Teruel has entered the map of urban health in Spain by leading a comprehensive European study on well-being in citiesThe city of Teruel has been identified as the Spanish municipality where, statistically, it is easiest to lead an active life, breathe clean air, and access resources that promote healthy habits.
The analysis, prepared by the medical service ZAVA, one of the most established telemedicine platforms in Europe, gives Teruel a score of 9,05 10 onVery specific data has been put on the table: number of parks, gyms and aquatic spaces, walking routes, density of healthy food stores and air quality, among other indicators.
A European study analyzing more than 200 Spanish cities
ZAVA's report relies on information from OpenStreetMap and IQAirThese are two key sources for urban mapping and environmental data. Researchers have used these sources to evaluate More than 200 cities in Spain with more than 17.000 inhabitantscomparing their physical environment and their capacity to facilitate a healthy life.
Instead of focusing solely on healthcare provision, the study combines variables that affect daily life: Availability of green areas, presence of sports facilities, accessibility of aquatic spaces, number of walking routes and balance between healthy food shops and those that are notAir quality, measured by a specific index, completes the overall picture.
The result is a ranking in which Smaller cities clearly benefitAccording to ZAVA's findings, compact and quiet urban centers tend to offer more opportunities to get around on foot, enjoy nearby parks, and breathe less polluted air than large metropolises.
In this context, Teruel has positioned itself at the top of the list, ahead of other municipalities that also obtain very outstanding scores, such as Pollença, Lugo or Orihuela, which appear in the top positions of the same study as benchmarks of urban well-being within the Spanish territory.
Why Teruel leads the ranking of healthy cities
The data collected by ZAVA makes it clear that Teruel stands out in particular for its offering of green spaces and resources for physical exerciseAccording to the report, the city has 475,36 parks per 10.000 inhabitantsThis figure places it well above the national average and ensures that a large part of the population has a garden space a short distance from home.
This network of green areas is complemented by a abundant presence of aquatic spaces, with 825,27 such facilities per 10.000 inhabitantsUnder this concept are grouped swimming pools, bodies of water and other places that allow swimming, cooling off or practicing water sports activities, which contributes to making outdoor activities almost inevitable.
The study also highlights the existence of More than 100 exercise spaces per 10.000 inhabitants, as well as near 70 routes enabled for walkingThis network of facilities and paths makes Teruel a particularly suitable place for those who want to incorporate walks, gentle running or more intense training into their routine without major complications.
To all this is added a key factor in any urban health assessment: air qualityTeruel registers an index of 26, one of the lowest values among the cities analyzed, which implies a relatively clean atmosphere compared to other urban environments. For the population, this less polluted air translates into... improved conditions for the respiratory system and a feeling of a less aggressive environment.
The combination of parks, accessible sports facilities, aquatic spaces, and cleaner air makes Teruel appear in the report as a a true “paradise” for active livingwhere the urban structure itself encourages movement, going out into the street and dedicating time to low or medium intensity physical activities.
A welcoming, peaceful city designed for living
Beyond the figures, the ZAVA study suggests that Teruel's size and character contribute to its high ranking. It is a small, manageable capital city without large crowdswhere walking is a real option for a large part of daily journeys.
The pace of life, less accelerated than in large urban centers, allows many people to Incorporate daily walks, walking errands, and short walks. to their routine. That seemingly simple way of moving ends up adding up minutes of physical activity almost without them realizing it.
Furthermore, the urban environment has its own personality. The presence of Mudejar art, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCOAlong with iconic spaces like the Plaza del Torico, the Escalinata, and the Cathedral, it creates routes that invite you to go out into the streets. Strolling through these areas not only has an aesthetic and cultural component, but also acts as an incentive to adopt a more active lifestyle.
The nearby natural surroundings add another layer of well-being. A short distance from the historic center appear landscapes such as the Sierra de Albarracín, the Turia valley or the Montes Universaleswhich expands the options for hiking, running, cycling, or simply disconnecting. This rapid transition from urban to natural environments is one of the elements that, according to experts, This sets it apart from other, larger cities..
Overall, Teruel projects the image of a city where one can live without haste, with Relatively quiet streets, a close-knit environment, and a constant connection with natureaspects that are associated with a better subjective perception of health.
