Exploring a city on foot is one of the great pleasures of international travel.
So much so that the French even have a word for it: the verb ‘flâner’ translates as ‘to wander aimlessly through a city’.
But not all destinations are equally walkable, with some being easy to navigate while others are spread out and difficult to cover on foot.
Now, GuruWalk, a platform for free walking tours and cultural activities, has revealed its Best 100 Walking Cities ranking for 2026.
The list gives an overview of the most popular and highest-rated cities in the world among travellers who choose to discover destinations on foot with expert local guides.
Here’s a rundown of the top spots for you to peruse…
Rome, Italy’s capital and the so-called ‘Eternal City’, is an ideal walkable city break
Crowned this year’s most walkable city, Rome is one of Europe’s most popular destinations, hailed for its iconic landmarks such as the ancient Colosseum.
It’s often considered a very walkable city given how close many major tourist attractions are to each other – for instance, you can easily explore the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Pantheon on foot in a day.
One Tripadvisor review said: ‘We found Rome extremely walkable. I am a 52-year-old woman, not in the greatest of shapes and I had absolutely no problems.
‘The trains and metro are also easy to take if it’s raining, but we walked everywhere.’
2. Madrid, Spain
In second place is Madrid, which is easy to navigate without transport
Next up is Spanish capital Madrid, which has many of its main attractions in close proximity – such as the Plaza Mayor, San Miguel Market and Royal Palace.
With the famous El Retiro park nearby, it’s also filled with green space to immerse yourself in nature while visiting the bustling city – that which not all European hubs can provide.
One Reddit user even wrote: ‘Madrid is the most walkable big city I’ve ever been to.’
3. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is a popular destination that’s gaining traction as a budget-friendly city break
In Budapest, pretty streets welcome visitors in, and popular tourist attractions in central areas add to the city’s appeal.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath, for instance, is one of Budapest’s biggest attractions, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each month who flock to bathe in its steaming 38C waters.
One Tripadvisor post said of the city: ‘I found it to be a very walkable city on the Pest side. We used the metro and the trams at times to give our feet a rest.
‘The Buda side is on top of a hill, we walked up the hill with our tour guide during a walking tour. Later we returned on our own at night and used the funicular.’
4. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is often a top pick for history buffs and those seeking a taste of culture
In fourth place is Prague, which sees more than eight million visitors a year.
It’s a highly walkable destination, known for its historic attractions such as the Old Town Square, cathedral and Jewish District – as well as its pretty cobbled streets.
Most of the major attractions are less than 30 minutes from each other, too, making it compact and convenient for a weekend away.
5. Lisbon, Portugal
Rounding out the top five on the list is Lisbon, Portugal’s hilly capital city
Lisbon is one of the most walkable cities in the world, with a compact city centre and centrally located sights.
According to one Tripadvisor review: ‘There are good flat areas in Lisbon for walking. For example, the downtown district and the entire area along the Tagus River, between the Park of Nations and the area of Belém, where many of the major attractions are.’
But the famous hills are not for the faint of heart.
Another visitor commented: ‘Lisbon is hilly, the most hilly town I know. But it is a joy to walk about and get lost in. The streets are narrow and cobbled in a very distinctive way.’
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Walkers – and cyclists – are a common sight in Amsterdam in the Netherlands
Often considered more of a cycling city than a walking one, Amsterdam is nonetheless an ideal city to visit if you fancy strolling along through beautiful streets and along the canals.
One visitor said: ‘The core part of Amsterdam is walkable.
‘But they do have a nice and convenient tram system. I was able to do a lot of walking anyway.’
7. Porto, Portugal
Next up is Porto, where tourists often walk along the Douro River in the sunshine
The second Poruguese city to make the top 10, Porto is another excellent holiday spot that’s easy to navigate.
A major factor contributing to the city’s walkability is the close proximity of major attractions such as the Ribeira district and the Livraria Lello & Irmão, commonly known in English as the Lello Bookshop – ranked as one of the most beautiful in the world.
One Reddit user described Porto as a ‘spectacularly walkable city’ – however, another warned: ‘Just make sure your legs are made of steel before you get there. Those hills ain’t no joke.’
8. Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is also easy to explore on foot, and has an outdoorsy ambience
Taking eighth place is Barcelona, a sunny destination adored due to its excellent combination of city break hotspot and beachside paradise.
One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: ‘Barcelona is pretty compact and very walkable. Walking around the old city, or around the Eixample, is easy and does not require a specific plan.
‘That said, it’s easy to set a plan that includes many of the different attractions as most are within a relatively small area of around 3.5km radius from the centre.’
9. London, UK
The UK’s capital, London, is the next destination to join the coveted top 10
London remains among the 10 best cities in the world to explore on foot, holding 9th position for another year.
The British capital continues to be one of travellers’ firm favourites thanks to its rich historical heritage, unrivalled cultural offering, and the diversity of its neighbourhoods, which make every walk a different experience.
The United Kingdom places four cities among the world’s top 100 for exploring on foot – London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Liverpool.
10. Berlin, Germany
Rounding out the top 10 is Berlin, Germany’s capital city and a favourite city break spot
Berlin is popular for a reason – with landmarks that bring to life 20th century history, it’s a city that is vibrating with culture.
It’s also especially easy to navigate on foot, with many attractions located centrally.
Plus, it has plenty of green spaces to enjoy, the most famous of all being Tiergarten.
11. Paris, France
The home of the Eiffel Tower and croissants, Paris is the next destination on the list
Paris can seem overwhelming at first, with its many iconic – and imposing – sights ranging from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe.
But in reality, it’s really simple to navigate on foot – walking along the River Seine through the centre can take you from one side of the city all the way to the other in just three hours, impressively quick for a major capital city.
Travelling on foot is also one of the best ways to ensure you take in all the magical corners and local boulangeries that give the city its charm.
12. Seville, Spain
Seville is also extremely walkable, the third Spanish city in the ranking
While many advise against visiting Seville in the summer months due to the heat, for most of the year the Spanish city is a standout destination that’s easy to explore on foot.
The first major attraction of Seville is its imposing Gothic cathedral – the biggest in the world and the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. There are plenty of nearby attractions you can also walk to.
‘The central area is easily walkable, the old town and Jewish quarter particularly. Also, Seville is a flat city,’ one Tripadvisor post said.
13. Istanbul, Turkey
While it’s often considered crowded and busy, Istanbul has high walkability
Turkey ranks as the fourth most popular country for tourism, having welcomed a record 64 million international visitors in 2025.
And one of its major cities, Istanbul, is a highlight.
One Reddit user wrote: ‘Istanbul is so pedestrian-friendly!’
However, not everyone agrees, with another writing: ‘Sadly the commonality of these walkable spaces begins to fade away the further you go from old town. Not to say there aren’t any, but they usually aren’t given priority. The rest of Istanbul is a mixed bag. Some places are borderline pedestrian unfriendly and dangerous, and some are somewhere in between.’
14. Krakow, Poland
Poland is on the rise – and budget-friendly destination Krakow is popular
Kraków’s Old Town is highly walkable, with most attractions located around the enormous Main Market Square.
Flights from the UK take around two hours and 45 minutes, and the airport train connects travellers to the centre in approximately 17 minutes – so it’s easy to visit and even easier to navigate once there.
‘The whole city has amazing walkability’, one Reddit user explained.
15. Florence, Italy
Florence is arguably Italy’s most walkable city, also known for its architectural beauty
Florence’s major attractions – the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Pitti – are all within walking distance of each other.
It’s not just that – the city is almost made for strolling on foot, with many pedestrian areas and cafes you’d only stumble upon while walking past.
One Tripadvisor post read: ‘Florence is generally very walkable without any restrictions. Very much a tourist city like you’d expect in the busier parts of London. Dealing with crowds of people is the only big issue, just take it slow.’
16. Vienna, Austria
The first Austrian destination on the list, Vienna is considered easy to explore on foot
Vienna, crowned the world’s most liveable city in 2024, is also one of the world’s best to navigate while walking.
Flights from the UK take around two and a half hours, and the City Airport Train connects travellers to the centre in roughly 16 minutes – making it easily accessible.
On Facebook, a traveller described the city as ‘super walkable’.
17. Toledo, Spain
Next up is Toledo in Spain, one of the country’s less well-trodden cities
Toledo, a Unesco World Heritage site, is one of the most historically fascinating cities in Spain, having once been the county’s imperial capital.
The city is well sign-posted – and easy to navigate on foot.
One Facebook user wrote: ‘Spent an entire day walking through the old town from the train station with many others doing the same thing, no guide necessary.’
18. Dublin, Ireland
Dublin in Ireland is a fan favourite – and is easy to navigate on foot
The home of Guinness is a popular destination among Brits, with short flights making it extremely accessible too.
That convenience and ease doesn’t stop when you arrive.
Many of the city’s attractions are close together, so you won’t even need public transport to head, for example, from the Temple Bar to Trinity College.
One former resident wrote: ‘I found Dublin to be very walkable. They have pretty good public transport too.’
19. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Historic buildings and beautiful scenery can be explored without a car in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Unesco World Heritage site Dubrovnik has long been a bucket list destination for Brits, known as a key filming location for Game of Thrones.
Since the city’s Old Town is fully pedestrianised, walking is the best mode of transport.
Lonely Planet says: ‘Ditch your car well outside of the centre and opt for a stroll or a bus ride instead. Compact and scenic, Dubrovnik is very walkable.’
20. Tokyo, Japan
Rounding out the top 20 is Tokyo, an increasingly popular destination in Japan
In Japan, Tokyo climbs from its previous position in 36th place to 20th.
It’s often considered one of the world’s most walkable cities, as even though the city is vast, many key attractions are close together.
One Tripadvisor review said: ‘Tokyo is made up of districts and exploring a district on foot should be quite walkable.’
Top 100 walking cities 2026
1. Rome, Italy
2. Madrid, Spain
3. Budapest, Hungary
4. Prague, Czech Republic
5. Lisbon, Portugal
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
7. Porto, Portugal
8. Barcelona, Spain
9. London, UK
10. Berlin, Germany
11. Paris, France
12. Seville, Spain
13. Istanbul, Turkey
14. Krakow, Poland
15. Florence, Italy
16. Vienna, Austria
17. Toledo, Spain
18. Dublin, Ireland
19. Dubrovnik, Croatia
20. Tokyo, Japan
21. Split, Croatia
22. Santiago de Compostela, Spain
23. New York, US
24. Bucharest, Romania
25. Santiago de Chile, Chile
26. Málaga, Spain
27. Granada, Spain
28. Brussels, Belgium
29. Bruges, Belgium
30. Ljubljana, Slovenia
31. Valencia, Spain
32. Medellín, Colombia
33. Mexico City, Mexico
34. Buenos Aires, Argentina
35. Kyoto, Japan
36. Marseille, France
37. Hanoi, Vietnam
38. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
39. Zagreb, Croatia
40. Naples, Italy
41. Copenhagen, Denmark
42. Helsinki, Finland
43. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
44. Tirana, Albania
45. Edinburgh, UK
46. A Coruña, Spain
47. Valletta, Malta
48. Cartagena, Colombia
49. Cusco, Peru
50. Sofia, Bulgaria
51. Milan, Italy
52. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
53. Kotor, Montenegro
54. Warsaw, Poland
55. Cairo, Egypt
56. Marrakech, Morocco
57. Bratislava, Slovakia
58. Oviedo, Spain
59. Cádiz, Spain
60. Fez, Morocco
61. Toulouse, France
62. Shanghai, China
63. Munich, Germany
64. Hoi An, Vietnam
65. Hamburg, Germany
66. Zaragoza, Spain
67. Tbilisi, Georgia
68. Lyon, France
69. Stockholm, Sweden
70. Singapore, Singapore
71. Valladolid, Spain
72. Strasbourg, France
73. Riga, Latvia
74. Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
75. Nuremberg, Germany
76. Gdańsk, Poland
77. Ghent, Belgium
78. Mérida, Mexico
79. Pamplona, Spain
80. Bordeaux, France
81. Hiroshima, Japan
82. Zurich, Switzerland
83. Bilbao, Spain
84. Panama City, Panama
85. Bogotá, Colombia
86. Lima, Peru
87. Gijón, Spain
88. Tallinn, Estonia
89. Salamanca, Spain
90. Athens, Greece
91. Venice, Italy
92. Zadar, Croatia
93. Salvador de Bahía, Brazil
94. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
95. Santander, Spain
96. Belfast, UK
97. Oaxaca, Mexico
98. Liverpool, UK
99. Nice, France
100. Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Source: GuruWalk
GuruWalk analysed behaviour of its travellers from April 2025 to April 2026.
From the more than 800 cities in which the platform operates, the 120 most chosen by travellers were selected as the basis for analysis.
The final score combines both traveller volume and satisfaction, based on the premise that the best sign a city deserves to be discovered on foot is that thousands of people are already doing so.
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