There are two kinds of European vacations: the kind where you end the day lingering over an Aperol spritz and a plate of pasta in a piazza and the kind where you look at your phone and wonder how you accidentally walked 27,000 steps before lunch.
If you’re over 60, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t do either—or both in the same day. But if you’d rather see plenty without turning sightseeing into an endurance sport, some European cities make it much easier than others.
We asked travel experts which European destinations they recommend for exploring on foot after 60. From compact cultural capitals to picturesque coastal towns, these six stood out.
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What Makes a European City Easy to Walk After 60?
“I don’t think age should be the deciding factor,” says Lucia Ruggieri-Maynard, travel advisor and founder of Wander with Lucia. “I have clients in their 60s and beyond who can comfortably walk all day, and others who prefer a much slower pace.”
Instead, she looks for cities where you can experience a lot without logging 20,000 steps, with sights close together, plenty of places to stop and reliable transportation when your feet have had enough.
Amy Kilbreath, founder of Port and Passport and a Virtuoso-affiliated luxury travel advisor specializing in small-ship cruising for Gen X and 50+ travelers, agrees.
“After 60, the most walkable European cities aren’t necessarily the smallest ones,” she says. “They’re the cities that let you slow down without missing out.”
Here are six destinations that make exploring on foot a pleasure, plus one bonus pick worth adding to your itinerary.
1. Florence, Italy
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Florence was the runaway favorite, with four advisors praising its compact layout.
“Florence gives you an enormous amount of Italy in a surprisingly small footprint,” Kilbreath says.
The Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio are all clustered within the historic center. Derek Cann, travel expert at Going, suggests starting at the Duomo and walking toward Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio, stopping for pasta, espresso or gelato along the way.
Hilary Altman of WAC Travel also points to Florence’s largely flat historic center, while Ruggieri-Maynard loves how easily you can break up sightseeing with a long Italian lunch.
The catch? “Walkable doesn’t mean 100% perfectly smooth,” Kilbreath cautions. “This is still historic Italy.”
Cobblestones and uneven pavement make supportive shoes essential, and July and August heat can make even a short walk feel considerably longer.
Where to stay: Casa Botticelli in San Felice, an intimate, art-filled boutique hotel in Florence’s charming Oltrarno neighborhood. Palazzo Pitti and Ponte Vecchio are a quick stroll away, but the real reward after a day of sightseeing? Stopping at nearby Babae to order a glass of Tuscan red through one of Florence’s historic buchette del vino (wine windows).
2. Barcelona, Spain
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Barcelona may be big, but you don’t have to tackle it all at once.
“It’s relatively flat, easily connected, and I love experiencing it neighborhood by neighborhood because each one has a completely different personality,” Kilbreath says.
Cann recommends starting on Passeig de Gràcia, where you can see Gaudí landmarks Casa Batlló and La Pedrera before continuing toward the Gothic Quarter or taking a plaza break.
Simon Grannville of Nero Line also points to the Eixample grid, with its wide, relatively flat sidewalks and frequent benches. Major sights including Casa Batlló and the Sagrada Família can be worked into pedestrian-friendly routes.
And when you’ve officially walked enough, Barcelona’s public transportation makes it easy to call it a day.
Where to stay: For something quaint and character-filled, check into Praktik Bakery in Eixample, just steps from Passeig de Gràcia and La Pedrera. The boutique property has its own artisan bakery, meaning you can fuel up on freshly baked bread and coffee before setting off to explore the neighborhood on foot.
3. Vienna, Austria
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If your ideal walk involves palaces, gardens and a strategic slice of cake, Vienna may be your city.
“So much of what you want to experience is concentrated within a beautiful, manageable historic center,” Ruggieri-Maynard says.
She suggests starting around St. Stephen’s Cathedral, wandering toward the Hofburg and through the gardens, with a Vienna café break along the way.
Altman also praises the city’s relatively flat, well-maintained sidewalks and concentration of museums, palaces and cafés.
Better yet, Vienna makes it easy to stop walking when you’re ready. “You can spend a few hours exploring on foot and then easily hop on a tram or take transportation back to your hotel when you’ve had enough,” Ruggieri-Maynard says.
Where to stay: Check into the iconic Hotel Sacher Vienna, set opposite the Vienna State Opera in the heart of the Innere Stadt. The enviable address puts many of the city’s marquee sights within an easy walk—and when you’re ready to linger instead, the Original Sacher-Torte and a Viennese coffee are waiting downstairs.
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands
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You don’t have to cover enormous distances to feel like you’ve experienced Amsterdam.
Cann recommends strolling the canal belt through the Jordaan and Nine Streets, a route that’s easy to shorten or extend depending on how you feel. Ruggieri-Maynard also loves wandering the canals with café, restaurant and shopping stops along the way.
And when your feet need a break? Get on the water.
“I would also absolutely incorporate a canal cruise,” Ruggieri-Maynard says. “It gives you a chance to continue seeing the city while sitting down and resting your feet.”
Just remember that walkable doesn’t necessarily mean effortless. Cyclists, bridges and uneven surfaces require attention, and individual attractions can pose their own challenges. The Anne Frank House, for example, has steep stairs.
