Travel
The Top Bike-Friendly Cities
Slide Nr 1Want to pedal around the sights on your next city trip? Then head for one of these bikeable destinations around the world. Taking purely practical metrics into account – excellent infrastructure, safety, convenience and how many trips are made by bike – only European cities would make the top of this list. However, we are also factoring in the attractiveness and accessibility to visitors, as well as the scenic bike routes on offer, making for a more global cohort. Let’s get on our way…
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 2Copenhagen, Denmark – The Danish capital has become a byword for cycling-friendly infrastructure and even lent its name to an international bikeability index (Copenhagenize, on which, of course, it currently ranks in first place). Though it may not always make the top spot, the city earns its place on every list of urban biking destinations. It boasts an extensive network of fast, convenient and safe bike routes, which are used for around half of all commutes. However, the lanes, paths and bridges also take visitors past some of the city’s most important sights and scenic highlights – and are often stunning design landmarks in their own right, like the iconic “cycle snake” across the harbour.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 3Utrecht, Netherlands – Sure, Amsterdam is the first city that comes to mind when you think of successful bike culture. However, the Dutch capital has become a victim of its own success: the steady influx of tourists has made cycling around the central canals chaotic and relatively hazardous, at least when compared to other cities. Utrecht, for example, boasts all the requisite infrastructure (safe, convenient, extensive), plus the largest bike parking facility in the world (which also happens to be beautifully designed and highly functional). No wonder more than half the population uses a bicycle for everyday trips.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 5Ljubljana, Slovenia – One of Europe’s smallest capitals, Ljubljana is a manageable size, making it a breeze to navigate on two wheels. Cycling around the city centre is convenient, safe and easy, especially if you follow the themed cycling paths. Slovenia has established itself as a popular foodie destination, and you’ll certainly be sampling some of its capital’s fabulous restaurants. Biking from hotel to sightseeing to brunch, lunch and dinner will give you a chance to work up an appetite – and you can get back to your hotel safely, even after sampling some local wines.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 6Bordeaux, France – Paris has been in the spotlight of late for transforming its city centre from a car-choked nightmare to a cyclist’s dream (incidentally making things better for pedestrians, tourists and local businesses, too). However, there are several other French cities who have been doing things even better, and for much longer than the capital. Another city known for its great food and wine, Bordeaux is increasingly popular with design lovers and sustainable travellers. You can pedal to your heart’s content around the cobblestoned streets of the old city, and discover why the Port of the Moon has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or cruise along the Garonne River to the wine museum.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 7Oslo, Norway – Compared to the rest of Scandinavia, the Norwegian capital’s bikeability is a relatively recent development. However, its dedication to promoting, developing and maintaining the infrastructure has been so successful that Oslo has now leap-frogged ahead of several other cities to a top spot on the most recent Copenhagenize Index. Commuters embrace the excellent network of bike lanes and green routes, while visitors can enjoy exploring the compact centre and scenic harbour or pedal a little further afield for easy day trips to nearby beaches, through forests or slightly more challenging mountain bike trails.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 8Berlin, Germany – Although residents may moan that the German capital falls short of its lofty ambitions, cycling is a convenient way to get around, especially when travelling between the former East and West Berlin, which can still be awkward by public transport. Almost 35 years after reunification, the scars left behind by the wall that once divided the city are beginning to fade, but they remain noticeable in the streetscape and infrastructure. Follow the Berlin Wall trail to get a feel for the former incision, both within and around the city centre. Once you’re done with your trip through history, pedal on to explore the city’s contemporary design, architecture and nightlife.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 10Portland, Oregon, USA – Along with specialty coffee, craft breweries, tattoo parlours and vintage boutiques, cycling is just one more hipster cliché that Portland is happy to fulfil. And in the car-centric US, riding a bike is just one more way to “Keep Portland Weird”. Safe bike paths, scenic routes and an efficient bike-share scheme make it easy for visitors to eschew motorised transport. Not to be outdone by the (few) other bike-friendly cities in the country, it also offers two of the nation’s most recognisable, fun themed events: the World Naked Bike Ride and the Pedalpalooza Bike Festival.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 11Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA – Whether you’re in town for the art or the sights, to catch a game or a show, to see the mighty Mississippi or to shop at the massive Mall of America, you can do most of it by bike. The larger of the Twin Cities has miles of bike paths, but what truly sets it apart is its huge network of separate off-road trails and greenways. Across the city, disused railway tracks and historical hiking paths have been turned into well-maintained car-free routes for recreational riding and commuting alike. Despite the not-so-seldom inclement winter conditions, this superb infrastructure has created a thriving year-round cycling culture.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 13Montreal, Canada – Harsh winters aside, the second-largest city in Canada is one of the continent’s best places to ride a bike. The inner city has plenty of marked paths and designated lanes, while numerous parks and the Lachine Canal feature car-free routes that take you to some of the best waterside neighbourhoods. The annual Tour de l’Île de Montréal is a particular highlight, allowing cyclists to explore car-free streets for a full day in June. The city’s bike-sharing system and its Express Bike Network are even accessible year-round (yes, including snow days).
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 14Melbourne, Australia – Australia’s second city no longer, Melbourne overtook Sydney last year, at least in terms of population. From a cyclist’s perspective, it already had a lead – and a number of natural advantages. The city is mostly flat, its climate relatively moderate and its grid layout easy to navigate. In addition to urban bike paths, lanes and routes that help you get around the city proper, it offers scenic rides like the serene Yarra Trail that follows the city’s main river, or the Bayside Trail that hugs Port Phillip Bay, taking in beaches, waterfront suburbs and skyline views.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 15Singapore – In recent years, the city state has invested massively to bring its bike infrastructure to the same level as its excellent public transit. True to its reputation, Singapore’s bike paths, lanes and routes are safe, well-maintained, clean and often breathtakingly beautiful. Leisurely explorers can choose between several scenic loops, the Park Connector network of bike paths, or the off-road Rail Corridor. Serious cyclists might even enjoy a unique challenge: Singapore is one of the few countries in the world that you can’t only traverse, but even circumnavigate in one (long) day.
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The Top Bike-Friendly Cities.
Slide Nr 16Taipei, Taiwan – The “bike island” that produces a majority of the world’s high-end bicycles has grown in popularity as a destination for cycling holidays in recent years. Most visitors will begin and end their trip in capital Taipei, which is becoming increasingly bike-friendly. Although its network of urban cycle paths and lanes is not as well developed as in other cities, it offers extensive riverside bikeways that will take you far and wide, offering views and nature, while bringing you from one part of town to another. Once you stray from the bikeways, stick to the slow lane (shared with scooters) on the main streets or navigate through the quiet side streets and laneways of the city.
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