Getting about on foot in Europe’s cities
For a short break, there’s hardly anything better than a city break: right on your hotel’s doorstep, new sights, smells, flavours and attractions await. It’s best when you don’t have to spend ages travelling by car or on public transport first. The journey itself becomes part of the experience.
That’s why you’ll find European cities here that are particularly well suited to exploring on foot. We look at routes, sights, walking times and distances – and provide you with city walks that you can use straight away for your next trip. You can find our walking experiences, complete with suggested routes to try out, here:
Copenhagen on foot: a royal stroll along the waterfront
Copenhagen is ideal for anyone who wants to get around on foot: the harbour, palaces, parks and the old town are all conveniently close to one another. The route, which is 7.8 kilometres long in total, takes you from the Little Mermaid via Kastell and Amalienborg Palace on to Rosenborg Castle, Rundetårn, Tivoli and the Royal Theatre. This way, you can combine royal history with views of the water, breaks in the greenery and Copenhagen’s laid-back urban culture.
Vienna on foot: an imperial stroll from the Belvedere to Schönbrunn
On this walk, Vienna brings together exactly what the city is loved for: imperial architecture, culture, the charm of its coffee houses and spacious green spaces. The route, which is 8.8 kilometres long in total, takes you from the Belvedere past the Vienna State Opera, the Hofburg, the MuseumsQuartier and City Hall, all the way to Schönbrunn with its palace grounds and zoo. It’s ideal if you’re visiting Vienna for the first time and want to experience lots of highlights along a well-defined route.
Edinburgh on foot: the Old Town, the Royal Mile and the Castle with its views
Edinburgh is compact, historic and somewhat hilly – and that is precisely what makes this 4.8-kilometre walk so special. The route takes you from Arthur’s Seat and St Anthony’s Chapel to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, continuing along the Royal Mile and through the Old Town to Edinburgh Castle. Along the way, you’ll enjoy a mix of views, cobbled streets, Scottish history and lively old town alleyways. Sturdy shoes are recommended.
A stroll through Berlin: from Museum Island to City-West
Berlin is a big city, but this 6.3-kilometre route offers a surprisingly good way to explore it on foot. Starting on Museum Island, the route takes you past Berlin Cathedral, Unter den Linden, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building, before heading into the Tiergarten. From there, the route continues towards City-West, taking in the Victory Column, the Zoo and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The walk combines politics, history, parks and that big-city atmosphere along a varied route.
Amsterdam on foot: canals, art and the old town all in one route
Amsterdam is particularly beautiful when explored on foot, as the water, bridges, narrow rows of houses and museums constantly offer new perspectives. This compact walking tour (length: 4.4 kilometres) takes in the Anne Frank House, the Royal Palace on Dam Square, the Oude Kerk, the Rembrandt House, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. This turns a city walk into a compact blend of canal-side atmosphere, the old town and art history – ideal for exploring Amsterdam on foot in a single day.
Manchester on foot: a short city centre route for culture and football
Manchester is the perfect choice if you want to soak up plenty of city life even when you’re short on time. In around 30 minutes, the 2.4-kilometre route takes you past Chetham’s Library, the National Football Museum, Manchester Cathedral, the Corn Exchange, the People’s History Museum and the Science and Industry Museum. This makes the city walk ideal for football fans, culture lovers or as a quick tour between your arrival, an appointment and your evening plans.
A stroll through Zurich: exploring the lake, the old town and the parks
In Zurich, the lakeside, the Old Town, museums and green spaces are all conveniently close to one another. This 3.9-kilometre walk takes you from the Le Corbusier House to the Opera House, on to the Grossmünster and Fraumünster, and then via the FIFA World Football Museum to the Rietberg Art Museum and Rieterpark. This way, you can explore Zurich on foot, taking in the Limmat, the lake, cultural sights and relaxing breaks in the park.
Barcelona on foot: from the Ciutadella to Gaudí and Park Güell
Barcelona is full of sights – and on foot, you can take in many of them along a route of around 6.6 kilometres. The walk starts at Parc de la Ciutadella and takes you past the Arc de Triomf, La Rambla and Casa Milà, before continuing on to the Sagrada Família and Park Güell. Due to the inclines, the route is a bit more challenging, but it offers a particularly impressive blend of city life, Gaudí’s architecture, parks and views.
A stroll through Leipzig: culture, shopping arcades and parks in the city centre
Leipzig is ideal if you want to explore the city on foot without covering too much ground, yet still experience plenty of variety. The 3.6-kilometre route takes in the Botanical Gardens, the New Town Hall, the Bach Museum, St Thomas’s Church, the Market Square, the City History Museum, the Mädlerpassage, the Zoo and, optionally, the Auwald. This way, you can experience musical history, urban architecture, the charm of the shopping arcades and green spaces all within a short distance – the perfect way to get to know Leipzig at a leisurely pace.
