Seokchon: Baekje Tombs to the Riverbank
Stepped stone tombs, a café street and the Jamsil riverside
≈4.2 km · ≈55 min walking · Easy · Songpa-gu · Start: Seokchon Gobun station · End: Jamsilsaenae station
Before Seoul was Seoul it was Hanseong, capital of the Baekje kingdom. In Seokchon-dong its kings' stepped stone tombs sit among apartment blocks. Wander the cafés of Songridan-gil, then cross to Jamsil Hangang Park for the river at sunset.
Stops
- Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs (석촌동 고분군)
Tombs of the Baekje kingdom from the 3rd to 5th centuries, when Hanseong (now southern Seoul) was its capital. The largest is a stepped stone pyramid similar to those of the Goguryeo kingdom further north. Free, open park. - Songridan-gil (송리단길)
Quiet residential lanes near Seokchon Lake that filled with small cafés, bakeries and restaurants from the late 2010s. - Jamsil Hangang Park (잠실한강공원)
A wide riverside park near Jamsil, with lawns, cycle paths and the Jamsil water intake weir; a calm place to watch the sun go down over the bridges.
Best time: An afternoon ending at the river around sunset.
Tips
- Combine with Jamsil: Tower, Lake and Olympic Park (walk 14), which starts at nearby Seokchon Lake.
Access
The Baekje tombs are in a level park, and Songridan-gil is flat. The river is reached through an underpass.