The vibrant metropolis crowned world’s best city for hiking

Torn between travelling for the city buzz and nature’s calm? Enjoy the best of both worlds.

There’s nothing like travelling to get your step count in. It’s the perfect excuse to get moving and discover new places on foot. But where in the world is best for enjoying the buzz of city life while basking in the great outdoors and scenic hikes? A new report crunched the numbers to find the world’s top city breaks for hikers, unveiling the best metropolises for those keen to get active without leaving the big smoke.

Cape Town is the 4th best city in the world for hiking. (Image: Getty/ swissmediavision)

To uncover the definitive list of top city destinations for hikers, UK online retailer Sports Shoes used data from AllTrails.com to analyse over 180 popular tourist cities within a 30-kilometre radius of each city centre. They then recorded the number of hiking trails within or near the city boundary, the average score of the top 10 most-rated hikes and their number of reviews.

Rio de Janeiro took the crown for the world’s best city for hiking. (Image: Getty/Rudolf Ernst)

With an impressive hikeability score of 100/100, Rio de Janeiro took the top spot as the world’s best city for hiking. From leisurely coastal walks to challenging mountain hikes, there are 334 trails with stunning views to be discovered in the Brazilian city. The average score out of 219 reviews was an impressive 4.8, with the most popular hike being the Vila do Abraão – Lopes Mendes Beach via T10. Renowned for its beauty, this trail takes hikers past serene beaches, through lush rainforest and to the top of a mountain.

Other notable paths include the 1.5-kilometre Morro da Urca, which rewards exercisers with sweeping views of Rio de Janeiro, including the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain, and the more challenging Pedra da Gávea trail, which features sections that require climbing and scrambling over rocks.

Mexico City is the 2nd best city in the world for hiking. (Image: Getty/benedek)

With a whopping 525 hikes, Mexico City fell just behind with a hikeability score of 98, with 324 reviewers resulting in a 4.7 rating. The 8.5-kilometre La Venta – Ex Convento trail is most popular, with its national park beauty and 17th-century former Carmelite monastery.

Looking for your next hiking getaway? Consider one of the following top-scoring city destinations.

The top 10 cities in the world for urban hiking

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2. Mexico City, Mexico
3. San Francisco, USA
4. Cape Town, South Africa
5. Los Angeles, USA
6. Portland, USA
7. Las Vegas, USA
8. Sydney, Australia
9. Edinburgh, UK
10. Kyoto, Japan