Where to stay: The new Rosewood Amsterdam leans beautifully into the salvaged-stay trend, transforming the city’s 17th-century former Palace of Justice after a decade-long restoration. Its location in the heart of the UNESCO-listed canal district makes it an especially wise choice for travelers over 60 who want major sights close at hand, while the hotel’s private salon boat is added perk for exploring the city without adding more steps.
5. Copenhagen, Denmark
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Copenhagen earns its spot for one major reason: it’s remarkably flat.
“Copenhagen is very flat, clean and easy to explore at a comfortable pace, especially along the waterfront,” says Julia Shore, president of Reid Travel and a Signature Travel Network member.
For an easy sightseeing route, Shore recommends starting at colorful Nyhavn, then walking past Amalienborg Palace and Frederik’s Church before continuing toward the Little Mermaid and through Kastellet. It’s a route that strings together several of the city’s best-known sights without requiring you to tackle hills along the way.
Derek Cann, travel expert at Going, also recommends Copenhagen for its pedestrian-friendly streets and easy opportunities to stop and rest. His suggested route begins on Strøget, the city’s famous pedestrian shopping street, before continuing to Nyhavn and Amalienborg Palace.
One thing to watch for? Bikes. Cycling is a major part of everyday life in Copenhagen, so Shore advises pedestrians to pay attention to dedicated bike lanes and fast-moving cyclists.
Where to stay: For a more wallet-friendly stay, book a room at Hotel Bethel, a historic three-star hotel right on Nyhavn. Its waterfront location puts you at the starting point of Shore’s recommended walk, with Amalienborg Palace, Frederik’s Church and Kastellet all within strolling distance, making it easy to see some of Copenhagen’s biggest sights without adding unnecessary steps.
6. French Riviera & Provence, France
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For travelers over 60 who prefer exploring on foot, southern France offers an enticing mix of charming villages, bustling markets and spectacular Mediterranean scenery. Lael Kassis, Vice President of Market Innovation & Development at EF Go Ahead Tours, recommends the company’s French Riviera & Provence: Nice, Avignon & Aix-en-Provence itinerary, which combines historic towns with guided walks through the region’s coastal and countryside landscapes.
“Walking tours bring them closer to the communities they visit, helping them connect with local people and understand the cultures that shape each destination,” Kassis says.
Highlights range from leisurely strolls through the Camargue wetlands to a more challenging 3.5-mile coastal walk around Cap Ferrat. The beauty of this itinerary is the variety, allowing active travelers to experience southern France’s cities, villages and countryside at different paces. Just be aware that some excursions require more stamina than others.
Where to Stay: Villa La Coste, a five-star retreat tucked among the vineyards of Château La Coste, just outside Aix-en-Provence. Its 31 luxurious suites offer sweeping views of the Provençal countryside, while the sprawling estate doubles as an open-air art museum, with sculptures and architectural installations by renowned artists scattered among olive groves and vineyards.
Bonus Pick: Bath, England
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For a smaller English city that practically begs to be explored on foot, Lucy Clark, Experience Designer at Butterfield & Robinson, recommends Bath. One favorite route begins outside the city with a roughly 10-kilometer walk from the village of Ashwicke, following the canal for the final stretch before arriving in the heart of UNESCO-listed Bath.
While that may sound ambitious, the walk is part of Butterfield & Robinson’s Somerset & Cotswolds itinerary, which earns a Level 2, or “recreational,” rating on the company’s five-level activity scale. It’s a good option for active travelers over 60 who enjoy exploring on foot without committing to an expert-level hiking adventure.
Prefer fewer miles? Head straight into Bath to explore its Roman baths, honey-hued Georgian architecture, restaurants and cafés at your own pace.
Where to stay: For a luxurious home base, stay about 30 minutes away at Lucknam Park, a three-Michelin-Key country estate set amid 500 acres of parkland and manicured grounds. Honey-hued cottages, grand drawing rooms for pre-dinner gin cocktails and an exceptional equestrian program deliver quintessential English-country-house charm. Executive Chef Hywel Jones has also held a Michelin Star for 20 consecutive years at the eponymous Restaurant Hywel Jones, making dinner back at the estate a worthy reward after a day spent exploring on foot.
Which European Destinations Can Be More Challenging?
Being over 60 certainly doesn’t put any European destination off-limits.
“I would never tell someone that a city is ‘too difficult’ simply because they are over 60,” Ruggieri-Maynard says. “I think that does travelers a disservice.”
But if hills, stairs or uneven terrain are a concern, our experts recommend planning more carefully for destinations including Lisbon, Santorini, Positano, Dubrovnik and Cinque Terre.
Grannville also flags Toledo, Spain, which may look compact on a map but has steep cobblestone lanes, while Ruggieri-Maynard notes that Rome’s uneven streets, crowds, distances and summer heat can make sightseeing surprisingly tiring.
The solution isn’t necessarily to skip them. Use transportation strategically, stay close to the sights you most want to see and don’t measure a successful European vacation by your step count.
As Kilbreath puts it: “See the sights, absolutely. But sit at the café. Have the wine. Watch the people.”
Now that’s a walking itinerary we can get behind.
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