- Rome reigns supreme while Tokyo surges forward: this is how the world will walk in 2025
- New York stands tall as America's top walking city and 3 cities in the UK make it into the top 100 of the ranking
- Spain is the country with the most representation, with up to 25 cities in the ranking, followed by Italy with eight.
GuruWalk, May, 2025.
What are the best cities in the world to explore on foot? GuruWalk, the global platform for free walking tours, unveils its eagerly awaited annual ranking featuring the top destinations for strolling through historic streets, uncovering hidden gems, and connecting with the local spirit: the Top Best Walking Cities 2025.
In this edition, Rome retains its crown as the ultimate walking city, followed by Budapest and Madrid, which climbs to third place. Rounding out the top five are Prague and Barcelona, showcasing Europe's continued dominance when it comes to walkable, culturally rich cities.
New York strengthens America's presence on the global stage
The United States reaffirms its place in the world of urban exploration with New York City securing the 33rd spot in the global Top 100. Once again, New York remains the only U.S. city to appear in the ranking. Notably, it shows a significant leap forward compared to last year, rising 20 positions from 53rd place in 2024.
"Travelers are increasingly valuing destinations that offer an authentic, immersive experience, and walking is the best way to achieve that," says Belén Casanova, Head of Supply at GuruWalk. "New York is a perfect example of a city where every neighborhood tells a different story, and visitors are eager to explore them on foot."
Adding to its accolades, New York recently stood out in the GuruWalk Awards 2025, where both awards for Best Free Walking Tours in North America went to New York experiences: one exploring the historic heart of Wall Street, and another delving into the vibrant culture of Harlem.
Known for its energy, diversity, and iconic neighborhoods, New York continues to captivate travelers seeking immersive, walkable experiences. Its climb in the rankings reflects a growing trend among travelers to experience cities more authentically and sustainably, a trend that is increasingly resonating with American tourists both domestically and abroad.
"We are seeing a clear shift toward slow tourism," adds Casanova. "More travelers are opting to discover destinations at a human pace, favoring walking tours that allow them to connect deeply with the places they visit."
Spain Holds a Top Spot in the Rankings
Spain continues to shine as a top destination for walking tours, with an impressive 25 cities featured in GuruWalk’s 2025 Top 100 list. Leading the way are Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Toledo, followed by Málaga, Valencia, Santiago de Compostela, Granada, Bilbao, Córdoba, Cádiz, and Zaragoza. Other standout cities include San Sebastián, Palma de Mallorca, Salamanca, Oviedo, and Pamplona. The list is rounded out by A Coruña, León, Segovia, Santander, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tarragona, Alicante, and Burgos.
Global trends in walking tourism
Around the world, emerging destinations are gaining momentum. Ho Chi Minh City soars 39 places to 60th, while Tokyo (36th), Kyoto (42nd), and Osaka (68th) signal the rise of Asian cities in urban tourism. Latin American cities like Buenos Aires (45th) and Cusco (47th) also show strong upward trends, reflecting the global appetite for deeper, more authentic travel experiences.
Conversely, some traditional destinations have lost momentum. Cities like Segovia (dropping 35 places from 54th to 89th), Salamanca (falling 19 places from 50th to 69th), and Bilbao (falling 11 places from 30th to 41st) reflect this shift.
Finally, the 2025 ranking includes new cities that were not included last year, such as Oslo, Athens, Arequipa, Kuala Lumpur, Verona, Montevideo, Santander, and Glasgow. On the other hand, others such as Cáceres, Havana, Gijón, and Liverpool have been removed from the list.
These changes highlight how travelers' preferences are evolving toward more authentic, sustainable, lesser-known, and locally rooted experiences, favoring lesser-known or emerging destinations over classic cities that are historically better known for tourism.
Top 25 Best Walking Cities 2025, by GuruWalk
- Rome, Italy
- Budapest, Hungary
- Madrid, Spain
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Barcelona, Spain
- Lisbon, Portugal
- London, United Kingdom
- Florence, Italy
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Berlin, Germany
- Paris, France
- Porto, Portugal
- Vienna, Austria
- Seville, Spain
- Venice, Italy
- Toledo, Spain
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Milan, Italy
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Kraków, Poland
- Brussels, Belgium
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Split, Croatia
You can find the complete ranking of ‘Top 100 best walking cities 2025’ here.
In addition, if you need to make any comparisons with the 2024 ranking, you can easily find it here.
If using this story, please credit and link to: https://www.guruwalk.com/
ENDS
Methodology
The ranking is based on booking data collected through the GuruWalk website and app between March 31, 2024, and April 1, 2025. To ensure the accuracy of the results, the number of page views for each city's tours was also cross-referenced with booking trends.
The report reflects the preferences of more than 4 million travellers who trust GuruWalk every year. Among them, 50.5% are from the European Union, 8% from the United Kingdom, 8% from the United States, with the remainder from Argentina (4%), Canada (2.2%), Mexico (2%), Australia (2%), and other countries worldwide.
What is a free walking tour?
A free tour or free walking tour is a guided historical, cultural, or gastronomic walk led by a local and/or expert, where at the end of the experience, it is the traveler who decides how much to pay for the guide’s service.
These tours typically explore historic city centers and cover the essential highlights, but there are also themed tours such as legends tours, architectural routes, or those focusing on major historical events.
About GuruWalk
Founded in Valencia, Spain, in 2017, GuruWalk is today the leading platform to book the best free tour guides and experiences around the world. GuruWalk operates in more than 800 destinations across 120 countries, always with one goal: to help travelers discover the best of each place through passionate local experts.
GuruWalk’s mission is to democratize access to culture by offering free tours that enable every traveler to appreciate the historical, cultural, and architectural heritage of cities worldwide.
To date, GuruWalk has connected more than 10 million walkers with over 3,000 local guides, with more than 300,000 people trusting GuruWalk tours every month, making it the largest platform in the world for free walking tours.
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For more information, please contact:
Carolina Martínez
GuruWalk Communications
carolina@guruwalk.com
