Top 10 Korea #8 — Suwon Hwaseong Fortress: A 5.7-km UNESCO Wall You Can Walk in 2 Hours, 1 Hour from Seoul

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is the most accessible UNESCO site from Seoul and somehow still underrated by international visitors. Built between 1794 and 1796 under King Jeongjo, the 5.7-kilometer wall encloses a full Joseon planned city, and unlike most Korean fortresses, the entire perimeter is intact and walkable. Two hours covers the loop with stops at the four gates and the command towers. Three highlights structure the walk. Suwon Hwaseong (수원화성) itself is the wall — start at Paldalmun Gate (the south gate), walk counter-clockwise to climb the steep western section first while you still have energy, then descend toward the colorful Hwahongmun water gate and back through the flat northern stretch. Hwaseong Haenggung (화성행궁) is the royal villa inside the walls where King Jeongjo stayed when visiting his father's tomb — the largest surviving Joseon royal villa, with multiple courtyards. And Suwon Tongdak Street (수원 통닭거리) is the fried chicken alley near Paldalmun — Suwon is one of the original Korean fried-chicken cities, and the four traditional shops on this 100-meter stretch have been frying since the 1970s. Getting there: Seoul Subway Line 1 from Seoul Station to Suwon Station takes 50 minutes, ₩1,950. From Suwon Station, walk 15 minutes or take any bus going north to reach Paldalmun. Day-trip from Seoul is the standard. Practical tips: rent the fortress trolley for ₩4,500 if you want to skip the steep western climb. Wear walking shoes — the wall has stone steps and uneven sections. The fortress lights up at night, which makes the evening walk dramatic. Up next on #9: an ITX train and short ferry reach Nami Island, the small half-moon that made K-drama history.