With temperatures climbing towards 38°C across Italy this week, the case for slowing down has rarely been stronger.

As a subtropical high-pressure system pushes north from the Sahara and settles over the Mediterranean, Italian authorities have placed 16 cities under their highest “red” heat alert, among them Rome, Milan, Florence and Verona. For visitors, the answer is not to cancel the trip, but to change its pace.

That shift is already showing up in the data. Searches for “walkable cities” have risen by 55% over the past three months, while interest in guided experiences continues to build, with searches for “Walks of Italy tours” up 125% year on year. The appetite for unhurried, on-foot travel, a trend the industry has watched gather momentum as slow journeys become the new luxury, is now being sharpened by the weather.

Italy’s historic cities are emerging as the natural fit. Built for walking long before the motor car, destinations such as Florence, Venice and Verona invite visitors to trade fast-paced sightseeing for leisurely days spent wandering between landmarks, cafés and hidden streets. With that in mind, Heather Green, Head of Product at Citalia, has highlighted Italy’s most accessible cities for exploring on foot, alongside her top tips for a walking-led getaway.

Many of these destinations also lend themselves to multi-city itineraries, allowing travellers to take in several walkable cities in a single trip. Popular routes include combining Venice, Florence and Rome, or pairing Rome with Florence for a classic cultural escape, while northern combinations such as Verona and Milan offer an easy way to cover more ground. Italy’s rail network does much of the heavy lifting here, with well-connected links making it simple to move between cities while continuing to explore each one on foot.

Florence, Italy’s “10-minute city” for effortless sightseeing

Recently recognised as one of Europe’s most walkable cities, Florence has a compact historic centre where many landmarks sit within just 500 to 800 metres of one another. The Tuscan capital’s pulling power is broad: it was also crowned Europe’s best city in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2025, voted for by nearly 180,000 readers. That appeal is reflected in search behaviour too, with searches for “best walking tour Florence” up 300% over the past three months.

A morning can begin beneath the Duomo, followed by a 10-minute stroll to the Ponte Vecchio. For golden hour, a slightly longer wander to Piazzale Michelangelo rewards visitors with panoramic views across the city. The “10-minute city” layout makes it easy to explore at a relaxed pace, without relying on transport.

Venice, a completely car-free city designed for walking

Built across a network of canals, Venice offers a walking experience unlike anywhere else. As a completely car-free city, exploring on foot is not just convenient, it is essential. Key landmarks such as the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square sit just a 10 to 20-minute walk apart, while a typical day of sightseeing covers around 3 to 5 kilometres.

Despite the short distances, Venice’s tangle of winding streets and more than 400 bridges means routes are rarely direct and involve regular steps, adding to the sense of discovery along the way.

Verona, Europe’s flat city for relaxed exploration

Verona’s romantic, medieval charm is matched by an easy-to-navigate layout and largely flat terrain. Visitors can walk from the Arena di Verona to Juliet’s House in around 10 minutes, while other key landmarks, including Castelvecchio, are a similarly short stroll away, with riverside walks and quiet piazzas unfolding en route.

The entire historic centre can be explored in a gentle 2 to 3-kilometre loop, making it ideal for those looking to take in the city at a slower pace.

Bologna, a city made for walking, rain or shine

Bologna offers a distinctive way to explore, its streets lined with 38 kilometres of porticoes that provide shade in summer and shelter in the cooler months. A short stroll connects Piazza Maggiore with the Two Towers in minutes, while a longer, uninterrupted 3.8-kilometre walk leads all the way to the Sanctuary of San Luca under continuous cover.

This thoughtful design lets visitors wander freely between historic landmarks, food markets and cafés, making it one of the most weather-proof and effortlessly walkable cities in Italy, a useful quality in a week like this one.

Rome, a city of walkable neighbourhood clusters

Rome offers a different style of walkability, where iconic landmarks are best explored in clusters rather than all at once. Within the historic centre, many of the city’s most famous sights connect easily on foot, with the Colosseum to the Trevi Fountain taking around 20 to 25 minutes, followed by a 10-minute stroll to the Pantheon and just five minutes on to Piazza Navona.

With a vast urban footprint of more than 100 square kilometres, however, distances between these key areas can stretch to 20 to 40 minutes, making Rome a city best experienced through “hub-based walking” combined with short journeys on public transport.

Milan, where walkability meets modern design

Milan brings a more contemporary take on walkable travel, where wide pavements, squares and pedestrian-friendly streets create a smooth experience on foot. Its main attractions are largely concentrated within a 1 to 2-kilometre radius, with the historic centre falling inside the low-traffic “Area C” zone. That makes it easy to navigate between Brera’s boutiques, Sforza Castle and the greenery of Parco Sempione in one seamless walk.

Green also points to the wider rewards of going slow. “Exploring Italy on foot not only brings you closer to the destination but also creates those unplanned moments that often become the most memorable part of a trip,” she says. “Many of Italy’s most beautiful cities were designed long before cars, which makes them perfect for slow, immersive travel.”

Heather Green’s tips for a walkable Italian getaway

  • Wear comfortable footwear. Cobbled streets can be uneven, so supportive shoes are key for all-day exploring.
  • Stay refreshed with regular breaks. Embrace the “aperitivo pause” with a spritz, coffee or gelato, and keep hydrated by carrying water and topping up at Italy’s many public fountains.
  • Explore during off-peak hours. Head out early or later in the evening to avoid the crowds, dodge the worst of the heat and see the cities beautifully lit at night.
  • Consider a guided walking tour. A local guide can bring the history and culture of each city to life.

For more inspiration on Italy’s most walkable cities, visit Italy’s Most Walkable Cities | Citalia.