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When the Han River which was frozen hard all winter starts to melt and when flowers start to blossom on the bony branches of Namsan, it means spring is finally coming to Seoul. Let's stretch our bodies nicely and be ready to welcome the fresh days of spring. You may easily think that the capital of the Republic of Korea, Seoul, may be filled with only skyscrapers, but there are places where you can enjoy pure nature. These are some places you could go for a spring picnic in Seoul with a view of forests, grass fields and lakes. It’s time to grab a picnic basket with a mat and enjoy beautiful spring days in Seoul.

Olympic Park

When the Seoul Olympics came to a close, Olympic Park lived on as part of supplementary facilities. During the original construction, Mongchontoseong Earthen Fortification of Hanseong Baekje was discovered. Olympic Park was designed to form a harmony with the historic site for its preservation. For this reason, you can see a unique view in the park that you cannot see easily in other places. There are many things to watch and enjoy through the park including the dense forest, exotic grass field, hills and walking trails.

The huge main gate was designed by one of the top architects in Korea, Kim Chung-up. He created imagery of a dove, which is a symbol of peace. Both sides of the wings are decorated with Sasindo of the Western-style painter, Baek Geum-nam. The Olympic rings are, of course, located at the center. At the center of the main gate, the Olympic Torch is still lighting up the passion of that day.

The Mongchontoseong Earthen Fortification walking trail that is barely 2.3km long is a course that anyone who is visiting Olympic Park must walk along. Discover the hidden charms of Olympic Park one by one by walking the trail that leads you to every corner of the park. The moat which was probably formed with Mongchontoseong Earthen Fortification has now become a small lake. The fortress which was guarding Hanseong has now become a small hill. The bicycle path where you can ride a bike is connected all the way around the park as well.

If you really want to enjoy a proper spring picnic, come to the grass field where the famed Lone Tree is standing on. An open sky and gentle slope as well as the vast grass field that is always well maintained throughout the year welcome the visitors.Not only the Lone Tree, but also the ridge along the hill is the best photo zone ever. Close to the grass field, there is also a forest where thousands of trees are growing densely. All you have to do is just pick a spot that you like.

If you want to know more about the story of Baekje and Mongchontoseong Earthen Fortification, it would be a good idea to visit Seoul Baekje Museum. Seoul Olympic Museum of Art (SOMA), which always brings joy to the eyes and ears of people with new performances and exhibitions, is also another place that is loved by many visitors.

# Seoul Forest

Seoul Forest is a green belt that can be compared to Central Park in New York or Hyde Park in London, In the past, Seoul Racecourse, Sports Park, and a golf course were located on the site, but now it has been transformed to a place of relaxation for all visitors. Enjoy relaxing spring days with warm sunlight on the grass, lush forest, and vibrant flowers deepening their colors.

Seoul Forest is also a place of culture and art. Here you can meet various sculpture pieces and artworks. The ‘Imagination, Giant world’ is a representative facility that combines sculpture art and a playground for children. It is also fun to discover renovated old buildings of varying sizes that still capture the industrial atmosphere. Newly rising hot places, Seongsu-dong and Under Stand Avenue can be found not far from Seoul Forest.

There is also a zone decorated with an educational theme. Ttukseom Forest Park is inhabited by a range of wild animals that were let loose by humans including Formosan deer herds, water deer, squirrels, and mallard ducks. Nature Experience Center was created by recycling the buildings and structures of Ttukseom Water Purification Plant which used to be on the site. The most representative facility is Butterfly Garden which is a charming place where you can observe butterflies flying between flower petals. Seoul Forest is also connected to Waterworks Museum that is located in the vicinity. The museum shares the story of Water Purification Plant No. 1 at Ttukdo Water Reservoir which was the first modern waterworks facility in Korea.

North Seoul Dream Forest

After Dream Land was closed in 2008, the city of Seoul acquired the land and created ‘North Seoul Dream Forest’ (Buk Seoul Ggum eui Sup). Ggum in “Ggum eui Sup” means dream, which was taken from the original park name, translated into Korean. Trees were planted and historic relics such as Changnyeongwuigungjaesa were preserved. Various facilities including an observational deck and museum were created, and the forest was launched in October 2009, as a city park. It not only has a grass field, but also rest shelters throughout the forest. It is indeed a perfect place for a picnic.

North Seoul Dream Forest is also a place where vibrant traditions are alive. Changnyeongwuigungjaesa, which is a traditional Korean hanok built during the Joseon era offers courtesy education and tea ceremony classes for children from spring to autumn. Garden of Story, which is connected to Wolyoungji from here, is a pathway whose traditional atmosphere is very popular among visitors. It is a place where you can experience a cozy, warm ambiance. The pavilion installed on one side of Wolyoungji is one of themost loved shelters in North Seoul Dream Forest.

Along with the magnificent landscape, you can enjoy activity programs, exhibitions, and performances. Sang Sang Tok Tok Gallery, which aspires to be a children’s museum in nature, offers various art activity programs for children throughout the year. Dream Forest Art Center operated by Sejong Center for the Performing Art hosts exhibitions and performances that anyone regardless of age and gender will like. Let’s not forget about the observational deck. The observational deck reveals a full panorama of the entire Northern area of Seoul as well as Bukhansan Mountain. It is also a well-known filming site of the TV drama, Iris.

Pureun Arboretum

At the western end of Seoul, there stands the first arboretum in Seoul around Hangdong Reservoir. It is Pureun Arboretum. Possessing a total of 520,000 plants comprised of 2,400 species, which are organized in 25 themes, it is being used as an environmentally-friendly and education place. It is also loved as a place of relaxation for visitors. A range of environments including wetlands, small streams, and ponds were created. That is why you can always enjoy diverse sceneries in Pureun Arboretum. With rare species such as crabs and albino swamp eels swimming underneath the surface of the water, you can guess what a clean environment Pureun Arboretum has.

Unlike other parks, the park does not have much in the way of grassy fields. Instead, forests of various themes are waiting for you. The wooden decks between the wetlands lead to various spaces that display different themes. Mirowon, where visitors cango on a small adventure into a maze, Ipsaenuri, decorated in the theme of the United Kingdom and France, and Sodamdeul are also good places to take a walk.

Anyangcheon Bank Cherry Blossom Street

One cannot mention spring picnics without referencing cherry blossoms. Every spring, looking at the cherry blossoms painting the world in pink is sure to make anyone feel romantic. In Seoul, they regard the area around Yunjung-no in Yeouido as the best place for cherry blossom viewing, but it is quite true that it becomes difficult to truly appreciate the flowers amid the massive crowds every year. There are many places in Seoul where you can enjoy cherry blossoms other than Yunjung-no. Anyangcheonis a good example of those places.

Anyangcheon is a local stream that stretches 32 km long. It originates from Gwanggyosan Mountain located between Anyang and Suwon in Gyeonggi-do. It always flows toward the northwest direction. After it enters Seoul, it flows past Geumcheon-gu, Guru-gu, Yangcheon-gu, and Yeongdeungpo-gu before it merges with the Han River. Along those areas, the point where it meets up with the Han River has a walking trail on the bank covered with spring flowers such as cherry blossoms and forsythia. Cherry trees areplanted along Anyangcheon River, and forsythia blossoms at the same time of the season. Flower gardens formed throughout the stream are also a sight to see. With well-maintained bicycle paths, it is also easy to go around on a bike. Instead of settlingin a spot, it would be also a good idea to enjoy the spring day by slowly walking along with Anyangcheon.