The pretty European city only 2 hours away from the UK has been crowned the most walkable | Travel News | Travel

April 13, 2024 3,122

City breaks are one of the best ways to get a dose of culture in just a couple of days. Europe is one of the finest places to travel to for one of these holidays with a glut of options from France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, and Belgium.

However, it is in Germany where you will find the city which has been voted the most walkable in Europe.

Munich, only a two-hour flight from the UK, is home to around 1.4million people and is known the world over as a hub of culture. Its most famous festival is Oktoberfest, but it is so much more than the home of the iconic festival.

As well as being Germany’s third largest city it is also home to the car company BMW and a bevvy of different bars, museums, and cultural sights.

Munich was crowned the most walkable by Compare the Market AU which used average rainfall, the number of car-free places, the number of walking trails, the cost of public transport and safety scores to find the most walkable city in Europe.

Munich came first and was helped in part by an impressive 1.4million km of bicycle trails beating Italy’s Milan and Poland’s Warsaw which came second and third.

According to Time Out, Europe did well in the top 10 most walkable cities in the world with only Tokyo in sixth and Oslo in eighth the two non-EU entries to make the list.

Returning to Munich, alongside Oktoberfest, Lonely Planet recommends exploring the city’s old town and going to the opera as some of the non-beer drinking options to entertain oneself with on a city break in Munich.

On what to do in Munich, Tripadvisor too is full of recommendations. They suggested: “If you’re looking to go deeper into Munich, there’s so much to see, do, and eat.

“Classic German fare, like pork knuckles, pretzels, and SemmelKnodel dumplings, are on constant rotation. Then there’s the sights: Walk (or ice skate) through Olympiapark, or visit Munich’s English Garden, one of the world’s largest urban parks.

“Stroll the Marienplatz promenade and take in a view of the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, a giant clock that reenacts historical moments. And in December, the city comes alive with twinkling lights and holiday markets.”

As a result of these options, Munich has become a favourite with tourists. Margaret K wrote: “Getting around Munich is easy on public transportation. If you are going to be in the city for several days, you can get a 3-day pass for use on all trains, subways, buses, and trams According to polls, Munich is the German city that most Germans would like to live in, if they could.”

Jermaine M added: “One reason that more and more people move to Munich is the high quality of life you can enjoy here. Bavarians just know how to take good care of their environment!

“Take for example the beautiful urban parks where you can enjoy a variety of different sports, or just relax after work in clean, peaceful surroundings. Furthermore, Munich is only a 1-hour train ride away from the Alps and beautiful lake regions.

“In short, anybody who loves nature and outdoor activities is bound to love Munich!”