L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano W a l k i n g i s o n e o f t h o s e t r a v e l h a b i t s people rarely question: it tends to happen by default, between one attraction and another, until it turns into an experience in itself. Personally, I think there is quite nothing that makes a city feel "yours" as much as walking through its streets, and a recent list published by G u r u W a l k , r a n k i n g t h e world's best cities to explore on foot, is interesting pre- cisely for this reason. Yet, we wouldn't report the list so happily if it wasn't for the fact that an Italian city came on top: according to the platform's latest data, R o m e r a n k s f i r s t , f o l - lowed by Budapest, Madrid, Prague, and Barcelona, with several other Italian cities appearing further down the list, including F l o r e n c e , V e n i c e , a n d M i l a n . T h e ranking is based on bookings and browsing activity record- ed over a year by millions of u s e r s w o r l d w i d e , w h i c h makes it not a measure of "walkability" in itself, but rather an expression of trav- elers' behavior. Because peo- p l e w a l k w h e r e w a l k i n g makes sense to them, where it feels rewarding, where it makes them feel in contact w i t h t h e p l a c e t h e y a r e exploring. W h e n y o u t h i n k o f i t , Rome's position at the top is not surprising, but it is still worth unpacking. The city is not easy to walk in the way m o d e r n c i t i e s s o m e t i m e s are, pavements can be nar- row, surfaces uneven, cross- ings unpredictable; in sum- mer, heat and crowds slow everything down. And yet, walking remains the most natural way to experience our capital, because so much of its appeal exists in the space between destinations. This is also because the his- toric center is dense to the point of saturation of histori- c a l a n d a r t i s t i c p o i n t s o f interest, with major land- marks sitting close enough to e n c o u r a g e m o v e m e n t o n foot; yet I don't think it's convenience to get people to walk instead of jumping on a bus or taking the metro, it is d i s c o v e r y . A s i d e s t r e e t opens onto a small church, a café spills into a piazza (isn't it always time for a nice cof- fee?), a fragment of ancient wall appears where it wasn't expected: Rome is special even when you don't plan your visit that much, you just need to pay attention to h e r a n d w h a t s h e h a s t o offer, and walking is a per- fect way to do it. Interestingly, the ranking also considers how visitors a r e u s i n g w a l k i n g t o u r s today: for many, these tours are no longer a one-off intro- duction, but a way to struc- ture time in a city; they offer context without enclosure, a narrative without sitting on bus for hours to an end. Italy's broader pres- ence in the list reinforces this point, even though Flo- rence, Venice, and Milan – the other cities mentioned – offer very different walking e x p e r i e n c e s f r o m R o m e . Florence is compact and concentrated, and its his- toric center can be crossed quickly, but it holds enough beauty to allow very long walks through it street that n e v e r f e e l r e p e t i t i v e . Venice, of course, operates on a different logic altogeth- er, because walking there is unavoidable; the absence of cars reshapes how visitors relate to distance and direc- tion and, while it is quite e a s y t o g e t l o s t i n L a S e r e n i s s i m a , i t i s a l m o s t part of the experience! In V e n i c e , y o u m o v e m o r e slowly, more quietly, more d e l i b e r a t e l y , b e c a u s e strolling through its calli is not only a way to explore but also to fully understand how the town functions, with its canals, its bridges and its vaporetti. M i l a n 's inclusion may seem less obvious at first glance. Often described as Italy's most modern city, it is perhaps less immediately picturesque than others, but its appeal on foot remains undeniable, and it all lies in its neighborhoods. Walking in Milan reveals how differ- ent parts of the city serve different purposes: fashion districts, residential streets, i n d u s t r i a l c o n v e r s i o n s , green spaces, every corner explaining itself gradually, and in unexpected ways. In Milan, of course, it's also all a b o u t t r e n d y b a r s a n d designer stores, definitely a good reason to walk around instead of taking the bus! V e r y d i f f e r e n t c i t i e s , indeed, but with something in common: their struc- ture. Yes, because Italian c i t i e s w e r e c r e a t e d a n d developed in periods when w a l k i n g w a s t h e p r i m a r y mode of movement and it still shows in their narrow streets, perfect to be crossed by foot, or their squares, made for gathering. The GuruWalk ranking is interesting also because it arrives at a moment when travel habits are shifting in subtle but noticeable ways, if it's true that many travelers are looking for experiences that feel more grounded and manageable, especially in cities under pressure from mass tourism. Walking may be answering that need: it is flexible, low-cost, adaptable, and it allows people to slow down without disengaging, to see more by trying to see less. There is another impor- tant point to make, though: walking makes visible reali- t i e s t h a t c u r a t e d t r a v e l s o m e t i m e s h i d e s , l i k e crowds, noise, uneven main- t e n a n c e , a n d s o c i a l c o n - t r a s t s , a l l o f w h i c h a r e i m p o s s i b l e t o i g n o r e a t street level. In Rome, for example, walking makes vis- ible the tension between the preservation of history and art, and the practical neces- sities of its inhabitants; in V e n i c e , i t h i g h l i g h t s t h e strain between residents and visitors; in Milan, it reveals inequalities between neigh- borhoods that rarely appear in promotional materials. I t g o e s w i t h o u t s a y i n g that rankings like this one should not be taken as defin- i t i v e j u d g m e n t s , b e c a u s e they do not measure accessi- bility for all, nor do they account for residents' per- spectives. But they do offer a useful snapshot of how cities are being approached by vis- itors right now, and the fact t h a t I t a l y d o m i n a t e s t h e upper part of the list sug- gests that, despite well-doc- u m e n t e d c h a l l e n g e s , t h e country continues to invite engagement. Rome's first- place ranking, in particular, says something simple but equally meaningful: some places should be explored at human speed, with patience, curiosity and… a willingness to get distracted by some- thing new around every cor- ner. Why Rome is still best seen on foot CHIARA D'ALESSIO Nothing better than a leisurely stroll to enjoy the art and history of our capital (Photo: Shutterstock) A couple walks up the Spanish Steps, in Rome (Photo: Martinmark/ Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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