On Alessandro Tombelli's first visit to Atlanta, the Italian horticulturist had one of those only-in-Atlanta experiences. The night he arrived, he set out on foot to the nearest drugstore to purchase batteries.
"I walked around the block to Walgreens and people were yelling at me from the car," he said. Tombelli doesn't know what they were saying, but since Transportation for America recently ranked Atlanta the 10th most dangerous city for pedestrians, it may be best that he didn't hang around to find out.
Back in Tuscany, Tombelli is a walk leader for the Wayfarers, which provides walking vacations around the world. This week he led his first walking tours in Atlanta, and finding places to walk was no easy task. He looked for locations that are safe, tranquil and aesthetically pleasing, he said, because besides being good exercise, a good walk should be relaxing.
He chose the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Oakland Cemetery and Swan House Gardens and Grounds.
The experience differed from what Tombelli is accustomed to in Italy. "Coming from an old country like Italy, you look at the architecture and style and then the plants," he said just before leading the Botanical Garden tour. "Here it is new. It is modern. Here you look at the plants."
To get in a pedestrian friendly state-of-mind, here are some ideas about great places to walk in the metro area.
1. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave., N.E. 404 -876-5859, www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
The Garden offers special guided exhibition tours during Orchid Daze: Tower of Flowers on Saturdays through April 10. Regular guided tours are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Garden also is a great place to walk unguided. In May, the Canopy Walk opens, offering 30 acres of formal and informal gardens for visitors to explore.
2. Oakland Cemetery, 248 Oakland Ave., S.E. 404-658-6019, www.oaklandcemetery.com
Regular weekend walking tours begin at Oakland Cemetery on March 20. Themed Twilight Tours on various dates begin at 6:30 p.m. The walks last an hour to an hour and a half. "Oakland is a wonderful place to walk because you don't have to fight with traffic," said Ruth Middleton, who leads some of the Twilight Tours. "We have 48 acres of paved roads and brick sidewalk; and if you like history you see street names you are familiar with in Atlanta. It is a really nice place."
3. Wills Park, 11925 Wills Road, Alpharetta. 678-297-6130, www.willspark.com
Wills Park is centrally located on the west side of Alpharetta, said Mike Perry, city director of recreation and parks. When the park was built 40 years ago, there were no trails, but citizen-interest surveys reflected a demand for walking trails and bike paths. Now the 110-acre park features a number of attractions including a 1.8 mile walking trail, Perry said. "You may not play baseball or play tennis, but everyone can walk," he said.
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
4. Cochran Shoals Trail (The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area), Cobb County, www.nps.gov
Founded in 1987, the Walking Club of Georgia (www.walkingclubofgeorgia.com) has grown from 10 to 400 members based primarily in the metro area. While there are race walkers and runners among the crowd, the organization is open to anyone interested in walking. Midtown, Brookhaven, the Silver Comet Trail, Stone Mountain, and right down Peachtree Battle in the heart of the city are just some of the locations where walks are held. "The facilities are there to walk inside and outside of the perimeter," said Jim Norvill, hiking coordinator. "It's just that people need other people to get out and walk. You rarely see people walking by themselves."
RELATED: Atlanta wellness events - walks, runs and more on AJC calendar
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