Seven of the top 10 cities for a digital detox are in Europe, with Prague coming out on top.
The average American checks their phone 344 times a day. One-fifth of U.S. adults say technology causes them stress. Push notifications, the pressure to respond to messages immediately, and dealing with emails after hours all seem to have an impact on their mental health.
The practice of digital detoxing while traveling has become increasingly popular in recent years as an answer to this problem. The best places for a digital detox have been selected by the experts at InsureMyTrip to help you prepare for your vacation.
To do this, they have standardized the latest information for each city in the categories of leisure, activities, safety and internet. Using min-max normalization to standardize the data, the values were multiplied by 10 to get a value between 0 and 10.
“In a world where we feel the need to stay connected at all times, it’s good to take a break now and again. The hope is this study will encourage travelers to take a digital break and enjoy all that these destinations have to offer,” said Sarah Webber, Director of Marketing at InsureMyTrip.
There are seven European locations in the top 10, and Marrakesh, Hong Kong and Dubai round out the list. However, Prague, Czech Republic, tops the ranking with a score of 7.96 out of 10.
Prague—also referred to as “The City of a Hundred Spires”—is the ideal location for a digital detox. The percentage of citizens who live close to areas without cars, which is 82 percent, and the average journey time of 16 minutes and 20 seconds gave the city top marks in all criteria. Without having to cross busy streets, it’s an excellent location to explore on foot.
All categories received high ratings for Prague. It received a 7.98 out of a possible 10 for leisure, a 7.58 for activities, and an 8.54 for safety. It’s perfect for those who love the outdoors because it’s one of the greenest cities in the world.
Rome comes in second place with an overall rating of 7.65. It is no surprise that this city, with its rich historical heritage and proximity to famous attractions such as the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, tops the list for ‘Activities’ (8.49). This rating was boosted due to the more than 2,000 nighttime tours, the average park rating of 4.3/5, and the fact that 52 percent of citizens live near a car-free zone.
Other cities perfect for a digital detox include:
3. Amsterdam
4. Lisbon
5. Copenhagen
6. Marrakech
7. Hong Kong
8. Dubai
9. Madrid
10. Stockholm