Climbing Namsan and Seoul Tower in Autumn For Epic Fall Colors!

Remember how a few months ago I was raving that spring in Seoul is the best time of year? Well, I changed my mind – autumn is! Sure, it’s a little nippy and I’ve already taken to wearing leggings, wool socks, a fleece, touque, and mittens, but once you’re all bundled up in your warmest layers, it’s still nice enough to spend some time outdoors.

Seeing this as one of our last opportunities to explore the city while the colours are at their brightest, this past weekend the boy and I ventured to Namsan (남산).

Namsan, which translates to South Mountain, is located north of the Han River in the city of Seoul. You can reach the peak by cable car, but we opted to get off the subway at Myeongdong (명동) and walk uphill from there.

With a 262 meter peak, it’s certainly not the most daunting mountain out there, but the hundreds of steps were quite the workout.

There were plenty of couples, families, and young friends out that day enjoying the beautiful weather. In true Korean fashion, many of them were clad in their best hiking gear; almost a year in to my time in Korea, it still makes me chuckle to see people sporting hiking boots and walking sticks in the city.

These round mirrors have become a photo op every time I see one. They can be found methodically placed at every curve, sharp turn, and underground exit across the country.

The trees at Namsan were a their most vibrant with shades of gold, ochre, vermillion and tangerine. I thought the best of the season was past us, but clearly autumn had one last little surprise for us.

These little leaves remind me of the maple trees back at home. It’s like a little slice of Canada in this faraway land.

Here’s to looking giddy on a Sunday afternoon. What’s there to smile about? Could be the pretty colours, the redhead behind the camera, or the fact that I now have less than 100 days in the country which means I am already daydreaming of the tropics. Tickets have been booked but I’m not telling you where to just yet!

Our reason for climbing up to Namsan was to put ‘love locks’ on the fence located at the base of the tower. You can expect a post on that soon.

What’s your favourite city in the fall?