For many travelers, the decision to spend a few days in an international city depends on its walkability. Staying in a walkable city is often way more affordable than somewhere that requires you to rent a car to drive between attractions. So what defines a walkable city? These are some of the factors that make a city more walkable.
12 A Lively Downtown Core
A thriving downtown core with lots to offer is at the heart of what makes a walkable city. Destinations like New York City, Buenos Aires, or Paris are highly walkable because they have urban centers that are full of bars, restaurants, and shops, encouraging travelers and residents to spend time in the downtown area at all hours of the day. When there is so much to do in a concentrated area, it’s easy to explore a city for a day on foot.
11 A Historic City Center
In the same vein, cities that have a historic center or Old Town are also highly walkable. Hotels and AirBnBs are typically available close to these areas because they’re so popular with tourists, making it easy for travelers to base themselves in the most picturesque part of a city and close to all major attractions. Examples of highly walkable cities with historical centers and Old Towns include Tallinn (Estonia), Dubrovnik (Croatia), and Marrakech (Morocco).
10 A Compact Layout
Cities that are densely populated within a concentrated area are typically more walkable than those that sprawl. An example is the city of Los Angeles, which absolutely requires travelers to rent a car or pay for Uber rides during their visit in order to get around. This is due to how spread out the city is. Cities where major attractions are closer together, like Toronto or Rome, are much more walkable.
9 Waterfront Walking Trails
Part of what makes a city walkable is the addition of scenic walking trails and paths that encourage people to choose walking instead of driving or taking public transit. For tourists, scenic waterfront trails are an attraction that makes a city more beautiful and gives them something to do while visiting. Toronto and Boston have gorgeous waterfront trails that are highly walkable.
8 Sufficient Pedestrian Infrastructure
For a city to be walkable, there must be pedestrian infrastructure in place. Cities with sidewalks, pedestrian-only streets, and well-maintained crosswalks make pedestrians feel welcome and safe. When it’s convenient for travelers to walk, a city automatically becomes more walkable.
7 Residential Homes In Proximity To Schools And Businesses
Cities that are walkable have residential areas that are close to commercial areas. This means that when the work day and school day end, an area maintains its livelihood because people stick around. Cities like Toronto, New York City, and Paris are great examples of this because there are plenty of residential apartments and condos in the downtown core.
6 A Sense Of Public Safety
Safety is a huge factor in how walkable a city is for tourists, especially for solo female travelers. Tourists need to feel like they can walk from place to place without fearing harassment, pickpocketing, or worse. It’s important to note that a city that’s walkable during the day may not be walkable after dark. That’s why it’s important to research the safety level in a destination and listen to the locals about where you should and shouldn’t walk. Copenhagen, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, and Toronto are some of the safest cities in the world (for 2021), making them highly walkable for tourists. A safe city like Copenhagen is easy to walk through at any hour of the day or night.
5 Enforcement Of Speed Limits Or Pedestrian-Only Areas
Hand-in-hand with safety is the enforcement of laws that specifically keep pedestrians safe. Cities that post and enforce speed limits in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic (like school zones) automatically become more attractive to travelers who want to explore a destination on foot. City centers or historic districts that are off-limits to vehicles also enhance walkability. These areas become a safe haven for pedestrians where they can wander freely without worrying about traffic.
4 Easy Access To Recreational Activities
Walkable cities offer tourists plenty in the way of activities, so they aren’t just walking from point A to point B but are discovering things along the way. Shopping malls or districts and parks with activities like tennis courts, bike paths, and hiking trails offer people entertainment options wherever they are in the city. Examples are Tokyo’s Harajuku District (for shopping), Vancouver’s stunning green space, Stanley Park, and New York City's famous Central Park.
3 Open-Air Markets And Festivals
Open-air markets and street festivals increase the walkability of cities because they have to be explored on foot. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is a great city for walkability, and part of that is due to the abundance of open-air markets such as Mercado Municipal de Río Cuale and Old Town Market Viejo Vallarta. Whether the markets are selling artisan crafts, baked goods, street food, or fresh produce, this type of event attracts tourists and local residents to a specific area of the city on foot.
2 Something To Discover
A walkable city must give people a reason to explore on foot, meaning there has to be something new to discover around each corner. Cities that are unique have local artwork, graffiti, and murals painted on the sides of buildings down alleyways, providing points of interest to travelers who are exploring on foot. These are sites where they might want to stop, take a photo, and appreciate the artistry before moving on. Outdoor cafés in courtyards or outdoor patios provide the same element of charm and discovery. Stumbling upon a cute café where travelers can stop for a moment to appreciate the scenery enhances the walkability of an area.
1 An Extensive Public Transit System
Walkable cities typically have a reliable and extensive public transit system. The reason public transit compliments walkability is that it makes it possible for local residents not to own a car while living in the city. Therefore, people naturally walk more around the city and hop on the transit system only for distances that are too far to walk. This means that travelers who don’t want to drive or rent a car on their trip can feel comfortable walking a city knowing that, if they need it, they can simply jump on a bus or train to cover distances that are more expansive.