At Changdeokgung Palace, there’s a secret garden, once used exclusively for Joseon royal family relaxation, contemplation, entertainment and ceremonies. A huge sprawling garden covering almost 78-acres and set right bang in the middle of downtown Seoul, it’s a magnificent wooded space and remains, even today, a highly restricted site. Just 100 timed visitors to the general public per hour are available, so booking in advance is essential. Though on the freezing cold -5 morning we rocked up, there was hardly anyone there. We didn’t elect for the guided English tour, in part put off by the very firm statement over the tour-guide’s amplified microphone that there were to be ‘no photos, no rest stops, no time’. Nope, we chose to head on in and explore by ourselves, which we’d highly recommend doing. 

This ‘secret garden’ is nestled against Maebong Peak and features traditional Korean pavilions and exquisite, mostly small, intimate buildings. In 1997 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as an ‘outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design…being exceptional because the buildings are integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting and adapted to the topography and the retaining of indigenous tree cover’. Whatever. But it is true.

Even in the depths of a frozen Seoul winter, these terraced gardens are gorgeous in muted colours, frozen icy lakes and ponds. There’s barely a leaf on a tree, but amongst the lotus pools, woods and pavilions there are over 56,000 specimens of various species of trees and plants including Walnut, White Oak, Zelkova, Plum, Maple, Chestnut, Hornbeam, Yew, Gingko and Pine. 

There’s a 12-metre high Mulberry tree, considered one of the oldest in the Secret Garden where the Queen raised silkworms to set an example for the nation – though, I’m not quite sure how the ‘nation’ knew of her erstwhile activities. There are also countless Oriental Persimmon trees with withered orange fruit still hanging on in the sub-zero winter like paper lanterns. 

It’s a glorious atmospheric garden with hardly anyone in sight in a city – Seoul – of over 10 million souls (sorry, couldn’t help myself).