fountain of the forest park is already a famous spot where children go to have fun in the water and the park’s botanical garden and butterfly garden also makes it a perfect picnic place to spend a day with your kids. “The Constellation Fountain” of the “World Cup Park” is also another superb place to visit with your lovers and children.
If you want to see more than gingko trees and sycamores, you can also take a chance to visit the World Cup Park or Seonam Environment Park. The city says that you don’t have to travel all the way down to Nami Island to re-create your own version of the “Metasequoia forest scene” from the blockbuster-hit K-drama “Winter Sonata,” for there are more beautiful ones in these parks.
These 170 Summer Green Trails can be checked out by a smartphone app anytime and anywhere. Provided by the Seoul city government’s spatial data department, the “Smart Seoul Map” application presents locations and information on these streets and is available for download in any app stores.
An official in the city government said, “We have picked out and proposed these 170 trails so that our citizens can enjoy the forest-like relaxation within the city. We strongly recommend students and parents take time to visit some of the trails we’ve introduced and make this summer a memorable one, together with family.”
By J. H. Kim (jhkim@koreabizwire.com)
