The world's most walkable city revealed as European gem tops the list
Stroll into summer with a holiday in one of these incredible walkable destinations.
A new ranking by the walking experts at GuruWalk, a booking platform for free walking tours, has revealed the globe's easiest cities to explore on foot.
So, where is the world's most walkable city?
Rome tops the list of this year's ranking. GuruWalk explains: 'The Eternal City remains a key destination for travellers fascinated by ancient history.
'The Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Baroque squares make Rome an open-air museum that deserves to be explored thoroughly, step by step.'
Many of Rome's key attractions are located within walking distance of each other. The Italian capital's centre is also fairly flat making it easy to navigate.
Second on the walkable list is Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. GuruWalk says: 'Known as the "Pearl of the Danube", Budapest blends imperial architecture with a vibrant cultural scene.'
Tourists can stroll from St Stephen's Basilica to Budapest's Houses of Parliament in just 15 minutes. After exploring on foot, visitors can relax in one of Budapest's iconic thermal bath houses.
Madrid, Spain's capital, rounds off the top three. GuruWalk says the Spanish metropolis 'offers the perfect combination of art, urban life and iconic parks'.
The city's Museo Nacional del Prado, home to works by Goya and Velaquez, is just five minutes walk from Retiro Park, one of Madrid's best places to unwind.
When it comes to the UK, London ranks highest for walkability. GuruWalk celebrates the Big Smoke's 'unrivalled combination of history and modernity'.
Despite the UK capital's size, pedestrianised areas such as Covent Garden and the South Bank make it one of the country's most walkable cities.
Edinburgh also earns a place in the top 20, ranking in 19th position worldwide. GuruWalk explains: 'Edinburgh enchants with its blend of medieval architecture and contemporary atmosphere.'
Many of the Scottish capital's top attractions are centred around the city's Royal Mile, making it easy for tourists to explore the city on foot.
Glasgow lands a place in the top 100 ranking, squeezing onto the scoreboard in 91st position. GuruWalk reveals: 'Strolling through its streets means discovering impressive Victorian buildings, contemporary galleries and an ever-changing culinary scene that reflects its young and dynamic spirit.'
New York is the only U.S city to make the top 100, coming in 33rd position in the ranking. Guru Walk says: 'Walking through Central Park, along Fifth Avenue or exploring iconic neighbourhoods like Soho and Brooklyn offers a unique experience full of contrasts.'
THE WORLD'S MOST WALKABLE CITIES
1. Rome, Italy
2. Budapest, Hungary
3. Madrid, Spain
4. Prague, Czechia
5. Barcelona, Spain
6. Lisbon, Portugal
7. London, UK
8. Florence, Italy
9. Amsterdam, Netherlands
10. Berlin, Germany
11. Paris, France
12. Porto, Portugal
13. Vienna, Austria
14. Seville, Spain
15. Venice, Italy
16. Toledo, Spain
17. Istanbul, Turkey
18. Milan, Italy
19. Edinburgh, Scotland
20. Krakow, Poland
21. Brussels, Belgium
22. Dubrovnik, Croatia
23. Copenhagen, Denmark
24. Marrakesh, Morocco
25. Split, Croatia
26. Malaga, Spain
27. Naples, Italy
28. Valencia, Spain
29. Bruges, Belgium
30. Dublin, Ireland
31. Santiago de Compostela, Spain
32. Munich, Germany
33. New York, USA
34. Granada, Spain
35. Mexico City, Mexico
36. Tokyo, Japan
37. Medellin, Colombia
38. Stockholm, Sweden
39. Hanoi, Vietnam
40. Cartagena, Colombia
41. Bilbao, Spain
42. Kyoto, Japan
43. Cordoba, Spain
44. Bratislava, Slovakia
45. Buenos Aires, Argentina
46. Tirana, Albania
47. Cusco, Peru
48. Santiago, Chile
49. Bucharest, Romania
50. Ljubljana, Slovenia
Source: Guruwalk
Prague, Barcelona, Lisbon, Florence, Amsterdam and Berlin also make the global top 10.
