No Cars Allowed: Our Favorite Pedestrian Zones

Often, the best way to discover the ins and outs of a new destination is on foot. Fortunately, cities around the world have made bipedal exploration safe and easy by eliminating cars from popular streets and neighborhoods. Lace up your walking shoes and join us for a stroll through the history and highlights of a few famous pedestrian-only zones.

Plaka in Athens, Greece

Nestled in the shadow of the Acropolis, Plaka is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in Athens—and the layout hasn’t changed since ancient times. Its maze-like streets are lined with shops selling everything from jewelry to hand-painted religious icons. Neoclassical buildings and centuries-old churches are tucked into its hidden squares. Locals and visitors alike linger at its outdoor tavernas, surrounded by cascades of bougainvillea and basking in the dappled sunshine that dances through this so-called “Neighborhood of the Gods.”

Explore Athens during our Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece Small Ship Adventure.

Strøget in Copenhagen, Denmark

Spanning more than half a mile, Strøget is one of the longest pedestrian-only zones in Europe. Its luxury stores, fast-fashion retailers, cafés and restaurants, and architectural attractions—including the Copenhagen Cathedral and City Hall—attract around 80,000 visitors every day. But the area hasn’t always been so pedestrian friendly: When Strøget officially closed to automobile traffic in 1964, police officers were called in to keep disgruntled shop owners and drivers from rioting—and to protect the city planners who had overseen the conversion from assassination attempts.

Explore Copenhagen during our New! Cruising Coastal Scandinavia: From Denmark & Sweden to the Norwegian Fjords Small Ship Adventure. 

Cat Street in Tokyo, Japan

Youthful and hip, Cat Street is the place for Tokyo’s trendsetters to live, shop, and dine. Unlike some of Tokyo’s other famous thoroughfares—like Shibuya and Harajuku—which tend to be jam-packed and zany, Cat Street celebrates understated sophistication—with a twist. Shops along this tree-lined avenue include upscale boutiques and vintage re-sellers, and restaurants cater to hipster and artisanal tastes. Unfortunately for cat lovers, Cat Street isn’t named for its “paw-destrian” clientele, but rather for the cool cats who frequent its hole-in-the-wall establishments.

Explore Tokyo during Japan’s Cultural Treasures. 

Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland

On its face, Grafton Street is Dublin’s main shopping and dining district—home to unique boutiques, designer brands, and restaurants and pubs galore. But Grafton Street’s buskers are what set it apart. Every day, dozens of musicians, poets, and mimes dot its sidewalks, performing for the crowds. Since 2009, Grafton Street shoppers have been treated to a very special busk on Christmas Eve: Bono, the leader singer of the Irish rock band U2, plays a set to raise money for homelessness.

Explore Dublin during Irish Adventure: Dublin, Belfast & the Northwest Counties. 

Ferhadija Street in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

To walk along Sarajevo’s main pedestrian thoroughfare is to—quite literally—experience the intersection of east and west. The street’s eastern section is surrounded by mosques and Ottoman-era turrets, while the western portion is flanked by churches and buildings adored with Austro-Hungarian flourishes. The entire route is dotted with museums and monuments dedicated to Bosnia & Herzegovina’s bitter struggle to reconcile its ethnic and cultural differences, including the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity, and a gallery dedicated to the 8,000 Bosniak Muslims murdered by Orthodox Serbs in Srebrenica in 1995.

Explore Sarajevo during Crossroads of the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia.

İstiklal Avenue in Istanbul, Turkey

İstiklal Avenue bisects Istanbul’s Beyoğlu District—a more modern part of the city that came into its own in the 19th century. During its 19th-century heyday, İstiklal Avenue was the playground of European merchants, diplomats, and intellectuals living in Istanbul. . These wealthy Westerners eventually transforming İstiklal into Istanbul’s premier destination for theater, cinema, art, and fine dining. Today, İstiklal caters more to shoppers than to socialites—but it hasn’t lost its 19th century sophistication. Many of the avenue’s Neo-Classical and Art Nouveau buildings have been preserved; a vintage, red trolley runs the length of it; and visitors can still find historic cinemas, passageways, and churches tucked among its modern amenities.

Explore Istanbul during Turkey’s Magical Hideaways. 

Buchanan Street in Glasgow, Scotland

Today, Buchanan Street is one of the finest destinations in Glasgow—home to upscale shops, a museum, and a library, all of which occupy elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings. But its origins aren’t exactly pretty: The street was founded in the 18th century by Lord Andrew Buchanan, a Scottish tobacco merchant who built an immense fortune, in part, on the backs of Southern slaves. After losing its plantations following the American Revolution, the family sold the Buchanan Street land. Over time, a smattering of workshops, villas, and commercial buildings popped up along the route, but it wasn’t until 1997 that a British design firm transformed Buchanan Street into the perfectly manicured promenade it is today.  

Explore Glasgow during Scotland Revealed: Legends, Lochs & Highland Landscapes.

St. George’s Mall in Cape Town, South Africa

Visitors to St. George’s Mall could be forgiven for forgetting where in the world they are. With its myriad cafés, trendy shops, and Italianate architecture, this tree-lined promenade has a distinctly European flair. The colorful artwork, beaded jewelry, and animal carvings for sale in various stalls along the route hint at its African heritage. But the biggest reminder sits at the southwestern end: St. George’s Cathedral, the ecclesiastical home of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Tutu’s anti-apartheid marches often began on the church’s steps—and ultimately brought an end to more than 50 years of minority European rule in South Africa.

Explore Cape Town during our New! Southern Africa Discovery: Victoria Falls, Kruger Safari & the Cape Peninsula adventure. 

Wander the streets of the Plaka at the base of the Acropolis in Athens during Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece.