Travel with Rick Steves · Saturday, September 26, 2026
Jeff Speck explains that the key difference in European city planning is a shift in priorities, from 'car is king' in American cities to prioritizing people. This has led to narrower streets, more public spaces, and outdoor cafes, making cities more pleasant and safe for walking.
“In American cities, we've always said that the car is king. And so we said, let's prioritize the car. And so we built our cities in a way that cars can move quickly and they can move easily.”
“And so what the Europeans have done is they've taken that notion and they've flipped it upside down. They said, let's prioritize people. And so they've made cities where it's easy and safe and pleasant to walk.”
“And so the Europeans have made their cities into places where it's pleasant to walk.”