Suwon Fortress, Gwangmyeong Cave & Starfield Library Day Trip

4.87

(189 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“Wait, is that a real cannon?” was the first thing I blurted out at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. Our guide Minji just grinned and nodded — apparently, those walls have seen more than their share of drama. The fortress itself felt alive: old stones under my sneakers, the sound of kids chasing each other by the gate, a faint whiff of roasted chestnuts from some vendor I never found. We watched the royal guard ceremony at Hwaseong Haenggung Palace — all bright uniforms and serious faces, but one guy winked at a little girl in the crowd and she giggled so loud everyone turned. Minji told us stories about kings hiding out here; honestly, it made me want to whisper just walking through those halls.

I’m not sure what I expected from a “modern library” but Starfield Library in Suwon was... kind of wild? Floor-to-ceiling books stacked higher than I could see, people reading everywhere — even on the stairs. It smelled like coffee and new paper (and maybe a hint of someone’s lunch). I tried to find an English novel but got distracted by all the weird magazine covers in Korean. If you’re into architecture or just want to sit quietly for ten minutes after all that fortress history, this is your spot.

The last stop was Gwangmyeong Cave. Okay, so I’ve never tasted wine underground before — it’s colder than you’d think down there, and my glasses fogged up instantly. The cave used to be a gold mine (Minji said they pulled out silver and bronze too), but now there’s art installations tucked into corners and even an aquarium with glowing fish. It’s surreal. At one point we stood in silence while water dripped somewhere far off, just listening to our own footsteps echoing back. On the way out, someone bought a bottle from the Wine Cave; I still regret not grabbing one myself.