It’s hot. The sun is scorching and the azaleas are blooming or about to bloom. I want to go to a place with green grass rather than asphalt, and preferably a place with water. Seoul is a city without a sea, but I have collected places that make me feel poetic just by looking at them. The points are places that are cool just by looking at them. Even if you don’t move or fall into the water, you can still feel cool just by looking at it.
1. Deoksugung Palace Stone Pavilion
Seokjojeon is where the emperor of the Korean Empire lived and met with foreign envoys. The symmetry and proportionality of the building, which looks like it was measured with a ruler, is soothing. In front of Seokjojeon, there is a green lawn and a fountain with cool water. Take a stroll along the promenade with the well-kept landscaping around Deoksugung Palace.
The Deoksugung Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is located right next to the stone hall. Here, you can enjoy the cool scenery while taking in the exhibitions at the contemporary art museum next door.
📍 99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu (Naver map)
⏰ 9:00-21:00, closed on Mondays
2. Cheongwoon Literature Library
The charm of Cheongwoon Liter ature Library is the fact that the entire library is a hanok, and the cool stream of water you can see when you open the windows. This library specializes in literature, so pick up any book and head to the pavilion over the water.
The sunlight streaming in through the wide open windows, the cool sound of the waterfall, and the beautiful hanja (Chinese characters) will make you feel like you’re playing in the fresh air.
📍 40, Jahamun-ro 36-gil, Jongno-gu (Naver map)
⏰ Weekdays 10:00-21:00, Weekends 10:00-19:00, Closed Mondays
3. Seoul Museum of Art Seokpajeong
Seokpajeong was used as a villa for Heungseon Daewon-gun. It is also called the king’s favorite garden because of the colorful forest in each season. It is located at the foot of Mt. Inwangsan, with a valley flowing through it, and the scenery is stunning. When you visit Seokpajeong in person, it’s easy to see why the king coveted this place, as the hanoks blend harmoniously with the serene natural surroundings that feel like they’re not in Seoul.
Seokpajeong is even more stunning during the fall foliage season. Many people vacation here in the summer and go on romantic trips in the fall. Seokpajeong can be accessed through the Seoul Museum of Art. For more information on opening hours and fees, please visit the official website.
📍4-1, Changamun-ro 11-gil, Jongno-gu (Naver map)
4. Seoul Forest
Seoul Forest is located in Seoul’s Central Park. There is a large lake, greenery, and open space where you can sit on a mats in the middle of the park. The blue sky and green forest and grass will cool you down.
You can also bring food from the Seoul Forest Café Street or nearby Seongsu-dong restaurants for a picnic. There are various artworks and sculptures displayed throughout the forest, so you won’t get bored.
📍273, Ttukseom-ro, Seongdong-gu (Naver map)
5. Seoul Botanical Garden
Seoul Botanical Garden is Seoul’s first urban botanical garden. Inside the large greenhouse, plants from 12 cities around the world are displayed. There are forests, gardens, lakes, and wetlands, as well as plants from the tropics and the Mediterranean.
Breaking away from the convention of soaring dome ceilings, the ceiling is recessed in the center to resemble plant cell membranes. The building is covered with 3,180 equilateral triangles of glass to create a panoramic greenhouse. Seoul Botanic Garden has won both landscape and architecture awards, so why not take a vacation to its greenhouse?
📍161, Magokdong-ro, Gangseo-gu (Naver map)
⏰ 9:30-18:00, closed Mondays