What is the most common way to explore a city? Bikes? Cars? Trains? Buses? No! The most common way to move around and explore a city is by foot. Nothing beats strolling through a city and finding out its hidden treasures.
Without having to catch a bus or taxi anytime you want to see somewhere new. This is an experience that can’t be explained. If you’re still here, then you’re probably wondering “What then are the most walkable cities? Continue reading to find the top 13 walkable cities across the world.
13 Most Walkable Cities To Visit in 2025
1. Florence (Italy)
Florence is currently the best walkable city in the world, with all its major attractions close to each other. As a visitor, you’ll be able to explore the various historic centers and landmarks on foot without being stressed out. Its narrow streets and friendly locals add to this experience.
You can start your walking tour by taking pictures at the Piazzale Michelangelo before heading to Bardini Garden. This garden is a lovely spot to have a picnic surrounded by colorful flowers and trees. If you ask the locals, they’ll tell you the best place to go shopping for expensive and elegant jewelry is at Ponte Vecchio.
After that, just head over to the Central Market, where you can get a quick breakfast or lunch. The best part about Florence is that everything is within walking distance and if you don’t want to walk on your own, you can book a walking tour instead.
2. Riga (Latvia)
Unlike other Baltic towns, Riga is bigger but has enchanting medieval charm with all its historical and cultural landmarks easily accessible on foot. If you’re on a cruise in Latvia and only have one day to spend in this city, then book a walking tour beforehand.
As one of the most walkable cities, you can decide to start exploring while waiting for your tour to start. You may not have much time so it’s best to head straight to the Central Market. You’ll pass the beautiful gardens and the Latvian National Opera House before you get to the market. Make sure you have cash so you can buy fruits, veggies, food, trinkets, and souvenirs.
Then head back for your walking tour. These tours are led by locals who share the history of their city through fun stories. You’ll be told the history of the Old Town where you’ll see over 500 buildings with different architectural styles. Since everything is close to each other, it makes it fun and easy to walk around.
3. Hamburg (Germany)
It might come as a surprise to find out that the second largest city in Germany, Hamburg is one of the most walkable cities in the world. It might be more popular for its history, culture, and natural beauty, but this city is easy to navigate on foot.
Most attractions, landmarks, shops, restaurants, and parks are within walking distance. Even the city center is so small with narrow streets like it was made perfectly for an evening stroll. In this area, you’ll find the city hall, the historic warehouse district, and the shopping streets.
Even if you aren’t fit, you’ll find it easy to explore the neighborhoods, parks, and waterfronts on foot. This combined with its good public transport system is why this city made it to this list of top walkable cities. So, all you need to do during your visit is to put on comfortable shoes and get a city map to explore this city.
4. Porto (Portugal)
You know Porto as a popular Europe vacation spot with good weather, historical sites, and wines, but do you know it as a walkable city? All the monuments and landmarks in this city’s center are within short distance so they can be reached on foot.
There are also various car-free zones that make it easier to walk without being bothered by cars. Such as the famous shopping street Rua de Santa Catarina and Rua das Flores, where there are restaurants, cafes, and even a museum.
Even though walking is a good way to explore the city, since it’s a bit hilly, this method can be tiring or stressful. So, don’t forget to take breaks regularly. You can just find a place to sit down and take a picture or go to a restaurant and try new meals while resting.
5. Madrid (Spain)
If you find yourself in Madrid, then you’ll be happy to know that it is one of the most walkable cities in the world. This gives you the chance to control the pace at which you explore the city. It’s also an opportunity to burn fat and indulge in a lot of lunch, dinner, and desserts.
To begin your walk, it’s best to head to the famous food market, Mercado de San Miguel, where various restaurants and bars sell delicious Spanish meals. This spot is also close to some unique attractions worth seeing like the Almudena Cathedral, the Royal Palace, and Museum de Sorolla.
You’ll need to put on comfortable shoes to walk in cos most streets are uneven or made of cobblestones. There’s so much to see in this city so make sure you come along with your map and once you get tired, rest at either the local parks or a restaurant. If you visit during the summer, remember to dress lightly and take a water bottle so you won’t quench from thirst.
6. Sydney (Australia)
Sydney is one of the most walkable cities in Australia. However, it has some hard walking routes that make good hiking trails and excellent views. But if you choose your trip wisely, then it is easy to explore without using a car.
The way Sydney was built, at least five of its popular attractions are built close to each other. So if you get to the Opera House, you can easily walk to the Harbour Bridge, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Circular Quay, and The Rocks.
Just like any other new city, you can only learn the language and meet friendly locals, when you explore this city on foot. With its sunshine and several landmarks, it will be easy for you to look around until you get hungry and then eat at any of the nearby restaurants.
7. Tokyo (Japan)
Tokyo is one of the world’s most walkable cities. The way it was built and its well-developed public transport makes it easy to move around without a car. Shopping areas like Ginza and Shinjuku are even blocked so cars can’t come in during the busy weekends.
