More and more people are looking for a reprieve from the endless scroll of social media, breaking news alerts and e-mail notifications. On this quest to be a little less online, a detox might be necessary.
There’s a recent rise in Gen Zers in the U.S. buying “dumb phones” to help limit the time they spend on apps like Twitter and TikTok. And as people set stricter boundaries around how much they interact with tech, they’re turning their attention to travel.
InsureMyTrip, a travel insurance comparison website, ranked the best cities to visit for a “digital detox” based on an overall rating across four categories: relaxation, activities, safety, and access to the internet.
The ranking used data from several sources, including Google Maps, TomTom, Viator, and more, to score the cities on a scale from 1 to 10.
The cities were scored based on the following criteria:
- Average travel time
- Population density
- Spa ratings
- Overall relaxation
- Park ratings
- Percentage of residents near car-free zones (walkability)
- Number of evening tours/activities
- Activities
- Safety score
- Lack of Internet access
Ranking the cities based on these categories can help travelers prioritize unplugging from their phones and focusing on their trip. For example, “one of the most common times to go on any device is when winding down in the evening,” the report states.
To stick to your digital detox, look to one of the featured destinations that received high marks for availability of evening tours and activities.
No. 1 best destination for a digital detox: Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic, ranked as the best city for a digital detox with an overall score of 7.96. In Prague 82%, of residents live near car-free zones, which speaks to the walkability and ease of travel in the city.
Prague is the Czech Republic’s capital and the country’s largest city. In 1992, the city’s historic center was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Prague is known as the “city of a hundred spires” thanks to the many church towers throughout, according to Britannica. The city is also home to Charles University, the oldest university in Central Europe.
Rome, Italy ranked second on the list of best travel destinations for a digital detox.
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10 best travel destinations for a digital detox
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Rome, Italy
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Hong Kong
- Dubai, UAE
- Madrid, Spain
- Stockholm, Sweden
Rome came in second on the list. It had an overall score of 7.65 and scored highest amongst the categories for parks, the number of tours. Fully 52% of residents live near a car-free zone.
Italy’s capital is home to several iconic destinations like the Spanish Steps, Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.
Located within Rome’s city boundaries is the smallest country in the world, Vatican City, which is the center of the Catholic Church and home to the Pope.
Rome was one of the most visited destinations last year, according to a 2022 ranking of the top 100 city destinations.
In a close third is Amsterdam. The city had an overall score of 7.6 and ranked highly in the spa ratings and overall relaxation categories.
More than two-thirds of residents in Amsterdam live near a car-free zone, making it the eighth best in that category. Amsterdam is also one of the most bike-friendly cities.
Amsterdam, known as “the Venice of the North,” is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its iconic canal district.
In 2022, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Amsterdam as one of the most livable cities in the world.
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