Are you traveling to Seoul and want to visit the city center but aren’t sure where to start? well, then you are in the right place, because today I will tell you about one of the most interesting places in the city center, where you can walk among the nature and enjoy the view.
The Cheonggyecheon (청계천) is located in the center of Seoul, to be precise in the Jongno-gu (종로) district and is 10.9km long. This area officially opened in 2005.
Cheonggyecheon was initially called Gaecheon (개천) during the Joseon (조선) period. After the Korean War, there was a strong migration to Seoul and people began to live on the river side, but unfortunately the living conditions were not the best, so they decided to build a highway which however was immediately torn down to give the river a second chance.
How to get there?
Easy, just take the subway line 1 (the blue one) and get off at City Hall Station (시청역) or Jonggak Station (종각역) or Jongno 3ga (종로3가역) and then from there you can walk to the river.
Why go there?
Well first of all it’s a one of a kind place, the wonderful thing is that you can walk along the river from City Hall to Dongdaemun (about 45 minutes walk) so you can enjoy the view. Also, along the river you can find a large amount of cafes and restaurants of all kinds. A simple place but that offers a lot.
The best thing is that, whatever the season, there will always be something to do or see: events of all kinds, Christmas decorations, markets, etc…
I recommend stopping there in the evening too, as you can see the beautiful lights under the bridge (in the City Hall area). This place is for everyone, you can go with your family, with friends, with your other half and why not… even alone?
Address: Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
*all the photos displayed were taken by me