Pedestrians’ Perceptions of Walkability Determinants: A Comparative Study of Bologna and Porto Through the Lens of the 15-Minute City

The 15-minute city (15MC) promotes compact and accessible urban environments where residents can meet their daily needs through active mobility. Research on the 15MC has predominantly used objective assessments, with less attention to residents’ perceptions of the urban environment. Drawing on a questionnaire survey in Bologna and Porto (N = 1438), this study examines how pedestrians prioritize and evaluate walkability determinants and attributes, explores their relationship with walking behavior, and interprets selected attributes through the conceptual framework of the 15MC. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and Spearman’s rank correlations. The results reveal broadly similar perceptions across both cities, with pedestrian infrastructure and proximity to community facilities receiving the highest evaluations. Through the 15MC lens, these priorities are mainly associated with proximity and connectivity. Respondents from Bologna reported more frequent walking, whereas those from Porto assigned greater importance to urban ambiance and access to other transport modes. Perceived walkability was only weakly associated with walking behavior. The findings provide comparative evidence on perceptions of walkability attributes associated with selected 15MC principles in two European cities, revealing broadly similar priorities alongside differences in the importance assigned to specific attributes.