Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations
Slide Nr 1Tired of the constant noise and pollution caused by cars? We’ve put together a list of people-friendly destinations around the world, where you can explore and relax – and forget you ever even knew what a traffic jam was.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 2Ghent, Belgium – Set at the confluence of two rivers, this university town is famous for its canals and its history, with well-preserved medieval buildings and 15th-century altar paintings by the Van Eyck brothers drawing in visitors from all over. However, it’s also a city ahead of its time: the Ghent city centre went car-free in 1997 to improve residents’ quality of life. Make the most of the pedestrian avenues in July, when the city hosts the Gentse Feesten – a music and theatre festival dating back to 1843.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 3Santa Catalina Island, USA – Imagine a green, car-free island in the Pacific with sandy beaches, turquoise waters and a subtropical climate. Is it surprising, then, that its main town is called Avalon? Located right off the coast of notoriously traffic-laden Los Angeles, the island is a popular tourist destination and as such offers public transportation and taxis. Other than that, you can get around by foot, bicycle or golf cart.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 4Ilha do Mel State Park, Brazil – A protected national park in southern Brazil, this tiny 4km2 island is a natural paradise: no cars, no roads, no public lighting (read: great stargazing) and no more than 5,000 people allowed to visit it at any given time. With 25km of beaches, Ilha do Mel (literally: “Honey Island”) is a popular surfing and snorkelling destination reserved for true nature lovers.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 5Venice, Italy – Will Venice ever stop being attractive? Doubtful. Built over 118 islands, the legendary city is completely car-free, with transportation relying only on boats (cycling is not allowed). In addition to its extraordinary artistic and historical patrimony, it’s the backdrop to world-famous cultural events such as La Biennale di Venezia and the Venice International Film Festival.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 6Fes El Bali, Morocco – This UNESCO World Heritage site is the walled historical centre of Fez, Morocco’s oldest city and former capital. Allegedly the biggest urban pedestrian area in the world, it encompasses a network of 9,400 narrow alleys, only accessible by foot or donkey. With its traditional architecture, enticing souks and expansive tanneries, it’s guaranteed to transport you to a bygone era.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 7Lübbenau, Germany – Not far from Berlin, this picturesque town in the middle of the UNESCO Spreewald Biosphere Reserve is built on islands with canals flowing throughout. Founded in 1315, Lübbenau is dominated by the relaxing green hues of water and vegetation, interspersed by wooden houses and footbridges. The main means of transportation here is definitely the boat – even the mail is delivered via waterway.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 8Dangar Island, Australia – North of Sydney, nestled in the middle of a river among two national parks, this little island is the perfect getaway from the Australian capital; the only vehicles allowed here are the fire truck and a community buggy. Popular with hikers, it is home to several rare trees, a bushland reserve as well as a seagrass patch (a natural nursery habitat for fish) the size of 20 Australian football fields. [Photo: Ken K/Flickr]
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 9Sillico (Pieve Fosciana), Italy – This tiny medieval village, located on the northwestern tip of Tuscany, is car-free by necessity: its old lanes are simply too narrow for motorised traffic. Every summer, Sillico hosts a charming renaissance festival, in which residents swap electric lighting for candles and torches, dress up in historical costume and cook traditional local dishes in food stalls across town. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 10Giethoorn, The Netherlands – Dubbed the “Venice of the Netherlands”, Giethoorn is a small village with just 2,600 inhabitants – but a whopping 180 bridges and zero roads; transportation is by boat, bike or foot. With its well-kept gardens, thatched-roof houses and tranquil canals, it’s the perfect escape for travellers looking to relax. Giethoorn is only a 1.5-hour drive from Amsterdam, making it close enough for an unforgettable day tour – usually involving a canal cruise.
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Living The Green Life
Tire-Less Travel: 12 Blissfully Car-Free Destinations.
Slide Nr 11Perhentian Islands, Malaysia – Exceptionally clear turquoise waters surround the tropical Perhentian Islands off the northeastern coast of Malaysia, making them the perfect destination for divers and snorkellers. The only means of transportation here is the water taxi, but we’re certain no tourist will ever miss their car. The islands also feature a turtle hatchery, in addition to a long list of wildlife species such as monitor lizards and monkeys. [Photo: Jakub Michankow/Flickr]
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