Not all cities were created equal – some are extensive and flat, and others have gentle inclines that make things interesting without leaving you out of breath. And then there are the cities where you feel like you’re going for a hike every time you hit the grocery store.
Take San Francisco in the US and Dunedin, New Zealand, for instance. These cities are famous (or infamous – your choice) for their streets so steep, you basically need mountaineering skills (or a 4×4) to tackle them. And while these urban hikes can make for a good workout, they also offer exceptional views and hidden corners. It’s not all doom, gloom, and aching calves.
There is a bit of competition within this list, but these are seven of the world’s steepest streets:
7. Eldred Street (Los Angeles, USA)
LA’s inner city might be flat, but its suburbs are known for their hilly landscape. Beverly Hills even has it in its name. Well, Eldred Street is a local legend. With an incline of 33%, it’s one of the steepest in California – a bold claim for a state that features three times on this short list.
Just over one block long, it’s a short street with a punchy incline and wonderful views from the top. Beyond the paved street, the path continues as a wooden staircase connecting it with the above road.
It was built in 1912, years before the city enforced a maximum gradient of 15% for streets. Walking up Eldred feels a bit like clicking the treadmill into incline-overdrive, but the reward at the top — panoramic views of LA — makes up for the iffy knees.
6. Vale Steet (Bristol, England)
Holding the title of the UK’s steepest street, Vale Street in Bristol pushes the boundaries at an uncomfortable 35% incline. It’s so uncomfortable, in fact, that plenty of cars have burnt out their gearboxes on the stretch.
Luckily, it’s a residential road, which means unless you live in one of the charming brick houses alongside it, you shouldn’t need to drive up it. And if you do have to park on the road, good luck. Cars park at a perpendicular angle with a locked steering wheel to prevent them from rolling away.
All that considered, I would totally recommend you walk to the top for the experience (and the views). Every Easter, locals host an epic egg-rolling competition down the slope of the road.
5. Baxter Street (Los Angeles, USA)
Back in the City of Angels, Baxter Street is known as a driver’s worst nightmare in LA. I don’t know what would scare me more: 5 p.m. traffic on the I-5 or driving up Baxter Street.
The steepest stretch runs between North Alvarado and Allesandro Street. This part of the road also coincides with a lot of twists and turns, resulting in low visibility. It’s been the site of countless collisions and even runaway cars. There is even a gridded, non-slip tar material designed to help give cars a little extra grip.
It’s a popular spot for a high incline walk if you’re looking to get some steps in, and the views from the top are totally worth the burn. In fact, watching cars navigate this steep stretch of road is a show on its own.
4. Filbert Street (San Francisco, USA)
The main thing I tell anyone visiting San Francisco is not to trust Google Maps. One minute, you’re sipping a boutique coffee by the bay; the next, you’re navigating a hill so steep it has stairs built into the sidewalk. And for some reason, maps don’t seem to account for the inclines as much as they should.
Filbert Street is as iconic as it is steep. It’s a narrow street in the North Beach neighborhood that leads up towards Coit Tower.
As you walk up the street, you’ll pass some of the city’s best residential properties. And once you turn around and look down at the Bay Bridge, you’ll see why these properties are so exclusive.
3. Ffordd Pen Llech (Harlech, Wales)
This humble street in the coastal town of Harlech in Wales took the title of the world’s steepest street for a brief period of time. At that time, it was said to have a 37.5% gradient. But after contentious competition for the steepest street commenced, its gradient was revised to 28.6%. Still, it’s a leg burner.
And if you’re driving, it doesn’t help that the narrow road has a few blind bends. Good luck to anyone who has to reverse out of the way of another car.
The street is edged by historic buildings and moss clad walls, which makes it feel a bit like you’re walking through a storybook rather than a residential street. That is, if storybooks left you gasping for air and clinging to the wall.
2. Canton Avenue (Pittsburgh, USA)
With a 37% incline and paved with cobblestones, Canton Avenue is a legendary hill that locals claim to be the steepest in the world. The fact of the matter is that it doesn’t hold this title. Whether it deserves the win or not, Canton Avenue is undoubtedly one of the most rickety, steep roads on this list.
Just like finishing a marathon is the dream for any runner, cycling up Canton Avenue gives cyclists the same thrill and satisfaction.
Every year, a 50-mile bicycle race known as the Dirty Dozen is held in the city. The race cruises through some other super steep roads but features Canton Avenue as the ultimate challenge. And a challenge it is.
1. Baldwin Street (Dunedin, New Zealand)
Topping off the list as the official steepest road in the world, Baldwin Street has held its record close since 2019. The street ends in a dead-end at the top of Signal Hill in Dunedin. It’s well-tarred, and the steepest section has a unique gravel surface to help give cars a bit of extra grip.
Locals have created a running event to time people running up the street and back. Another event, the Cadbury Jaffa Race, involves tens of thousands of Jaffa Cakes, ‘race’ down the hill. Each can reach up to 100km per hour as they tumble down the 350-meter-long street. Although absolutely bizarre, it’s quite the spectacle.
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