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> Travel

Hydra, a lovely car-free city

What would a city look like without white and yellow stripes on the cement, and with the only lanes as bike lanes?

Newsroom October 12 04:43

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Business Insider journalists wandered about that on the occasion of the car-free day Paris has enforced.

On that day vehicles were banned from certain parts of Paris, including major destinations like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame trying to show to residents how it would be their life with no cars.

And According to The Guardian, the chemical responsible for smog, nitrogen dioxide, dropped by 40% in car-free parts of the city.

In fact, as Business Insider mentions, there are some cities that don’t allow cars and among them is the beautiful Greek island Hydra.

See seven of those cities and if you have the chance, you can visit them, to see what is like.

1. Giethoorn, Netherlands

1-giethoorn-netherlands

Residents use boats with small electric motors to get around the city

2. Mackinac Island, Michigan

2-mackinac-island-michigan

The island outlawed motorized vehicles in 1898, so if you want to get anywhere now, you have to walk, ride a bike or hop in a horse-drawn buggy.

3. Hydra, Greece

3-hydra-greece

In this lovely Greek island, there are no cars because the roads are too narrow and steep to drive on. Residents and tourists choose the old-fashioned but safe way of transportation, donkeys.

4. Fire Island, NY

4-fire-island-ny

The island is simply not wide enough for cars and residents use bikes instead.

5. Paqueta, Brazil

5-paqueta-brazil

Today, with its cobblestone streets and absence of vehicles, Paqueta maintains its old time charm.

6. Venice, Italy

6-venice-italy

Venice is actually 118 separate islands connected by canals and bridges.

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Hydra in a day – A timeless seaside escape

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7. Vauban, Germany

7-vauban-germany (1)

The town was purposefully planned in a way that was environmentally, economically and socially sustainable and the city center is free of cars

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