Seoul, Map for 24 Pedestrian Travel Courses to be Distributed

Seoul City will distribute a folded map (“Pleasant Tour of Seoul on Foot”) showing 24 pedestrian tourist destinations at a glance through tourist information centers throughout the city. 

The 24 courses include the ff.: ancient culture district (1) △ Mongchontoseong (Fortress); traditional culture district (6) including royal palaces - △ Gyeongbokgung (Palace)•Hyoja-dong, △ Changgyeonggung (Palace), △ Changdeokgung (Palace), △ Bukchon Hanok Village, △ Seochon Hanok Village, △ Seolleung•Bongeunsa (Temple) course; district focusing on the country’s early modern culture (3) △ Deoksugung (Palace)•Jeong-dong, △ Seongbuk-dong, △ Gyeonghuigung•(Palace) Seodaemun course; ecology restoration area (5) △ Cheonggyecheon (Stream) (2 courses), △ Namsanseonggwak (Fortress Wall), △ Naksanseonggwak (Fortress Wall), △ Hangang (River)•Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine course, and; traditional market area (2) △ Insa-dong•Unhyeongung (Palace), △ Dongdaemun traditional market course.

The following course as marked on the map provides visitors with a guide and lets them visit without making reservations: (4) △ Namsangol Hanok Village, △ detached guestroom of Cheong Wa Dae (Office of the President), △ War Memorial of Korea, and △ new Seoul City Hall.

As a special weekend course started in February this year, the following course is also marked on the map: (3) △ Changgyeonggung (Palace) ecology course, △ Changdeokgung (Palace) ecology course, and △ Seonggyungwan course.

In 2012, the number of tourists visiting the pedestrian tourist destinations including locals reached 80,744, for a 24.8% year-on-year increase. It shows that there is an increase in the number of people who prefer the experience of visiting destinations individually. Seoul Metropolitan Government provides guides in frequently visited destinations to make tourists interested in exploring hidden stories about such destinations. 

In an effort to meet tourists’ demand, Seoul Metropolitan Government has started running weekend courses such as experience that will help you check the status of the ecological system within the royal palaces including △ Changgyeonggung (Palace) and △ Changdeokgung (Palace) and get a glimpse of the daily lives of Confucian scholars at △ Seonggyungwan.

From the aforesaid course including Changgyeonggung (Palace) and Changdeokgung (Palace), you will see a locust tree in front of Seoninmun Gate as the sole witness when Crown Prince Sado died in a wooden rice box at the order of his own father, King Yeongjo, in 1762. You can also listen to stories of history kept by nature surrounding the royal palaces.

In Seonggyungwan, must-visit places are Jongyeonggak where precious Confucian books were kept and Bansu, a stream where Confucian scholars enjoyed swimming in summer.

At the pedestrian travel courses, guides explain in four languages (Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese). To use the service, all you have to do is make a reservation at the relevant homepage (dobo.visitseoul.net) of Seoul Metropolitan Government – that is, except for those who are not required to make a reservation as stated above.