BERLIN, GERMANY - Tourlane, a leading online travel website for tailor-made vacations, has kicked off the 29th annual World Walking Day with a special guide to the top 50 most walkable cities on earth. Focusing on destinations where the top five attractions are within easy walking distance, the ranking provides inspiration to prospective travelers while encouraging safety and distancing at the same time.
The guide was researched by Tourlane’s Travel Experts, who measured the walking distance between the top five attractions in hundreds of cities around the globe. Attractions were selected based on the number of online reviews and the most logical route between the top five was measured. Cities where the total distance exceeded 10 miles were excluded from the top 50.
The research found that:
- Italian cities march to the top of the ranking, with Florence and Venice placing first and second respectively
- European cities set the pace, and reached higher echelons in the ranking, sweeping the top ten spots
- Washington D.C. is the most walkable city in North America, striding ahead of Chicago and Boston
“As a carbon neutral company that offsets the carbon emissions of our travelers and our team, we believe that walking is a great way to discover a new city,” said Head of Safety and Sustainability, Johann Jones. “At a time when travelers are looking for safer-socially distant ways to discover new areas, walking is an ideal mode of transport.”
Additional takeaways from the research:
- Despite being the world’s third and fifth most populous cities, Shanghai and Mexico City still ranked within the top 50 walkable cities (43rd and 39th respectively). In comparison, other megacities like Tokyo, Delhi, São Paulo, Cairo, Mumbai, Beijing, Dhaka, and Osaka are not among the world’s most walkable cities.
- Auckland and Bangkok also missed out on the top 50, as more than 10 miles separates their top five destinations.
Cities in Europe and North America are much more walkable compared to cities in Asia, with 30 destinations in Europe and 14 in North America making the top 50 compared to just three in Asia.
- Cape Town is the only city in Africa to make the top 50.