Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon

Hwaseong is a great fortress that encircles the old centre of Suwon, built at the end of the eighteenth century by King Jeongjo, partly in honour of his father, and it is a World Heritage Site admired as a high point of Korean military architecture. Its walls run for several kilometres over hills and across the valley, punctuated by imposing gates, arrow-slit towers, command posts, floodgates over a stream, and beacon platforms, blending Korean tradition with defensive ideas of its day and built with the help of early cranes and pulleys that were then novel. You can walk the entire circuit along the top of the walls, a rewarding couple of hours that rises to viewpoints over the modern city within and without, and within the walls stands the reconstructed Haenggung, the temporary palace where the king stayed. It brings together history, engineering and a genuinely pleasant walk.

What you actually see

• The wall circuit - the several-kilometre walk along the ramparts over the hills.
• The four main gates - the grand gateways, especially Paldalmun and Janganmun.
• Hwaseong Haenggung - the reconstructed temporary palace within the walls.
• The command posts and beacon tower - the towers and viewpoints along the walls.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the most pleasant for the wall walk, with blossom or colour; summer is hot and humid and winter cold. The circuit is enjoyable in daylight, and parts are lit at night. An hour from Seoul by metro, it makes an easy day trip.

Honest expectations

The full circuit involves real walking with some uphill sections, so allow a couple of hours and wear proper shoes; those short on time can walk just the scenic hill stretches. Parts of the wall pass through and above the busy modern city, so it is not a wilderness. A tourist trolley and archery and other demonstrations run for visitors, which some enjoy and others find touristy.

Nearby

The Korean Folk Village is a short drive away; Seoul is an hour north.