Cities with large Car-free zones
 

I am planning a trip to Europe soon and would like to predominately visit larger cities that have large areas that are car-free. I know Venice is nearly completely car free and parts of Amsterdam, Malmo, and whatever is mentioned on that Wikipedia list of car-free places. I want to get away from car dominated cities that plague the US. Help me please.

Amsterdam does have a few car free streets, mostly the shopping streets. But otherwise it's quite busy with cars. IMO they should close of some of the canals to car traffic (at least parts of the day) and extend the car free zone in the center.

Map of Belgrade's Pedestrian Streets

http://www.beograd.co.yu/beoinfo/523...cka_zona_v.jpg

Blue - long stretch between Slavija and Republic Squares, closed on occasional Saturdays & Sundays

Red - famous pedestrian street of Knez Mihailova and its connecting streets - always closed to cars

Purple - Skadarlija pedestrian street, packed with traditional restaurants

Pink - Bike path from Danube/Dorcol to Ada Ciganlija lake

I know when I was in Amsterdam several times last year, I found that lots of the canal streets had pop-up barriers that would close off traffic during certain times of day. They are VERY effective, as they are basically hydrolic cylinders that pop up into a pole like you see outside stores. So, when up, relax! No cars!

http://www.fugly.com/media/videodir/...road_block.JPG

courtesy www.fugly.com

If you go to Spain, there are plenty of the older street grids in Madrid, Barcelona, and especially Seville lack motorized vehicles. It's because the grids are on the same alignment as they were in the Middle Ages! (Seville especially did not undergo the "euro-restoration of grand Boulevards" that occurred in other cities like Paris and Berlin). Great stuff when out and about, not needing to worry about cars! But you can get dis-oriented and lost in the narrow street labyrinths...a plus in my book.

You should go to Spain. I highly recommend it for no cars! The Moorish street grids from centuries ago still dominate many of the modern urban city plans, especially in the south.

Malmö, while heavily pedestrianized in downtown (like Copenhagen), is quite busy with cars in the rest of the urban area.