Great walking cities

[neihn]

If you like walking - you should check out this company, they setup many trails around Europe (ranging from hard to easy), they will arrange hotels and transport your luggage to resting destinations, you walk from one destination to the next, check in the hotel, rest and walk again to next destination. I personally did not do this yet, but my co-worker highly recommend this as she had done it many time, and she is in her late 50s

https://www.onfootholidays.co.uk/

It is entirely a different type of vacation/tour ... I am sure that it is not for all.

 

[Nemo2]

Did anyone mention Dublin?

 

[brett]

No. We were there at this time last year. Did lots and lots of walking. Loved it.

 

[Ronstar]

We were there last fall - lots and lots of walking for us also. Easy walking city.

 

[Meadbh]

Did anyone mention Dublin?

Yes, in posts #8 and 38.

 

[shortstop14]

I've compiled a list of about 85 cities from this thread, probably 65 of which I haven't visited. So I've got a bit of walking to do ...

 

[haha]

I walk on average about 50 miles/week. Never the colossal distances that some have posted on this thread, just a pretty good amount of daily walking around. If I want to go somewhere, I usually walk. I am not going to drive, as I don't have a car. I drove too damn much during my working and child rearing years, I really do not like it anymore.

During August we had smoke many days. Truly unpleasant, and my woman friend started to have difficulty with asthma, something that she had not had since early adulthood. So she found out that the big indoor malls have filtered air, and we spent a few weeks walking around a mall. That required that she drive us to the mall, but not bad compared to asthma.

I have spent very little time in malls over my lifetime, but I pretty well enjoyed this and I can see real advantages-like a security force, air conditioning, no rain, no speeding bicycles, a Starbucks to get an iced coffee and a rest, and at least during during the time we were there, no sidewalk drama.

If we should ever decide to live together, we might think of something like this "inner ring" suburbia, at least once the subway extension gets finished or at least seems to be proceeding well.

But this walking city thread has convinced that I get all the walking I want or need just out my front door, without looking for aggravation at the end of an uncomfortable transatlantic flight. My home address has a 98 walk score, and also a very high transit score. One of the real benefits of ER.org is vicariously learning about all the possible activities and or lifestyles that become fairly easy to cross off my dance card. Of course age is busily crossing things oft too!

Ha

 

[Big_Hitter]

downtown Houston has a great tunnel system...and Boise has a beautiful greenbelt that 's several miles long

 

[bclover]

paris. both beautiful and very walkable

Agree. one of my favorite cities.

If you're looking for here in the states. Philadelphia is a great city. very walkable, tons to do and great restaurants.

 

[FIREd]

San Francisco, NYC, and Boston are all great walking cities. I used to walk many miles a day when I lived in SF.

My current location (suburbia) has a walk score of only 4/100, which baffles me. I still manage to walk a lot. Within 2 miles, there are restaurants, cafes, gyms, grocery stores, shops, doctors, dentists, all accessible on foot via paved sidewalks. My house also backs to a preserve with many miles of trails. It seems pretty walkable to me.

 

[braumeister]

I think it's because most people consider two miles "too far to walk."
Their loss.

 

[MichaelB]

Pedestrian friendliness makes all the difference. I have no problem walking 3-4 miles each morning, but usually won't walk the 1/2 mile to our nearby grocery store. South Florida has among the highest rates of pedestrian deaths (and hit-and-run) in the nation. The avenues are very wide, the traffic lights are not long enough to cross both ways and the median, drivers routinely plow through the light after turning red and turn right without stopping. It's just too dangerous.

Walkability is about distance, but also about pedestrian safety.

 

[FIREd]

Walkability is about distance, but also about pedestrian safety.

True. I only have to cross one large street with 4-lanes of traffic to get around to the shops here. There is a crosswalk with a signal, but I still keep an eye on incoming cars as drivers in this area are not used to pedestrians. That being said, I had a lot more close calls crossing streets in San Francisco than I have had here. In suburbia, many streets are residential and very safe for pedestrians.

