I live in a city of about 160k inhabitants. I live about 2 kilometers away from the hypercenter. A half-hour walk, which I wouldn't consider "walking distance".

Most of the city center is inaccessible by car. Parking your car is expensive, driving is discouraged.

Removing cars means there's more space for people. It means it's safer, quieter. I'm not in mortal panic if my 4 years old drops my hand. It means the bus isn't stuck in traffic, and is therefore really fast. It's the most vibrant place I've ever lived in. It's full of life and energy.

The city is full of small, independent shops.

A boardgames café:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Boardroom/@52.3864335,...

A guitar shop:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alphenaar+Muziekhandel/@52...

A tabletop store, hosting MTG tournaments on a regular basis:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tabletop+Kingdom+Haarlem/@...

A store fully dedicated to expensive collectibles:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Past+Joys/@52.3798456,4.63...

There's a ton of small shops, whose names I can't remember, that I only discovered because I happened to walk past them. This creates a positive feedback loop. It's rewarding to just wander about, because you may discover something.