Viewing Cherry Blossoms in Seoul

The month of April brings many things, like spring showers and midterm season, but it also brings a beautiful period of cherry blossoms!

Apart from going to the major attractions such as Yeouido and Jinhae, there are also many other places to go check out the flowers! Here are a few places that are easy to get to in Seoul where you can go admire the flowers and nature.

Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁)

Located right by City Hall (서울시청), this palace is a beautiful place to view the cherry blossoms and other gorgeous trees! Admission is only ₩1,000, and since it’s not as famous as other palaces, like Gyeongbokgung Palace, it’s typically not crowded at all.

Though the palace grounds are not huge, take your time to enjoy all the nature, and near the back of the palace grounds there is a massive tree worth taking lots of photos of. You can also catch the Changing of the Royal Guards Ceremony (11:00, 14:00 and 15:30, closed on Mondays).

Directions:

Take Line 1 or 2 to City Hall Station. Go out through Exit #2 and you should be able to see the palace straight ahead on your right.

Seokchon Lake (석촌호수)

Many cherry blossom trees surround this lake, and every year there is a Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival. Go with your friends or significant other and enjoy a nice walk under the cherry blossoms! Admission is free, and you can spend up to a 2-3 hours if you leisurely walk around the entire lake.

Although it may get a little crowded on weekends, I found it a lot less crowded than Yeouido, making it a more enjoyable time. Going on a weekday will of course be a lot less crowded as well.

Also, Lotte World is located in the center of the lake, so you can head over to the amusement park once you’re done walking along the lake for more fun!

Directions:

Take line 2 or 8 to Jamsil Station and go out through exit #2 or #3. Seokchon Lake is approximately 200m ahead.

Ewha Womans University (이화여자대학교)

Ewha Womans University is not only a campus with beautiful architecture, but also the university grounds are also covered in beautiful flowers and trees. While the university’s architecture, specifically the Ewha Campus Complex, attracts many tourists, the flowers attract the most people in the Spring season, and many people flock to the Ewha campus to take photos.