A free walking tour is a “pay what you feel” tour led by a local guide or city expert, where travelers are not committed to paying a fixed amount, but to giving the guide what they feel is fair for their service at the end of the tour instead. Free walking tours focus on a guided tour of a city’s must-see sights, covering the most iconic buildings, monuments, parks and streets. They also delve into specific aspects of the city, historical overviews, myths and legends, and that is why there are more and more travelers choosing this option to get to know the places they travel to. But what are the best cities to discover by foot? GuruWalk, a leading company in the walking tours field, has collected data to develop a list of the top 100 best walking cities in the world in 2024.
Ranking Methodology
GuruWalk based this ranking on data from their platform. They analyzed the number of tour bookings made for each city from April 2023 to April 2024, and cross-referenced it with the amount of page views that each city received on the website. The combination of both parameters enabled the company to create a reliable list that reflects the current preferences and interests of travelers, providing a clear picture of travel trends in 2024.
Rome, at the top of the list
It’s no surprise that Rome tops the list. The concentration of art and architectural monuments in Italy’s capital offers a journey back in time that no history or culture lover should miss. Taking a free walking tour in Rome is like reading a history book in real time, where every corner has a story to tell. The impressive Colosseum, the majestic Pantheon and the enchanting Trevi Fountain make the eternal city the perfect destination to discover on foot.
Surprising entries in the Top 100
There are many cities that, despite not being widely known, have made it to the list because of the charm of their streets and the pleasant walks that they offer to tourists. A good example of this is Cartagena, in Colombia. This vibrant city with a rich colonial history has become a must-visit destination for walking tour enthusiasts. But the biggest surprise is Fez, in Morocco. This city has a captivating medina whose labyrinthine streets will make you feel in a Middle Eastern folktale when you walk through them.
Only one city from the US
In the United States, only New York City slips into the list of the best cities to discover on foot. Despite being a huge city, tourists choose to walk through the neighborhoods to embrace the street culture and the vibe of each one. Ranked 53rd in GuruWalk’s ranking, New York offers a unique experience for every visitor, from the bustle of Times Square to the serenity of Central Park.
The 100 best walking cities in 2024
Sure it is interesting that Rome made it to 1st place, and it is also cool to know what unknown places also made it to the list. But what are all the 100 destinations? Without further ado, here are the cities that made the top 100 ranking. What are you waiting for? Go visit them!
- Rome, Italy
- Budapest, Hungary
- Barcelona, Spain
- Madrid, Spain
- Florence, Italy
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- London, United Kingdom
- Porto, Portugal
- Paris, France
- Vienna, Austria
- Berlin, Deutschland
- Venice, Italy
- Seville, Spain
- Toledo, Spain
- Istanbul, Türkiye
- Brussels, Belgium
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Bruges, Belgium
- Valencia, Spain
- Krakow, Poland
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Medellín, Colombia
- Milan, Italy
- Split, Croatia
- Granada, Spain
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dublin, Ireland
- Bilbao, Spain
- Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
- Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Málaga, Spain
- Munich, Germany
- Córdoba, Spain
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Naples, Italy
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Ghent, Belgium
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Zaragoza, Spain
- Santiago, Chile
- Bucharest, Romania
- San Sebastián, Spain
- Bordeaux, France
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Cádiz, Spain
- Salamanca, Spain
- Strasbourg, France
- Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- New York, United States
- Segovia, Spain
- Warsaw, Poland
- Zagreb, Croatia
- Helsinki, Finland
- Cáceres, Spain
- Tirana, Albania
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
- Valletta, Malta
- Lima, Perú
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Fez, Morocco
- Cusco, Peru
- Toulouse, France
- Oviedo, Spain
- Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Girona, Spain
- Havana, Cuba
- Antwerp, Belgium
- A Coruña, Spain
- Riga, Latvia
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Bologna, Italy
- Nuremberg, Germany
- León, Spain
- Nice, France
- Marseille, France
- Sintra, Portugal
- Alicante, Spain
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Cuenca, Spain
- Hội An, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam
- Pamplona, Spain
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Tarragona, Spain
- Zadar, Croatia
- Gijón, Spain
- Mérida, Mexico
- Úbeda, Spain
- Lyon, France
- Wroclaw, Poland
- Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Panama City, Panama
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Cologne, Germany
Discovering the world with GuruWalk tours
GuruWalk offers the perfect opportunity to explore the world in an authentic and affordable way. With passionate guides who know each city inside out, each free walking tour becomes an unforgettable experience.