Ready to take a walk? A new list reveals the world's most walkable cities, including the No. 1 pick, where the top five local attractions are all within a half-mile radius.
Earlier this year, financial site Insider Monkey shared its list of the world's most walkable cities, created from sources including Tourlane and WalkScore. It then took these scores, mapped the distance between each destination's top five tourist attractions, and checked the air quality using IQAir data and crime and safety indices to further ensure walkability. After reviewing all the information, he appointed Florence the most walkable place in the world.
“Topping the list is Florence, Italy, a city that offers Renaissance history and timeless architecture at every step,” the findings reveal. “Florence’s walkability shines through in its historic center, where narrow lanes lead to monuments like the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.”
According to the report, the city's air quality is also rated well. Its main monuments, including the Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza del Duomo and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, are all within 0.8 km of each other, making them easy to access on foot in 10 minutes.
Riga, Latvia joins Florence at the top of the list in second place, with its top tourist destinations all within 1.5 miles; Hamburg, Germany, in third place with its spots within a two-mile radius; and Porto, Portugal, in fourth place, with its best attractions within a 3.5km radius.
Rounding out the top five is Madrid, where travelers will find all the best attractions within a 3.5km radius. The city has a slightly lower air quality index than Portugal, placing it just one place further down the list. Still, it's a place the team says is worth visiting.
“The walkability of the city is most evident in central areas like Puerta del Sol and Retiro Park, both of which are historic monuments,” he says. “Madrid also has an accessible public transportation system that complements the city’s pedestrian layout.”
Find out which other cities are ranked among the 30 most walkable cities on insidermonkey.com.
