15‑minute services: only one in three Italians can walk to them —

15‑minute services: national snapshot

According to the Urban Pulse 15 report by the Guglielmo Tagliacarne Study Centre, only 35.7% of Italy's population can reach key daily services (food, personal care, mobility, non‑compulsory education, leisure) on foot within 15 minutes. The analysis shows the country is still far from a uniform «15‑minute city» model.

Regional gaps and the most accessible provinces

The national figure masks stark regional differences: the South and islands often show greater proximity to services compared with the Centre‑North. Puglia tops the regional ranking at 47.3%, followed by Campania (42.5%) and Lazio (41.2%). At the bottom are Aosta Valley (23.8%), Molise (24.5%) and Umbria (24.7%).

• Most accessible provinces: Barletta‑Andria‑Trani 56.1%, Bari 52.3%, Milan 51.1%, Naples 50.4%.
• Least served provinces: Belluno 16%, Rieti 17.4%, Frosinone 18.6%.

Which services are easier to reach?

The index separates six social functions: the most reachable are neighbourhood and personal services ("Living") at 45.3%, followed by mobility services ("Mobility") 43.9% and health/care ("Caring") 41.8%. Leisure and culture ("Enjoying") are at 27.7%, and non‑compulsory education ("Learning") at 21.7%, reflecting the concentration of cultural and training activities in urban hubs.

Implications for inclusion and urban planning

The report highlights a growing territorial exclusion risk for the elderly: those over 70 can walk to services in only 32% of cases, compared with 37.8% among 15‑49 year‑olds. For less widespread functions (Enjoying, Learning) the gap is larger.

For Italian cities, these findings provide empirical guidance for targeted regeneration, soft mobility, support for local commerce and a more balanced distribution of cultural and educational services. Such measures can reduce car dependency, improve air quality and strengthen neighbourhood resilience.

Source: Guglielmo Tagliacarne Study Centre, Urban Pulse 15 (reported by CityNext, 20 April 2026).