Time Out crowns Edinburgh most walkable

Time Out said on April 23 that Edinburgh was Europe’s most walkable city in its 2026 ranking, based on survey responses from more than 24,000 people across urban areas. The ranking was later put to an on-foot test by Express reporter Emily Wright, who published a first-person account on May 17 after walking routes across the Scottish capital. Wright wrote that she had been skeptical because of Edinburgh’s hills, but said the city’s compact layout made major sights reachable on foot. Time Out separately said more than 90% of locals rated Edinburgh’s walkability as “good” or “amazing.” ### What did Time Out actually rank? Time Out’s April 23 article said Edinburgh led its 2026 list of Europe’s most walkable cities, drawing on the share of locals who rated their city highly for walkability. The publication said the list came from its annual survey and that more than 24,000 “urbanites” took part. A separate Time Out article published on April 21 said Edinburgh also took joint first place in its 2026 ranking of the world’s best cities for walking, produced with Intrepid Travel. (timeout.com) That article said Edinburgh’s public transport won a 92% local approval rating and that the city scored above 90% for food, green spaces and culture. ### Why does Edinburgh lend itself to walking? UNESCO said Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15th century and is defined by two distinct urban areas: the medieval Old Town and the neoclassical New Town. The agency said the development of the New Town from the 18th century onward had a broad influence on European urban planning. Historic Environment Scotland said the Old and New Towns were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1995. (timeout.com) The agency said the site reflects an “inward-looking and defensive medieval city” alongside expansive 18th- and 19th-century planning, while the City of Edinburgh Council says the designation covers a blend of organic medieval growth and later planned development. (whc.unesco.org) VisitScotland says that contrast is visible on foot, from the closes and vennels of the Old Town to the broad streets of the New Town. The tourism body lists Edinburgh Castle, St Giles’ Cathedral, the Scott Monument and the Museum of Edinburgh among major sites within that historic core. ### What did the on-the-ground test find? Emily Wright wrote in the Express on May 17 that she spent several days walking through Edinburgh after hearing Time Out had “officially crowned” it Europe’s most walkable city. (historicenvironment.scot) Wright said she expected the hills to make the claim hard to defend, but concluded that many of the city’s best-known areas were easy to cover on foot. The Express article described walks through central districts, parks and connecting routes rather than reliance on vehicles between major stops. (visitscotland.com) That account matched Time Out’s framing of Edinburgh as a city where cultural sites, green spaces and transport links sit close together, though the Express piece was a reported travel test rather than an independent ranking. ### What should visitors know before setting out? (express.co.uk) Forever Edinburgh, the city’s official visitor guide, promotes seasonal city walks and highlights the Old Town as home to Edinburgh Castle and the UNESCO-listed historic center. VisitScotland also directs travelers to route ideas through the Old and New Towns and to major attractions that can be linked on foot. Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours, a local operator, describes one circular Old Town and New Town route at 2.5 miles and says walkers should expect steps, inclines and cobbled roads. (express.co.uk) That description aligns with Wright’s note that the city’s hills remain part of the experience even when distances are manageable. ### Where can readers check the ranking and plan a route? Time Out’s April travel and news pages carry the 2026 walkability rankings for Europe and the world, including the methodology based on local survey responses. (edinburgh.org) Official route planning and visitor information are available through VisitScotland and Forever Edinburgh, which publish walking ideas for the Old and New Towns. (timeout.com) (edinburghexpert.com)