I distinctly remember my first international trip to Oslo nearly 16 years ago, ambling around Jernbanetorget under the warmth of the late spring sun. While the rapid transit station is usually packed with hurried commuters, nobody seemed to be in a rush that afternoon. Instead, locals gathered outdoors on streets free of potholes and sharp honks, eating, drinking and laughing to celebrate the arrival of summer. Taxis slowed down and waited for me to cross. It felt like another world.
That was the first time it dawned on me, the kind of on-the-ground perspective you can gain by exploring a place on foot. You observe the small things: rare flora, hole-in-the-wall eateries and, above all, the true soul of a place.
Another time, in Lisbon, I experienced the healing magic of an evening stroll. I was walking down Rua Augusta, feeling lost both in life and amidst the rush of tourists. Seeing the heaving crowds, it suddenly hit me: I’m just a tiny dot in this expanding universe. And while my problems may seem enormous in my head, they’re minuscule in the larger scheme of things. That epiphany was instantly therapeutic. It was a reminder that I couldn’t always sit with my worries and look for solutions within. Sometimes, I had to step out and connect with the world to find a new perspective.
I love Mumbai, yet with its bustling energy, fast-paced lives and even faster-moving rickshaws, rarely does it leave room for the simple act of wandering. Though I’ve spent my life here exploring its many marvels, I can barely recall the times I’ve enjoyed the pure joy of lolling about on its streets. Even during the famous monsoons, I’ve braved waterlogging more times than I’ve enjoyed walking in the rain.
In recent years, Mumbai’s booming construction industry has sounded the death knell for pedestrians trying to go about their daily lives. Everywhere you look, the beginnings of a skyscraper are sprouting upwards from the ground, the road outside excavated to make way for its foundations. If one side of a street is being repaired you can rest assured that the other side will be dug up before the first side is completed. And if you have the misfortune of owning an apartment in this area, invest in a tent and prepare to camp outside for the foreseeable future.
Graphic designer Pooja Shah and her Bumble date can relate. Inspired by an article on the benefits of walking dates—economical, healthy and perfect to ease first-date jitters—they set out to give it a try. However, the city had other plans. “Practically every road in Bandra was dug up. Navigating it felt more like an obstacle course and hardly the Mr. Big and Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City) romantic strolls we had envisioned.”
As someone wired to see walking as the mere act of getting from point A to point B, exploring a city on foot feels oddly liberating. Ironically, my mom, who fears even crossing the street in Mumbai, is the first to suggest “somewhere we can walk” when choosing a holiday destination. Binita Modi, a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, faces a similar dilemma. When looking for safe spaces to conduct outdoor walking sessions with clients, beaches and parks tend to be her only options.
Unsurprisingly, there’s much buzz around the topic. Community walks are being organised to raise awareness about the need for pedestrian-friendly areas. On Instagram, #MumbaiRoads is a gold mine of memes and reels, where comedians, actors and influencers vent their frustrations over the city’s ongoing roadwork. In 2023, a social media poll by @RoadsOfMumbai found that 77.1% of the 581 voters prioritised having accessible footpaths over selfie points, illuminated kerbs and redoing dividers on roads.
The importance of living in a walkable city goes beyond convenience—it’s vital for mental health. “Especially for clients with depression, being able to step outside can be a big motivation as they often struggle with low energy and enthusiasm,” says Modi. “Those with anxiety or trauma may find crowded roads invasive, overwhelming and triggering,” she adds. Even real estate is worth more in walkable areas on top of being cheaper to build, power and maintain. Want to help small businesses in your neighbourhood? Walk. Studies show that the likelihood of a pedestrian entering a store and making a purchase is much higher than a driver hunting for a parking spot each time they spot something in a display window that catches their fancy.
Some also do it to assimilate into a new society. For Pritesh Bhatia, a humanities student in Florence—crowned the most walkable city in the world—unfamiliar paths unexpectedly led to a sense of belonging. “When I first moved here from Mumbai, loneliness weighed heavily on me. Making friends was never my forte. The language barrier, cultural differences and my introverted personality only made it harder.” Florence’s cobblestone streets were so inviting that it was impossible for him to stay cooped up in his room. “Every day, I’d meander aimlessly. Before I knew it, I was devouring pizzas by Ponte Vecchio, exchanging stories with buskers and soaking in more Renaissance history than I ever did at university.”
Now, whenever I get the chance to pull the brakes on work, I travel to other cities to walk. Not to hike, not to join a walking tour, but for the simple purpose of experiencing the rhythm of a street, the freedom of moving at my own pace and the small moments through the eyes of a pedestrian. I journey not to scale mountains or dive into oceans. Instead, I search for sidewalks to walk on.
The road has also led me to delightful surprises. In Hong Kong, I discovered a cafe run by grandmothers that could fit no more than seven diners. As the grandmas cooked, they regaled me with tales of their lifelong friendship—a bond as comforting as the meals they served. I witnessed the kindness of fellow pedestrians in Muscat when I injured my foot while walking along Mutrah Corniche. Despite Vienna’s unimaginable wealth of monuments, it was the city’s narrow alleyways and abandoned backstreets that truly immersed me in its rich and storied past.
Now, the mundane act of walking on foot has become one of my favourite things to do on a holiday. Even as I write this, my mind fills with more memories from these paths than from any tourist attraction. It’s a reminder that the most profound journeys are sometimes the simplest.
Also read:
9 tours that show you the best steps to walking in cities
I started going to work on foot, here’s how I managed walking in cities
