A Day Trip to Hwaseong: Culture, History, and Healing
Located just over an hour from Seoul, Hwaseong offers a diverse range of attractions, from traditional liquor cultural spaces to UNESCO World Heritage sites, temples, and traditional performances. It’s a perfect destination to experience a variety of charms in a single day.
Through the Hwaseong travel program, I’d like to introduce a travel course that combines history, culture, and healing!
🌟 Hwaseong Healing Travel Course 🌟
🌟 Bak Bong Dam → Yunggunneung → Yongjusa → Hwaseong Bansuk Art Hall 🌟
🌟 Travel TIP
✔️ If you drive, you can leisurely explore the area in half a day to a full day.
✔️ Public transportation is available, but having a car is more convenient due to the distances between locations.
1. Bak Bong Dam
🌟 Address: 452 Maesonggosaek-ro, Bongdam-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do
⏰ Opening Hours: 10:30 AM - 9:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)
🌟 Admission Fee: Picnic basket 23,000 KRW, Picnic liquor set 40,000 KRW
🌟 Parking: Free parking available
Our first stop in Hwaseong is Bak Bong Dam.
🌟 Bak Bong Dam is a cultural space for traditional liquor, remodeled from the Guksundang Hwaseong Brewery that closed in 2004.
It retains the structure and brewing equipment of the old brewery, creating a unique atmosphere where the past and present coexist.
The space includes exhibition areas and walking paths, along with Bak Bong Dam Kitchen and a bottle shop.
In the Bak Bong Dam Kitchen, you can taste various menu items utilizing traditional liquor, such as makgeolli samplers and makgeolli ice cream.
Next door, the bottle shop offers a selection of traditional liquors from Guksundang.
Every corner of the brewery holds traces of its history, allowing visitors to feel a different ambiance just by exploring.
🌟 Travel TIP
✔️ Participating in the heritage tour and traditional liquor tasting program allows for a deeper appreciation of the space.
2. Yunggunneung
🌟 Address: 21 Hyohyeong-ro 481beon-gil, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do
⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Last entry at 5:00 PM, Closed on Mondays)
🌟 Admission Fee: 1,000 KRW per person
🌟 Parking: Free parking available
Next, we head to Yunggunneung.
Yunggunneung is the name given to the tombs of Crown Prince Sado and Queen Heongyeong, as well as King Jeongjo and Queen Hyohyeong, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The pine forest trails surrounding the royal tombs are filled with phytoncides, making it a pleasant place for a walk. The pond in front of Yunggunneung is a unique landscape that can only be found here.
As a representative attraction of Hwaseong where history and nature meet, I highly recommend visiting.
🌟 Travel TIP
✔️ Before visiting, check out the History and Culture Center at the entrance to better understand the stories related to Yunggunneung.
3. Yongjusa
🌟 Address: 136 Yongju-ro, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do
⏰ Opening Hours: Open all year round
🌟 Admission Fee: Free
🌟 Parking: Free parking available
After exploring Yunggunneung, we headed to Yongjusa.
Yongjusa is a temple founded by King Jeongjo to pray for the soul of his father, Crown Prince Sado. Visiting Yongjusa along with Yunggunneung provides a deeper understanding of their historical significance.
The temple grounds are home to various cultural heritage sites, including national treasures, making it enjoyable to explore.
I also participated in a temple stay program, experiencing tea ceremonies, meditation, and prayers, which allowed me to take a break from daily life.
There is even an opportunity to make your own prayer beads, creating special memories.
🌟 Yongjusa Temple Stay Programs:
- Small Pause (Resting Type): Free time for relaxation with optional participation in prayers (1 night, 2 days)
- Mind Meditation (Experiential Type): Experience daily temple life with prayers, meditation, and tea talks (1 night, 2 days)
- Yoga Meditation: A healing program to find balance through yoga and meditation (Day trip)
- Customized Day Trip (Group): Meditation, prayer bead experience, and lunch program (Reservations for 10 or more)
🌟 Travel TIP
✔️ Temple stays require prior reservation.
✔️ Every day at 6 PM, a bell tolls, so plan your visit accordingly!
4. Hwaseong Bansuk Art Hall
🌟 Address: 134 Nojak-ro, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do
⏰ Opening Hours: Varies by performance
🌟 Admission Fee: Varies by performance
🌟 Parking: Free parking available
The last stop of the trip is Hwaseong Bansuk Art Hall.
Hwaseong Bansuk Art Hall is a cultural and artistic space that hosts various performances and exhibitions.
This time, I attended a performance themed around court dance titled 'The Dream of a Beautiful Peaceful Era.'
The stage combined court dance with traditional music, making it an impressive experience of a performance that is not easily accessible.
The splendid costumes and delicate dance movements allowed me to feel the beauty of our traditional culture up close.
🌟 Travel TIP
✔️ It’s recommended to check the performance schedule on the Hwaseong Cultural Foundation website before visiting.
✔️ Admission times and ticketing may vary depending on the performance, so verify in advance.
During my trip to Hwaseong, I tasted traditional liquor, walked through royal tombs, enjoyed a temple stay, and experienced traditional performances. It was a special time where I could experience history, culture, and healing all within a short distance from Seoul.
If you're looking for a unique getaway near Seoul, consider heading to Hwaseong this weekend for a relaxing day!
Source :https://blog.naver.com/korea_diary/224347573890
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