Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is one of the largest cities in the world. It is bustling with excitement, light and color yet, not far from it’s loud city center, pockets of tranquility can be found. A great and easy day trip from Seoul is Anyang Art Park ( 안양예술공원): an outdoor sculpture garden.
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Where is Anyang Art Park and how do you get there? Anyang (안양) is a city less than an hour south of the center of Seoul. On the subway, you can easily take the blue number 1 line southbound (in the direction of Seodongtan or Sinchang Station) and get off at Gwanak station. From Gwanak station, it’s a rather pleasant 20 minute walk a bit further south of the station and then eastward along a beautiful stream.
The stream will lead you to a quaint little neighborhood surrounded by lovely forested mountains. The park’s “entrance” so to speak, is marked by a large parking lot but the sculptures are simply scattered throughout the forest. There are some helpful maps to find particular works so it makes for some fun outdoor exploration.
Rather than figurines to simply observe, the sculptures of this park are large quirky structures that you can stand in or amongst to provide cool photo ops. This has made Anyang Art Park a popular instagrammable spot in Korea.
These large sculptures make for a fun interactive experience in nature. I think the artwork being spread out amongst the trees helps it to seldom ever feel crowded.
When I went, there were hardly any other people. I love to find the less touristy areas in and around Seoul. Even though this park has gained popularity, it still feels like a lovely hidden gem in Korea.
Anyang Art Park is such a nice, wholesome activity out in nature, and completely free. There are so many fun free things to do in South Korea, and the country generally seems to have a love of playful art installations.
This area’s position amongst the mountains also makes for a great base for hiking. The Korean peninsula is at least 70% mountainous and there is no shortage of great trails and views to explore. So be sure to bring your sturdy shoes and comfy shoe insoles for hiking in South Korea!
One of the largest sculptures also serves as an observation deck. From the top, you can enjoy the amazing view of beautiful Anyang.
I must say, this little neighborhood in Anyang was just as much of a delight to explore as the Art Park itself! There were so many lovely cafes, shops and galleries to enjoy.
There are great places to eat near Anyang Art Park like the restaurant Mashineun Jjigae which literally means “Delicious Stew!”
Anyang is a great place to see cherry blossoms near Seoul! Cherry Blossom season in South Korea runs from around late March to mid April and is one of the best times to visit! The pink blossoms lining the stream were so magical.
South Korea is a diverse and beautiful country with great scenery, amazing food, and a love for art and music. I hope travelers don’t isolate their experience to just Seoul. Some visitors fit in more distant excursions such as to the southern city of Busan or the historic city of Gyeongju but it’s nice to find such peaceful, easy day trips so close to the exciting capital.
Thank you so much for reading! If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful country, I hope you’ll check out my packing list for South Korea. If you found this article enriching, feel free to save or share it with friends via the social media icons below. Happy traveling!
