Forbes names Rome most walkable

Forbes reported on May 31 that Rome was named the world’s most walkable city in GuruWalk’s 2026 ranking, putting the Italian capital at the top of a list built around guided walking-tour demand and traveler ratings. GuruWalk, a platform for free walking tours, said the ranking covered more than 800 cities and measured traveler behavior from April 2025 to April 2026. (forbes.com) Forbes said the list also pointed to strong representation from Asia and Latin America, alongside Europe’s established walking destinations. (discover.guruwalk.com) ### Why did Rome finish first? GuruWalk placed Rome at No. 1 in its “Best 100 Walking Cities 2026” ranking, ahead of Madrid and Budapest. The company said Rome’s appeal rests on the density of its historic center, where major landmarks can be reached on foot and where travelers move through cobblestone streets, piazzas and monuments in a relatively compact area. (discover.guruwalk.com) Express, in a June 1 follow-up, described Rome as an “open-air museum” and said sites including the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain sit within about a 20-minute walk of one another. That framing echoed the way GuruWalk and follow-up coverage presented the city: as a place where sightseeing is organized less by transit and more by walking between landmarks. (forbes.com) ### What exactly was GuruWalk measuring? GuruWalk said the 2026 ranking combined traveler volume and satisfaction scores from cities where its platform operates. The company said the study covered more than 800 cities and used data from April 2025 through April 2026. (discover.guruwalk.com) Forbes presented the ranking as a travel guide to cities best explored on foot rather than as a municipal infrastructure index. That distinction matters because the list reflects traveler activity and experience on a walking-tour platform, not a broader urban-planning measure such as sidewalk coverage, transit access or pedestrian safety statistics. (express.co.uk) ### Which other cities appeared near the top? GuruWalk’s ranking put Madrid second and Budapest third, with other highly placed European cities including Prague and Lisbon, according to follow-up reports that cited the full list. Forbes said its version highlighted 30 cities from the larger ranking. (discover.guruwalk.com) Forbes also said cities in Asia and Latin America were rising in the ranking, broadening a list often dominated by European destinations. GuruWalk’s published list describes itself as a global ranking, even though Europe remained heavily represented near the top. (forbes.com) ### Why are other outlets repeating the “open-air museum” line? Express used the phrase on June 1 in a story aimed at history-focused travelers, tying Rome’s ranking to the ease of moving between ancient monuments without relying on cars or public transport. Similar follow-up coverage in other outlets repeated that language to emphasize the city’s concentration of historic sites. (forbes.com) Rome’s tourism office has also promoted the city as a destination best experienced on foot. In a separate item published in May, Turismo Roma said Rome had topped GuruWalk’s ranking for the third consecutive year. ### Where can readers find the full list? (forbes.com) GuruWalk published the full “Best 100 Walking Cities 2026” ranking on April 21 on its site. Forbes followed with a May 31 article highlighting 30 cities from that report and naming Rome as the top destination. June travel coverage has continued to build on that list, with UK outlets including Express picking up the ranking on June 1. Readers looking for the full ranking will find it on GuruWalk’s site, while Forbes’ article offers the shorter 30-city version. (express.co.uk) (blog.guruwalk.com) (turismoroma.it)