Are you finding the best day trip from Seoul?
A city full of history Suwon, why it is recommended for a day trip
Recommended places to visit in Suwon
- Starfield Suwon
- Suwon Hwaseong Fortress & Yongyeon Pond
- Haenggung-dong Cafe
- Suwon Wanggalbi Flavored Fried Chicken
1. A city full of history Suwon, why it is recommended for a day trip
Suwon is a city full of history. It has a charm that is difficult to come across in Seoul, a highly urbanized city. And also It is conveniently located an hour and a half away from Seoul and can be easily reached by subway, train, buses. If you're visiting Seoul, Suwon is a great place to take a day trip.
(Let's go to Suwon using NAMANE CARD!)
Here's how to get to Suwon from Seoul:
To get to Suwon, you can take
Seoul Subway Line 1 (approximately 2,000 won)
Mugunghwa train from Seoul Station to Suwon Station (approximately 2,700 won)
Bus (approximately 3,200 won)
The time and price for each option are similar, so choose the one that best suits your needs.
2. Recommended places to visit in Suwon
1) Starfield Suwon, a large-scale shopping mall that opened in 2024
The hottest place to visit these days is ‘Starfield Suwon’, which features the signature Starfield Library(별마당 도서관 in korean). The mall is located in various areas around Korea, but I visited the new one in Suwon. It has a total floor area of about 331,000㎡, spanning 8 floors underground and 8 floors above ground.
There are many popular restaurants and brands from Seoul that offer a variety of options for eating, drinking, and shopping in one location. At the EAT-opia(EAT+Utopia) store on the 7th floor, NAMANE STAFF enjoyed meals from Ttumdeun(뜸든) and gelato from Gelateria Dodo.
Source - Sinoon, LOEUVRE
You can also find trendy Korean brands in Starfield Suwon, like rareraw, rolarola, Sinoon, LOEUVRE, SIYAZU, and OIOICOLLECITON. I thought it was great to see so many different brands in one place.
Each floor also features a range of shops worth exploring. Please note that an English version of the website is not yet available.😥
Visit https://www.starfield.co.kr/suwon/main.do for more information.
2) The essence of Joseon Fortress architecture: Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
Source - Suwon Hwaseoung Fortress Official Website
This castle was built during the reign of King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty. He longed for his deceased father, Sado, and wanted to move his father's tomb to Suwon and build a city on the site. Suwon Hwaseong is a renowned architectural masterpiece in Korea, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Official Website: https://www.swcf.or.kr/english/
Walking along the walls of Hwaseong, visitors can find the picturesque Yongyeon pond, featuring a small island at its center, surrounded by lush trees. The 'Banghwasuryujung(방화수류정)' on the steep hill offers a stunning view and its surroundings, especially during spring when the greenery and pond blend together seamlessly.
3) Haengung-dong Cafe recommendation: Docent
Many cafes in the area are housed in traditional Korean houses 'hanok' or renovated old korean houses. During our walk around Haenggung and Hwaseong, we stumbled upon a charming cafe with a minimalist design reminiscent of a renovated old Korean house. The interior was clean and inviting, featuring large windows. Take a break and enjoy the surrounding Suwon's scenery!
4) Suwon Wanggalbi Flavored Fried chicken - 왕갈비통닭
If you're familiar with the 'chimaek' culture in Korean dramas, you'll know that there are many different types of delicious chicken in Korea. We heard that there is a special chicken that can only be tasted in Suwon. It is called “Suwon Wanggalbi Chicken”! This chicken has been seasoned to taste like Galbi(양념갈비). The Galbi seasoning is coated onto the crispy chicken, resulting in a delicious combination of sweet and salty flavors.
Source - Korean movie, '극한직업'
This dish gained popularity after being featured in the Korean movie ‘극한직업,' where detectives go undercover in a chicken restaurant and make a big splash by selling Wanggalbi chicken. Suwon Chicken Street is home to many renowned restaurants, including 'Jinmi Tongdak(진미통닭)' and 'Nammun Tongdak(남문통닭)'. We visited 'Nammun Tongdak'.
Suwon is an ideal destination for both eating and walking. It's also conveniently located near Seoul, making it a great option for a day trip. We highly recommend it!
Enjoy your trip to Suwon with NAMANE CARD!
Are you finding the best day trip from Seoul?
A city full of history Suwon, why it is recommended for a day trip
Recommended places to visit in Suwon
1. A city full of history Suwon, why it is recommended for a day trip
Suwon is a city full of history. It has a charm that is difficult to come across in Seoul, a highly urbanized city. And also It is conveniently located an hour and a half away from Seoul and can be easily reached by subway, train, buses. If you're visiting Seoul, Suwon is a great place to take a day trip.
(Let's go to Suwon using NAMANE CARD!)
Here's how to get to Suwon from Seoul:
The time and price for each option are similar, so choose the one that best suits your needs.
2. Recommended places to visit in Suwon
1) Starfield Suwon, a large-scale shopping mall that opened in 2024
The hottest place to visit these days is ‘Starfield Suwon’, which features the signature Starfield Library(별마당 도서관 in korean). The mall is located in various areas around Korea, but I visited the new one in Suwon. It has a total floor area of about 331,000㎡, spanning 8 floors underground and 8 floors above ground.
There are many popular restaurants and brands from Seoul that offer a variety of options for eating, drinking, and shopping in one location. At the EAT-opia(EAT+Utopia) store on the 7th floor, NAMANE STAFF enjoyed meals from Ttumdeun(뜸든) and gelato from Gelateria Dodo.
Source - Sinoon, LOEUVRE
You can also find trendy Korean brands in Starfield Suwon, like rareraw, rolarola, Sinoon, LOEUVRE, SIYAZU, and OIOICOLLECITON. I thought it was great to see so many different brands in one place.
Each floor also features a range of shops worth exploring. Please note that an English version of the website is not yet available.😥
Visit https://www.starfield.co.kr/suwon/main.do for more information.
2) The essence of Joseon Fortress architecture: Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
Source - Suwon Hwaseoung Fortress Official Website
This castle was built during the reign of King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty. He longed for his deceased father, Sado, and wanted to move his father's tomb to Suwon and build a city on the site. Suwon Hwaseong is a renowned architectural masterpiece in Korea, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Official Website: https://www.swcf.or.kr/english/
Walking along the walls of Hwaseong, visitors can find the picturesque Yongyeon pond, featuring a small island at its center, surrounded by lush trees. The 'Banghwasuryujung(방화수류정)' on the steep hill offers a stunning view and its surroundings, especially during spring when the greenery and pond blend together seamlessly.
3) Haengung-dong Cafe recommendation: Docent
Many cafes in the area are housed in traditional Korean houses 'hanok' or renovated old korean houses. During our walk around Haenggung and Hwaseong, we stumbled upon a charming cafe with a minimalist design reminiscent of a renovated old Korean house. The interior was clean and inviting, featuring large windows. Take a break and enjoy the surrounding Suwon's scenery!
4) Suwon Wanggalbi Flavored Fried chicken - 왕갈비통닭
If you're familiar with the 'chimaek' culture in Korean dramas, you'll know that there are many different types of delicious chicken in Korea. We heard that there is a special chicken that can only be tasted in Suwon. It is called “Suwon Wanggalbi Chicken”! This chicken has been seasoned to taste like Galbi(양념갈비). The Galbi seasoning is coated onto the crispy chicken, resulting in a delicious combination of sweet and salty flavors.
Source - Korean movie, '극한직업'
This dish gained popularity after being featured in the Korean movie ‘극한직업,' where detectives go undercover in a chicken restaurant and make a big splash by selling Wanggalbi chicken. Suwon Chicken Street is home to many renowned restaurants, including 'Jinmi Tongdak(진미통닭)' and 'Nammun Tongdak(남문통닭)'. We visited 'Nammun Tongdak'.
Suwon is an ideal destination for both eating and walking. It's also conveniently located near Seoul, making it a great option for a day trip. We highly recommend it!
Enjoy your trip to Suwon with NAMANE CARD!