The City Council's assessment: pride and opportunity
The mayor of Teruel, Emma Buj[Name omitted] has welcomed the report's findings with what he describes as "enormous satisfaction and pride." As he has stated in several declarations, the study... It confirms the municipality's sustained commitment to the well-being of its residents. and highlights that environmental quality is a central pillar of the city model.
For the councilwoman, Teruel is a city “welcoming, safe and peaceful, but also dynamic and healthy“,” a combination that would partly explain the high score obtained. Buj believes that leading in this ranking is a sign that they are “on the right track” and that it provides an incentive to continue strengthening policies related to the green spaces, pedestrian mobility and improved air quality.
Another aspect that the mayor wanted to highlight is the impact that this recognition may have on the external image of the cityThe fact that a leading European telemedicine platform has placed Teruel at the top of the rankings offers added visibility, both within Spain and internationally, and reinforces its attractiveness as a place to live and invest.
Buj has also emphasized the independent and objective nature of the studyBecause it is based on verifiable data and produced by an entity independent of municipal politics, he considers it a valid counter to narratives that, he claims, offer an unfairly negative view of the city. In his words, the results show that “life in Teruel is much better than some would have you believe.”
The mayor attributes the top ranking not only to institutional decisions, but also to “collective effort and the way of life of the people of Teruel”In his opinion, the way in which the population relates to the city —going out into the street, living in the neighborhoods, using the parks and getting around on foot— is part of a lifestyle that promotes health and that is now supported by data.
Spain, a country with a high quality of life and unequal cities
ZAVA's report is framed within a context in which Spain is among the countries with the best quality of life in the worldThe moderate climate, the Mediterranean diet, and a lifestyle that combines sociability and outdoor time are reflected in a life expectancy that hovers around 83,2 years, the highest in the European Union.
However, the analysis reminds us that public health is not measured solely in years lived, but also in the ability to enjoy those years in environments that promote movement, breathing, and a balanced dietTherefore, the focus shifts to how cities are designed and what they offer their inhabitants in terms of spaces and services.
By cross-referencing variables such as air quality, green spaces, sports facilities, and the type of shops available, the study paints a picture of inequality. While small towns like Teruel, Pollença, Lugo or Orihuela While cities are placed at the top of the table, large urban centers tend to concentrate in intermediate or lower positions, with more difficulty in guaranteeing the same levels of well-being.
Among the larger cities, ZAVA's work places Malaga is the best-positioned major city, with a score of 7,36thanks above all to its number of parks and swimming areas. Barcelona It also appears with a relatively high rating, 6,74 points, in part due to an air quality index that is better than one would expect in a large metropolis.
Other important capital cities lag somewhat behind. Madrid gets 6,61 pointspenalized by lower air quality and a relatively less generous supply of walking routes. Valencia (6,05) and Seville (5,81) They are located even lower, while Bilbao remains at 5,37, hampered especially by the high density of unhealthy businesses with respect to its population.
Spanish cities with the greatest challenges for urban health
At the opposite end of the ranking, the report points to Arrecife, capital of Lanzarote, as the least healthy city in Spain, with a score of 4,34 out of 10. Despite its location on an island and its privileged natural environment, the city presents modest figures in several key indicators.
According to ZAVA data, Arrecife has only 3,7 parks and 1,39 gyms per 10.000 inhabitantsThis limits opportunities for daily physical activity. The study also points to a scarcity of walking routes and healthy food storesfactors that make it difficult to maintain a balanced lifestyle easily.
The air quality index in Arrecife is at 39This value, while not the worst on the list, fails to compensate for the lack of infrastructure and resources designed to promote movement and active living. Taken together, these factors explain its position at the bottom of the ranking.
Along with Arrecife, other cities such as Parla and Avilés They also appear at the bottom of the rankings, with scores of 4,84 and 4,83 out of 10respectively. In both cases, ZAVA detects a below-average access to parks, gyms, and health food storesThis puts its inhabitants in a less favorable position to incorporate healthy lifestyle habits without additional effort.
Comparing these municipalities with cases like Teruel allows us to see the extent to which urban design, the distribution of services, and the planning of public spaces They directly influence the real possibilities of leading a balanced life.
With this general portrait, ZAVA's study positions Teruel as the Spanish reference in urban health Currently, both because of its objective indicators and because of the way in which its scale, its environment and its city model combine to favor an active, peaceful lifestyle with relatively clean air, a set of factors that, added together, help to understand why living there is increasingly associated with the idea of well-being.
