Cycling City Centers

Two wheels are all you need to escape the tourist trail and experience cities around the world like a local

With accessible rentals and networks of user-friendly cycling routes, it’s easy to explore a new destination by bike. From memorable rides in San Francisco to Copenhagen’s dynamic cycling culture, here are our recommendations for amazing cities well worth discovering from the saddle.

The Dutch capital is renowned worldwide for its bike-friendly status, so grab a set of wheels and join the throng of locals. Stretch your legs on a ride to the Vondelpark – a 116-acre green space in the southwest of the city that’s a stone’s throw from Museumplein. Hunt down the park’s 69 sculptures – including one by Pablo Picasso – from your saddle, and stop to take in a free show at the open-air theater.

The Berlin Senate has invested heavily in cycling infrastructure over the past five years, and getting around by bike has boomed. Take advantage of the new dedicated cycle lanes aboard one of the various rental bicycles (Nextbike/Donkey Republic) and head to Prenzlauer Berg, an old East German neighborhood in the northeast of the city crammed with chic restaurants and vintage stores. If it’s a Sunday, Mauerpark is a must; search for hidden gems at the flea market before joining the crowds at Bearpit Karaoke, one of the world’s largest open-air karaoke shows.

Escape the Loop’s hustle and bustle and pick up the Lakefront Trail aboard a Divvy rental bicycle. The bike path hugs Lake Michigan’s shoreline for 18 traffic-free miles and is a great way to get around, but if you’re after a destination, Lincoln Park is worth a visit. The Windy City’s largest park is home to a free zoo, where you can watch the animals against the backdrop of the city’s skyscraper-filled skyline. If you prefer your nature out in the wild, rejoin the Lakefront Trail and continue north to the dunes and bird sanctuary of Montrose Beach.

Another cycling-mad city, Copenhagen often pips its Dutch rivals to the top spot as the world’s best place to ride a bike. Find one on the Donkey Republic app and sample the city’s highlights on the eight-mile Harbour Circle – a loop that takes in a smorgasbord of the city center and whisks you from the pastel townhouses of tourist hotspot Nyhavn to gentrified urban neighborhoods (Islands Brygge and Vesterbro) and Naturpark Amager, a protected natural expanse that is nearly half the size of the city.

The Finnish capital has 745 miles of bike paths crammed into its small city center and its flat terrain is ideal for cycling. If you want to take the guesswork out of where to go, the Seurasaarenselkä Waterfront Trail is a nine-mile highlight of the city’s comprehensive bike path network. The loop steers riders around five islands to the west of the city center and takes in further-afield gems like the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum and the Didrichsen Art Museum’s free-to-access sculpture park.

The U.K. capital has a list of landmarks longer than the river that runs through it, so why not tick off a handful in one short spin? Pick up one of the red public rental bikes and join the Cycleway C3 path at Waterloo Bridge heading west. From here, you’ll hug the banks of the River Thames, passing the London Eye and Houses of Parliament before the trail continues to Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park. It’s not just about sightseeing; there are plenty of opportunities for pit stops in St James’s Park, Green Park, and Hyde Park.

Purchase a pass for Oslo’s Bysykkel (city bike) and unlock another side of the Norwegian capital. The city center is compact with multiple cycling routes. Pedal along the Harbour Promenade or catch the ferry from downtown to Bygdøy – home to the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. If the sun is shining, the peninsula is also home to some of Oslo’s best beaches: Huk, Paradisbukta, and Bygdøy Sjøbad – simply spin your way around the leafy trails until you find a quiet spot.

On the first Sunday of each month, Paris’ first four arrondissements go car-free, but don’t worry if your stay in the City of Love doesn’t coincide with this cycling love-in. Head to Place de la Bastille, once home to the fortress that kick-started the French Revolution, undock a Vélib’ rental bike, and make a beeline for Promenade Plantée. The world’s first elevated park – which inspired New York’s High Line – is three miles of bucolic bliss all the way to Bois de Vincennes, a sprawling, leafy park where you’ll find Europe’s biggest statue of Buddha.

Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge is a must for most first-time visitors to San Francisco, but don’t just turn back once you reach the other side. If you’re feeling adventurous, continue north onto the trails of Marin County – the birthplace of mountain biking – or wind your way along Alexander Avenue into the scenic waterfront town of Sausalito, home to a charming houseboat community. From downtown, catch a ferry back to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and enjoy amazing views of landmarks like Alcatraz Island.

If you’re looking for an alternative experience during your stay in Sydney, rent a bicycle and jump aboard the Manly Ferry, where you’ll be able to take in the sights of Sydney Harbour en route to the beachside suburb of Manly. Once there, pedal your way down to North Head and complete its Scenic Drive, stopping at the numerous lookouts for spectacular views across the Pacific and back toward the Sydney skyline.

Famed for its cathedral and coastal location, the Catalan city is perfect for exploring by bicycle thanks to its flat terrain and 124 miles of bike lanes. While the Cycle Ring – a 2.9-mile loop of the Old Town – is a good place to start, the six mile-long Jardín del Turia is a great way to get to the heart of the city. The park runs west to east and its cycle path makes it possible to see highlights such as the Palau de la Música and the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències.