Namhansanseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Seoul, South Korea

South Korea currently has fourteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, two of which are fortresses: Hwaseong Fortress and Namhansanseong Fortress. Both are located in the province of Gyeonggi, just south of Seoul.

I left Seoul around noon planning to have lunch at the Traditional Food Town in Namhansanseong and keeping the sandwich in my bag as an emergency snack for the hike around the fortress. That was mistake number one. Mistake number two was going there on an autumn Saturday. I honestly did not expect Namhansanseong to be so popular. I was stuck in a warm bus crammed with passengers, all the while standing and holding on to straphangers trying not to knock over everyone behind me as the bus moved along and stopped and moved along and stopped on an incline. I don't know how long we were stuck in traffic but it felt like a very long time. I thought I was going to pass out from hunger!!! There was no way I would have the energy to look for food nor go on a hike! Bottom line: Go to Namhansanseong Fortress on a weekday and as early as you can!

Namhansanseong Fortress is 12.4 kilometers in length and is in the mountains, whereas Hwaseong Fortress is only 5.7 kilometers in length and is in the middle of the city. Each fortress has its own beauty. And I can easily see why Namhansanseong is so popular with the locals in autumn-it is surrounded by trees awash in beautiful autumn colors. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).