The pretty Spanish city 2,421ft above the sea and ‘least walkable’ in Europe

A British study named an Andalusian city the least walkable location in Europe.

Perched more than 2,400 feet above sea level, the Sierra Nevada mountain range shadows the Spanish city of Granada.

The sloping hillside and steep winding roads have earned the city a reputation as a challenging destination for pedestrians.

Granada emerged in the survey of over 242 cities assessed for walking difficulty by UK firm AllClear Travel Insurance.

On a global scale, Granada ranked as the seventh most difficult city for walking, behind La Paz, (Bolivia), Bogotá (Colombia) and Quito (Ecuador), which rounded out the top three.

Between the snowy peaks of the mountains and the vast open waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Granada has a wealth of rural hikes nearby and is a hotspot for adventure tourism and traditional sightseeing.

In the peak summer season, Granada can reach sweltering highs of 35C, making the steep walking routes around the city additionally challenging. The temperature decreases over the winter months, though the city can still see highs of 13C in December and January.

Many local hotels are high up on the hillside, north of the Darro River. Still, the challenging climb up to the accommodation is rewarded by some of the best views of the surrounding greenery and city architecture.

The city has a large network of taxis to help visitors struggling to hike around the area. These taxis are identified by a green stripe running along the side of the white vehicle. 

A journey across the entire length of the city typically costs between €15 and €20, although the city’s bus network can offer a cheaper alternative when hopping between central areas.

Granada also has a train station with regular rail services connecting to the surrounding Spanish cities. 

The station is the last stop on a high-speed rail line that extends to Antequera, meaning tourists can easily make a day trip to Malaga by travelling for less than an hour on the bullet train.