Thanks to its flat terrain, mild-ish climate, short distances, and really expensive car parking — the Dutch city of Utrecht has been awarded the top place in the world to cycle! 🤩
This year’s Global Bicycle Index has officially been published, ranking 90 cities across the world to see which are the most bike-friendly.
The index scored the cities based on the number of bicycle users, crime and safety, infrastructure, weather conditions, bike-sharing opportunities, and cycle-related events.
With more than half of its population being cyclists, Utrecht has dominated the index with the highest scores and conquered the winning title! What can we say? It’s just in their DNA! 😉
Utrecht: The true bike capital of the world
Utrechters are true cycling lovers — and can we blame them? They just know that liberating feeling of zipping along a bike path and taking in the charm of the city all too well.
A growing number of folks are looking to commute to and across the city by bike more and more these days — and with some of that world-class cycling infrastructure, it’s a truly tempting pastime. 🚲
READ MORE | 19 things the Dutch did to make cycling easy and attractive
But what makes the Dutch city the ultimate paradise for cyclists?
A quick Google search will reveal that Utrecht was practically built around the bike life. It was the first city in the Netherlands to make a cycle path.
Not just that, the city also has the largest bike parking in the world, with more than 30,000 places to store your bike!
Europe is a biking utopia
It’s clear that European cities took charge of the index, and while the Dutch have snatched the top spot this year, the Germans aren’t too far behind! 🎉
With a low rate of cycling fatalities and over 39% of its people using bikes every day, the German city of Munster is the second most bike-friendly place in the world.
READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #74: Become exhausted when cycling over a bridge
It might surprise you to know that Amsterdam actually ranked fifth on the list. Helaas, the chronic traffic jams and tourist swarms are essentially what holds the Dutch capital back.
Curious to know if your country made the top 10? Take a look! 👇
| City | Rank | |
| Utrecht, Netherlands | 1 | |
| Munster, Germany | 2 | |
| Antwerp, Belgium | 3 | |
| Copenhagen, Denmark | 4 | |
| Amsterdam, Netherlands | 5 | |
| Malmo, Sweden | 6 | |
| Hangzhou, China | 7 | |
| Bern, Switzerland | 8 | |
| Bremen, Germany | 9 | |
| Hannover, Germany | 10 |
What do you think about Utrecht being the top bicycle city? Tell us in the comments below! 👇