Prague is described as a 'magical European capital' to discover on foot while Barcelona is the 'ideal city' to get a little lost in, says GuruWalk.
Lisbon might be hilly but its compact city centre means it's suitable for walkers who don't mind tackling an incline.
Looking for an under the radar getaway?
A gorgeous city in Germany has been revealed as the cheapest place to fly to this summer and a beer there is only £2.50.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
A villa we booked in Portugal was infested with mould, slugs, and ants... why won't Booking.com refund?
Organising a holiday for 20 people is not for the fainthearted. Sarah* started the planning for her girls holiday in December 2023, and after a year and a half of waiting she couldn't wait to get away. The villa in Portugal she booked was the perfect getaway for her and her girlfriends. But when they arrived, their dream holiday couldn't be further from what they expected. Sarah had the difficult task of organising the holiday for the large group while in New York, where she currently works. When she found a villa in Portugal on with enough bedrooms, a pool and a jacuzzi, she thought she'd struck gold. The villa, which cost €2,700 (£2,274) for three nights for 20 people, was perfect for the BBQs, pool days and private chef they had planned. While there were some mixed reviews, they were 'not a super precious group,' says Sarah. The villa, while listed on the booking website, was managed by French online property manager Homerez. Despite their involvement, Sarah had been in direct touch with the host who had arranged an airport transfer for the group for €600, which she paid via bank transfer. Fast forward to the first bank holiday in May this year, Sarah and her friends met at Lisbon airport to start their holiday. The group - which included a pregnant woman and a 71-year old - arrived on Friday evening and were met by the host's daughter, aged 17, who Sarah says was 'essentially managing the property', and son, aged 19. This chaotic arrival was a sign of things to come. Ants, slugs and mould everywhere Straight off the bat, Sarah and her friends found the property to be musty and very run down. There were some other obvious problems with the property when they arrived - including a toilet that didn't flush - which they raised with the host's daughter on arrival. But it wasn't until they went to sleep that they realised the severity of the issues. A few members of the group were put up in the outbuilding, which had not been included in the listing. They had to dry their sheets with a hairdryer before getting into bed, and the host's children revealed someone had recently tried to break in. Elsewhere, there were ant infestations and slugs in the main building, with rising damp and black mould everywhere, including on a baby's highchair and chopping board. There were other issues with the rooms, including a hole punched in one bedroom door and covered with a picture frame, as well as dirty beds. The outside areas were unkept, with a broken patio, shredded pergola fabric, a dirty swimming pool and mouldy bean bags. One of the fridges, which was left outside, was so filthy that the group had to throw away the food they'd bought for the weekend. Sarah says that the villa pictured on and Homerez was unrecognisable from the one they stayed at. She says, 'the photos were clearly from 2 or 3 years' and the host, who Sarah thinks lives in Paris for most of the year, 'clearly doesn't know how bad it is.' We've lost thousands after booking new villa By the next morning, the group decided to book another villa, which set them back €2,600 for the remaining two nights. When they contacted the host to tell her they'd be leaving, she said the group was lying but insisted they check out by 11am. She did not offer a refund. Despite this, Sarah and her friends refused to let the experience ruin the holiday. 'Everyone had a great time, we made great memories but it was a constant stress the whole weekend,' she says. 'We were constantly planning the next thing, trying too find a restaurant for dinner.' For the last day of the holiday, the group had paid €1,000 for a private chef, which was not refundable, but their new villa had little space to accommodate. Instead, they were forced to spend an additional €1,200 to hire a bar for the meal. They also did not receive the return airport transfer they had paid for. Instead, the host said the group had damaged the property, despite being there for just 12 hours. When Sarah got in touch with they offered her a refund of just over €500, representing just 20 per cent of the value of their three-night stay. She says that while she understands acts as an intermediary, she wants to know why there is no process for vetting accommodation. 'Surely, they have a duty of care to make sure it's all accurate.. At the moment, I have €2,600 on my credit for the new accommodation. 'Once I take into consideration the €500 refund, we have €2,100 that we need to pay off. That's another €100 which doesn't sound much but everyone's got different incomes.' The property manager Homerez told Sarah that the group had left the villa in a bad state and offered no refund. It did not respond to This Is Money's request for comment. told This Is Money: 'We offer a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets, supported by a review system that helps guide customers in choosing their stay. 'We can see this property has hosted successful stays, however we are sorry to hear that it did not meet the customer's expectations. 'After reviewing the photographs provided, we have issued a further partial refund. 'If a customer arrives at a property that does not meet their expectations, our customer service team is available 24/7 to assist and resolve any issues promptly.' It did not respond to questions about its vetting procedure. has since refunded Sarah and her friends another €500, but it still leaves the group out of pocket. It is also currently unclear whether the money will be refunded as cash or as credit - and the whole experience has put the group off from ever using the booking giant again.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Powys council gets £500,000 for public toilet refurbishments
Toilets across one Welsh county will be refurbished after almost £500,000 was given to the local authority. The money has gone to Powys council as part of a budget deal between the Welsh government and Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds, who represents Mid and West Wales in the Senedd. It will see public toilets spruced up in the towns of Knighton, Llandrindod Wells, Llanwrtyd Wells and Welsh government said decent, accessible toilets were essential in helping to attract more visitors. "We love to welcome visitors to Wales, with our promise of amazing scenery and experiences," said Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans. "But we also know that getting the basics right is essential, which is why these improvements are so important." It is the year of croeso [welcome] for tourism body Visit Wales and the funding will feed into this. Six public toilets in total on key travel routes will be refurbished, including improving disabled facilities. Llandrindod Wells is also expected to become the first town in mid Wales to offer changing places toilet alongside individual should be completed by the end of March 2026.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent 'terrorism' warning for Aussies heading to popular holiday hotspot
Aussies planning a holiday to the Maldives have been told to remain on high alert following an update to the Australian Government's official travel advice. The Maldives is a tropical island nation in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India, known for its crystal-blue water and luxury holidays. Australians are among the largest groups of visitors to the tropical paradise with over 30,000 travelling to the island nation in 2023 alone. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website on Thursday raised its advisory for the Maldives to Level 2: Exercise a High Degree of Caution. It cited the risk of 'civil unrest and the ongoing threat of terrorism'. 'Terrorism can occur anywhere in the Maldives at any time,' the update continued. 'Potential targets include government institutions and areas frequented by tourists.' Travellers are being advised to remain vigilant, avoid large gatherings and crowded places and to stay up to date by monitoring local media. The heightened warning follows a series of security incidents in recent years. In February 2020, a stabbing attack in the island of Hulhumalé left three foreign nationals injured, including an Australian. That same year, a police speedboat was targeted by an arson attack in Laamu Gan, and in May 2021, an improvised explosive device detonated in the capital, Malé, injuring a prominent politician and several bystanders. Smartraveller has also issued several other warnings for those planning a trip to the Maldives, particularly around civil unrest and general safety risks. Protests, drug-related and gang-related violence is also known to occur in Greater Malé and other non-resort islands. Even if the demonstrations appear calm, Smartraveller advises avoiding these gatherings and keeping up to date with official advice. Petty crime is another concern. Theft can occur on beaches and in hotel rooms, including at resorts, so travellers should take precautions and secure their valuables. Australia is not the only country to issue a warning to travellers. In April, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for British nationals visiting the Maldives. The FCDO also emphasised that 'there is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals '. The advisory said that 'terrorist attacks in Maldives cannot be ruled out' and may occur indiscriminately, including in areas frequented by tourists. Officials also noted that global tensions, particularly from the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, have contributed to an elevated risk environment, with terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida and Daesh actively calling for attacks in response.
