Perhaps surprising to some, Paris comes out on top of Essential Living’s Green City list.
Spring and summer are set to top temperature charts in 2024, so choosing your city break based on the amount of cooling natural spaces would be a shrewd move. Based on air quality, number of green spaces and pollution, Essential Living’s Green City Index recently rounded up Europe’s greenest cities and gave them a ‘Green Space Score’. Here is a selection of the cities that top the list, with a recommendation of some stylish accommodation, too.
Paris Is Europe’s Greenest City
Perhaps surprising to some, Paris comes out on top of Essential Living’s Green City list. With 20 parks and 10 bodies of water to its name, Paris is an unexpected green refuge for its residents and visitors. In addition to the firm favourites - Tuileries Gardens, Palais Royal Gardens - are some of the lesser-known parks, from Luxembourg Gardens to Parc Monceau. Jardin des Plantes is a spot to marvel at rare plants across its 12 themed gardens.
Ideal for travellers with an eye for beauty, the glamorous Hotel de Berri Champs-Élysées, a Luxury Collection Hotel celebrates the 20th Century's greatest names in decorative art by exhibiting its own esteemed private art collection within the hotel. The property is tucked within one of the leafy areas that have earned Paris its green stripes, on the fashionable 8th Arrondissement. A sophisticated ambience and arboreal surroundings offer guests a hub of tranquility amidst the freneticism of urban Paris.
Wander Tulip Gardens In Amsterdam
Amsterdam is synonymous with healthy living, endless cycling paths and canals, so it comes as no surprise that this city secured second place on the chart. Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s green lung, is a 120-acre oasis and the oldest and largest city park. Westerpark and Oosterpark also offer expansive green spaces. The former has its own brewery, nightclub and cinema, as well as numerous restaurants.
Traditional old buildings and tulips in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Set in a prime location near Dam Square, W Amsterdam is the perfect base to explore the city. Split across two historic buildings, a former telephone exchange and a bank, W Amsterdam brings its iconic quirky and contemporary style to the hotel’s interiors, while the hotel’s structure and facade preserve the building’s heritage. Guests can sip signature cocktails at the rooftop W Lounge, overlooking the Royal Palace and city lights, with an iconic rooftop pool. Visitors are in the perfect spot to access Amsterdam's renowned nightlife, dining, shopping and fashion scene from this hub. On top of the usual attractions like the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, The Anne Frank House and Heineken Experience, visitors to Amsterdam in March will be able to see the eye-popping display of tulips in Keukenhof Gardens during Tulip Season, which typically occurs between 21st March and 12th May.
Explore Historic Parks in Rome
Villa Doria Pamphilj is the largest historical green area in Rome, spanning 184 hectares. It is home to Italianate gardens, waterfalls, lakes and seventeenth-century buildings enclosed between ancient Roman roads. Statue-filled Villa Borghese is one of Rome’s most important attractions while Janiculum Hill boasts not only panoramic views of the city but also the splendid Villa Corsini Botanical Garden.
After a day of exploring the museums of Rome, the St. Regis Rome feels like an oasis. The hotel has a sophisticated and opulent atmosphere thanks to being housed in a historic building that dates back to the 19th century. Guests can luxuriate in marquina black marble tubs with Bottega Veneta toiletries, while the rooms are adorned with restored Venetian chandeliers, antique artworks and regal velvet fabrics.
