2023 City Index for Mindful Travellers

Most of us think about sustainability when we travel - and that includes city travel! We've analysed 28 factors that sustainably-minded travellers are likely to consider – from how to get to a city to what activities to do. See which of the 167 cities included give the most options for travellers, and learn more about the factors that were considered here.

Not your typical city ranking

What makes this ranking different from other city lists you might've seen? Ours has you, the sustainability-minded traveller, top of mind. We've grouped 28 factors into four categories that take a 'traveller-first' perspective, to give you a more complete idea of how you can thoughtfully select a city destination.Have a go with the ranking table below and see how you can customize it according to your priorities. You can get more info on the ranking's background, factors and data in the Methodology section.

Sustainability-related factors considered during a trip

Travelling toPre-arrival factors such as options for ground travel, flying off-season or landing at a carbon-accredited airport.
Getting aroundFactors here include public transport options, affordability of more eco-friendly car hire, number of biking and walking routes, wheelchair accessibility, etc.
StayHow attractive it is to stay in the city: air quality, drinkable tap water, availability of hotels with the Booking.com Travel Sustainable badge and their pricing levels, etc.
ExperiencesExperiences that support the environment and community, like shopping at local markets and second-hand shops, taking walking tours, visiting cultural attractions, etc.

Top 3 cities for sustainably-minded travellers:

1. Rotterdam

Final score: 100

Rotterdam, Netherlands took the grand prize as the most ideal city for sustainably-minded travellers. This city topped the charts because it's not over-touristed and you can fly there in the off-season month of January for 59% les ...

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2. Amsterdam

Final score: 93

Despite being a more popular destination, Amsterdam came in at a very impressive No. 2 spot in our rankings. Its airport has a high accreditation level, it offers lower-emitting transport options like ferries and trains, has low c ...

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3. Graz

Final score: 91

Graz, Austria is a hidden gem that has managed to slide into the No. 3 position as an intriguing destination for travellers with sustainability close to their hearts. Its well-developed rail network makes it easy to travel there b ...

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Customize your city comparison above: choose the destinations and factors that you're most interested in and your chosen cities will be re-ranked.
Click on a category column below to expand it and see individual factors. Click on a factor's arrow to sort the ranking based on that factor.
Rank
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5
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City
RotterdamNetherlands
AmsterdamNetherlands
GrazAustria
TrondheimNorway
MunichGermany
HelsinkiFinland
StockholmSweden
ZurichSwitzerland
GothenburgSweden
ViennaAustria
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Final score
100.0/100
93.9/100
91.4/100
88.9/100
86.8/100
85.7/100
81.4/100
79.1/100
76.2/100
74.6/100
Travelling to
97/100
87/100
59/100
76/100
76/100
100/100
89/100
78/100
98/100
73/100
Getting around
89/100
100/100
88/100
75/100
73/100
85/100
81/100
70/100
71/100
71/100
Stay
87/100
77/100
81/100
100/100
96/100
60/100
81/100
82/100
79/100
73/100
Experiences
75/100
49/100
100/100
67/100
73/100
49/100
33/100
63/100
26/100
60/100
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Methodology

Data across 28 factors has been collected to rank cities in terms of possibilities available for sustainability-minded travellers. These factors have been grouped into four categories that reflect the main areas of consideration when planning a city trip: Travelling to, Getting around, Stay and Experiences.

Rather than taking a broad spectrum of sustainability aspects, the study focuses on those factors that are directly related to the travel experience for the sustainability-minded visitor, thereby ranking cities accordingly.