 

[RunningBum]

But this walking city thread has convinced that I get all the walking I want or need just out my front door, without looking for aggravation at the end of an uncomfortable transatlantic flight.

Not sure I get your point. You don't want to travel at all, or you don't want to walk around after flying? I think it's more aggravating having to drive around in an unfamiliar area or figure out a new city's public transportation system than it is to be in a very walkable area.

 

[Nemo2]

Not sure I get your point. You don't want to travel at all, or you don't want to walk around after flying? I think it's more aggravating having to drive around in an unfamiliar area or figure out a new city's public transportation system than it is to be in a very walkable area.

Perhaps it's the walking that's paramount, and the where is immaterial?

"Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose"? (Or, to paraphrase the old TV detective shows, "Only the location has been changed, to protect the innocent".)

 

[jonat]

DW and I prefer walking when we travel to cities - it's the best way of getting a feel for the city and its inhabitants. Many times we have discovered delightful things on our walk to a destination that we would never have known about if we had taken a taxi or bus or train. And sometimes we just walk in a direction with no particular destination in mind.

I certainly understand that not everyone is up for walking a couple of miles, but if you are, I recommend it.

 

[braumeister]

DW and I prefer walking when we travel to cities - it's the best way of getting a feel for the city and its inhabitants.

We're the same way.

A few weeks ago we spent four days in Munich, which we have visited many, many times. We weren't together constantly, but by the time we left our Apple Watches said we had each walked over 50 miles. That's pretty typical of our European travels. Healthy exercise, a great way to work up an appetite for good food, and an unparalleled way to learn more about a favorite city.

 

[RunningBum]

Perhaps it's the walking that's paramount, and the where is immaterial?

"Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose"? (Or, to paraphrase the old TV detective shows, "Only the location has been changed, to protect the innocent".)

He said he walks 50 miles/week, which is a lot.

 

[Nemo2]

He said he walks 50 miles/week, which is a lot.

It certainly is. In my 30s I ran 70 miles a week for a while.....sure couldn't walk 50 a week nowadays.

 

[Oma_here]

Don't forget the smaller Spanish cities like Malaga snd Granada. They are gorgeous.

Also when walking in countries where traffic drives on the left side, you must remember to look rlr not lrl if you don't want to get crushed. And lastly, Dutch bicyclist often consider both sides of the road fair game and red lights don't apply to them (in their mind) so keep that in mind when crossing the road even when you have a green light

 

[jonat]

We already have Malaga and Granada booked for next year - glad to hear they are walkable.

 

[cbo111]

San Francisco, NYC, and Boston are all great walking cities. I used to walk many miles a day when I lived in SF.

My current location (suburbia) has a walk score of only 4/100, which baffles me. I still manage to walk a lot. Within 2 miles, there are restaurants, cafes, gyms, grocery stores, shops, doctors, dentists, all accessible on foot via paved sidewalks. My house also backs to a preserve with many miles of trails. It seems pretty walkable to me.

+1 for San Francisco. I've enjoyed many many fantastic walks, always something different and interesting. Such a diverse and beautiful city, although they could do with fewer panhandlers. Some good up and downhill streets. I have overextended myself on numerous occasions by thinking "oh its not that far a stroll from Market St to the Wharf, not considering the return walk back." Good thing they have that cool trolly!

 

[gerntz]

Minneapolis

Pedestrian mall in town, walk along the Mississippi River with several bridge crossing. Bike/pedestrian paths interconnect via several lakes in uptown. Can literally ride around the town from the burbs without ever riding on a road.

Yep. Particularly in January. Have the sidewalks pretty much to yourself.

 

[audreyh1]

Walking the cities and towns is one of the huge appeals to us when visiting Europe. There is so much history to walk through - just love it!

The cities in the US are not old enough to have Medieval and Roman structures scattered about.

Even smaller cities and villages often have a wealth of old architecture. It's everywhere in Europe.

 

[Moemg]

.

If we should ever decide to live together, we might think of something like this "inner ring" suburbia, at least once the subway extension gets finished or at least seems to be proceeding well.



Ha

Did Ha the biggest relationship skeptic of all time mention living together ?