The locals are so used to not having to depend on cars for their daily lives that you’ll find few cars parked on the street, unlike the Western countries. In Tokyo, the pedestrian walkway is even barricaded with various designs to prevent accidents of any kind.
One of the best bridges to walk is the Rainbow Bridge. This is the best spot to take pictures of Mount Fuji and watch fireworks during the festive season. You can also walk under the elevated railway tracks. Here you’ll see bars, restaurants, shopping arcades, and art galleries.
8. Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Amsterdam, known as the Bike Capital of the World is one of the most walkable cities in the world. This city has various bike paths, a flat landscape, and various attractions that make it easier to explore on foot.
If you take a stroll along the famous canal district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll see the beautiful canal houses and pedestrian bridges. You’ll also be able to explore famous landmarks like the Anne Frank House, Royal Palace, and Central Station.
This Dutch capital might even be too walkable because its main streets are usually crowded with visitors and locals. But if you want to explore properly, you’ll need a good pair of shoes and a city map. The streets are too narrow for driving as it has more bicycle lanes and fewer parking spots.
9. Liverpool (England)
If you love traveling then you would have discovered by now that some cities are easier to explore by foot. Liverpool is not just walkable, it is also small enough with interesting sights. Each neighborhood to be explored has its own character, history, and attractions.
You can explore the various areas of the centers which are represented through the neighborhoods. Such as The Ropewalks, The Georgian Quarter, Cavern Quarter, The Baltic Triangle, The Waterfront, St George’s Quarter, Chinatown and Liverpool ONE.
With over 74 landmarks, you’ll be busy exploring the Tate Art Gallery, the Beatles Museum, the Liverpool Cathedral, and plenty of cafes and restaurants. Although you’ll be too excited and enchanted by these sights, don’t forget to take breaks regularly.
10. Bordeaux (France)
Bordeaux is a green city and one of the most walkable cities in the world. So you don’t have to worry there are various fun activities to do all within walking distance. A walk in this city will allow you to explore each district and its unique charms fully.
You can find most attractions in the city center which is small enough to explore on foot. There are various car-free zones in this city and pedestrian bridges to make it easier to walk through. And if you get tired of walking, you can easily rent a bike cos this city is filled with bike and cycle paths.
Whether you’re with friends, families, or alone there are some favorite local districts that you must explore during your stay. Such as The Saint-Michel district, The Darwin eco-district, and The Chartrons district. For a complete walking tour of this city, you’ll also need to take a tour of the various historic bridges.
11. Istanbul (Turkey)
Although it’s a large city, it’s easy to explore some paths of this city on foot since most of its city main attractions are close to each other. The historic sites, neighborhoods, and landmarks of this city are truly amazing and it’s easy to feel like you’re being transported to another time.
Like most walkable cities, this city has hillsides and narrow streets with bakeries, cafes, and apartment buildings. One of the neighborhoods to start exploring is Sultanahmet, where you can find the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Gulhane Park, the Blue Mosque, and the Topkapi Palace.
Once you’re done exploring, you can stop at any of the Turkish restaurants which are located almost every corner. Make sure you order either the Turkish pizza or the traditional sesame bread. You can explore the less popular areas if you want to avoid the crowds.
12. Melbourne (Australia)
Melbourne is a city that’s easy to navigate. It has a good train network, car-free zones, bike paths, and various walking trails. It’s one of the most walkable cities in the world cos it’s possible to live here without owning a car.
You can take a walk to explore the top tourist attraction sites. Such as The Shrine of Remembrance, Royal Botanic Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Old Melbourne Gaol.
This walk will help you burn calories so you can indulge in the delicious Italian pizza sold at the restaurants in the Italian community. Somedays the weather may not be great, but no cause to worry cos you can use the tram instead to explore.
13. Prague (Czech Republic)
Europe is known to be the headquarters of the best walkable cities but there’s something different about Prague. The city’s beauty, architecture, attractions, and history, plus its walkability make it easy to fall in love with.
Here you most certainly won’t need a car and a 45-minute walk will seem shorter because of the artwork and museums everywhere. During every stroll, you’ll notice a new statue, hidden details, or a new restaurant to try out.
And if you want a bit of local experience, you can attend various wine tastings, live music, and harvest festivals. While taking a stroll near the river at night, you can even stumble upon a Spanish-themed festival that includes food, music, and dancing.
Conclusion
Going to a city for a vacation is very nice and necessary. The only thing is that you may have to get a taxi or find the train anytime you want to go explore the city. That’s why you need to visit these cities that are walkable and easy to navigate.
In these cities, it is easy to just stroll from one attraction to the other without getting lost or spending money on transport. So, what are you waiting for? Plan your trip, pack your bags, get comfortable shoes, and start exploring.
