Buses, trains, planes, and automobiles will always have their rightful role in traveling. But let’s be honest. The best way to explore a particular destination is to walk around. Especially if that means you’ll avoid public transportation that is usually crowded.
Of course, not all destinations are walkable. There are cities where people must use buses, automobiles, bicycles, or other forms of transportation to visit the most popular and attractive highlights.
However, there are cities that tourists can explore by walking. Walking is a great way to leisurely witness unique attractions, historically significant places, monuments, see the city’s architecture, and enjoy the peaceful green sites.
While walking, you can also learn about the local culture and meet residents. So, if you’re planning a walkable holiday, here are some of the top cities in the world you can explore on foot.
The Top Cities In The World You Should Experience On Foot
1. Amsterdam, Netherlands
At first, you may think the best way to go around Amsterdam is by bicycle because of the excellent bike lane network. But Amsterdam is a city where you can easily walk around and visit almost all popular attractions on foot with your mobile device as a guide.
You only need your digital maps and internet connection to find your next destination. Thus, you will likely look for free Wi-Fi hotspots, typically offered at coffee shops or even city centers.
However, do not connect to each network: they might be dangerous. Before you join a free Wi-Fi network, enable a VPN. It encrypts your connection, preventing network managers or attackers from snooping on your activities. Hence, a Virtual Private Network should be your companion every time you travel. After all, you do not want to spend too much money on cellular data in a foreign country.
Straight off the bat, you can visit the famous Vondelpark, located five minutes away from the Canal Belt in the city center, and experience the charm of Amsterdam in a one-hour walk. If you love museums and art, you can directly go south of Vondelpark and visit the Museum Quarter where all the famous Amsterdam’s museums are located.
At the end of the day, rest your feet in some of Amsterdam’s most beautiful neighborhoods called Jordaan. There you can find some of the best restaurants and try delicious gourmet meals.
2. Florence, Italy
Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. The architecture of this city begs tourists to walk around it. More importantly, traffic in the historic city center is almost banned. Only vehicles with special permits have the right to move around the center.
This charming and romantic city in Italy is heaven for environmentally friendly and health-minded tourists. Almost every popular and essential attraction in Florence is accessible for walking. If you stay in Florence for a couple of days, you must visit most walking tour sights.
Florence is full of historical buildings and architectural beauties. You must see the Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria of the Flower and the iconic Brunelleschi’s Dome, even more massive than Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Please remember to rest your feet at the end of the day by watching the sunset and sipping local wine with traditional Italian food.
3. Dubrovnik, South Croatia
Dubrovnik is a historic city located in southern Croatia. This charming city lies on the south coast of the Adriatic Sea, and it’s called the pearl of the Adriatic. Dubrovnik has the Old City district, which is restricted for vehicles, and accessible only for pedestrians.
The Old Town is surrounded by forts and walls built in the 10th century, and you can walk around or climb the walls if you want to feel the city’s medieval charm. You can explore almost the entire Old Town in 3 hours, including relaxing and photographing interesting buildings and walls.
The most exciting thing for tourists in Dubrovnik is the popular Game of Thrones tour. Many scenes from the Game of Thrones series were filmed in this medieval town. You can see the sight of King’s Landing, visit Lovrijenac Fortress where Joffrey walked, and hear interesting behind-the-scenes stories.
Dubrovnik is rocky, so try to wear as comfortable shoes as possible while absorbing the history and atmosphere of a charming town by the Adriatic Sea.
4. Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is a compact, easy to explore, and delightful Scottish city. It is one of the few cities in Scotland that can be walked around in literally a couple of hours. You can walk from one to the other end of the city in less than an hour.
If you find yourself in Princess Street and you want to enjoy the iconic and fantastic view of Edinburgh’s Old Town, make sure you climb Calton Hill. Be sure to walk around the alleys and bridges of Old Town and remember to have a map of the city if you don’t want to get lost exploring the captivating architecture of the city.
Be prepared for a walk, and keep in mind that the weather in Edinburgh is not always predictable. So, pack warm clothes and adequate footwear if you’re planning to discover Edinburgh on foot.
Conclusion
The best way to truly experience the atmosphere, the charm, and get to know the culture of a city is if you walk around it. More importantly, walking is healthy, benefits the environment, and is entirely free.
Photos by Unsplash.