Sydney is a city blessed with varied topography, which makes for excellent views, spectacular hikes, and some occasionally hard-as-hell walking routes (we’re looking at you, Heartbreak Hill). That being said, if you choose your journeys wisely, getting around Sydney without a car is relatively easy.
Now, a global study investigating which cities across the globe are the best for living a car-free life has affirmed this – naming Sydney as one of the top 15 most walkable locations (ie: easiest to get around without a car).
Our city came in at number 11 on the global list, facing stiff competition from other famous cities and just missing making it into the top ten. Topping the list as the best place to live without a car was Munich in Germany, followed by Milan in Italy, Warsaw in Poland, Helsinki in Finland and Paris in France. Rounding out the top ten was Tokyo, Japan in the sixth spot, then Madrid in Spain, Oslo in Norway, Copenhagen in Denmark and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Clearly, Europe is onto something when it comes to reducing the need for cars.
To determine which cities were the best for car-free living and walkability, comparison site Compare the Market looked at factors like the amount of rainfall, the number of biking and walking trails, the location's safety, public transport quality and car-free places. One of the criteria that Sydney scored well for was walking tracks, as one of the top four cities in the world with the most trails, alongside Melbourne, Rio and Tokyo.
So strap on your sneakers and get out to explore Sydney on foot – just choose your journey carefully if you don’t want to break a sweat.
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