Seoul

When people think of Seoul, the capital of South Korea and a global hub of technology, food, and culture. Also known as the heart of the Korean Peninsula, it’s a place where skyscrapers rise beside ancient temples and hiking trails start right in the city center. You don’t need to drive two hours to find nature—just step out your door. Seoul isn’t just about neon lights and K-pop concerts. It’s a city built on hills, crisscrossed by rivers, and surrounded by mountains that locals climb before work, after school, or on weekends. This isn’t tourism. This is daily life.

One of the most surprising things about Seoul is how deeply outdoor activity is woven into its rhythm. Bukhansan National Park, a rugged mountain range just north of the city that draws over 10 million visitors yearly isn’t some far-off reserve—it’s a subway ride away. People hike its granite ridges in the early morning, sometimes in groups, sometimes alone, sometimes in sneakers, sometimes in full gear. You’ll see families with lunchboxes, teenagers snapping selfies, and retirees moving slow but steady up the stone steps. Then there’s the Han River, a 514-kilometer waterway that cuts through the city and turns into a 24-hour outdoor recreation zone. On weekends, you’ll find people cycling, kayaking, picnicking, even doing yoga on the banks. The city built bike lanes that stretch for miles, and you’ll see more people on two wheels than in cars during rush hour.

Seoul doesn’t just tolerate nature—it designs around it. Parks like Namsan Park, home to the famous N Seoul Tower and a network of walking paths that wind through forests in the middle of downtown aren’t afterthoughts. They’re essential infrastructure. Even the city’s most crowded neighborhoods have hidden green pockets: rooftop gardens, community gardens tucked between apartment blocks, and tree-lined alleys where locals sit on benches and chat over coffee. The government even runs free guided nature walks and trail cleanups. This isn’t just about health—it’s about belonging.

And while Seoul is often talked about for its food, tech, or fashion, its outdoor culture is what keeps people coming back. You can climb a mountain at sunrise, grab a street-side tteokbokki at noon, then bike to a riverside café by afternoon. It’s not a city that forces you to choose between concrete and trees—it lets you live in both. What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just travel tips or photo spots. It’s real stories from people who live here, who hike these trails, who paddle these waters, who know where the quietest corners are when the crowds vanish. Whether it’s a winter climb in the city’s backcountry or a spring bike ride along the Han, these are the moments that define Seoul beyond the headlines.