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• A walkable city
  The city's cultural policy aims to create a legacy for the future. This rationale is reflected in the municipal investments focused on several aspects, such as on the idea of walkability as one of the major components of the historical centre. The city aims to improve the quality of life by limiting car traffic and preserving the city’s historic and cultural identity. Find out more via: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/amarante-barcelos-and-braga-join-unesco-creative-cities-network
• Hosting diverse cultural events
  Gdynia, recognised as a musical hub, hosts prominent global and national events like the Open'er Festival, Cudawianki, the Globaltica Festival of World Cultures and the Ladies' Jazz Festival, featuring world-class female artists. 50 The Open'er Festival, a two-time winner of the European Festival Awards for Best Major Festival, has been a fixture in Gdynia since 2003, introducing many artists to Poland for the first time. Notable acts include Blur, Prince, Coldplay, Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys. Demonstrating environmental concern, the festival organisers implemented a reusable cup deposit system, aligning with Gdynia's commitment to the idea of zero waste. Find out more via: https://www.gdynia.pl/turystyczna-en
• Clock Tower
  The Clock Tower in Prishtina stands as a testament to the city's rich history and cultural heritage. Recognising the importance of preserving such iconic landmarks, the municipality has undertaken significant measures to safeguard this historical gem. Through dedicated projects, including restoration and renovation efforts, the Clock Tower has been meticulously revitalised, ensuring its structural integrity and preserving its profound historical significance. As one of Prishtina's landmarks, the Clock Tower not only symbolises the city's past but also stands as a beacon of cultural heritage, contributing to the vibrant tapestry of this dynamic and evolving urban landscape. Find out more via: https://visitkosovo.rks-gov.net/page/sahat-kulla48
• Music festivals
  Parma’s ‘Festival Verdi’ is the largest opera festival in Italy and one of the largest in Europe, attracting tourists from all over the world. It is joined by Verdi Off, an event that is growing every year in which the Teatro Regio Foundation, organiser of the famous music festival, collaborates with local associations and brings music to streets and squares involving all citizens. In addition to classical music, Parma also hosts a jazz festival (‘Parma Jazz Frontiere’), popular music festivals (‘Barezzi live’ and ‘Parma Music Festival’) and a guitar festival (Paganini guitar festival). 45 Find out more via: http://parmafrontiere.it/ ; https://www.barezzifestival.it/ ; https://www.comune.parma.it/it/novita/notizie/festa-musica-2023
• The fishery harbour
  The ‘Showcase Fishery Harbour’, consisting of Packing Hall IV from 1907, the Fish Station, the Fish Cooking Studio and the museum ship ‘Gera’, is closely linked to cultural heritage and offers a historically authentic environment. The fish cooking studio, which originally began as a fish school kitchen in 1927, has been offering cooking courses for almost 90 years. The ‘Seafood Star 2012’ award recognised the great importance of the fish cooking studio as an image carrier. The ‘Fish Party’, a culinary festival for fish lovers and gourmets, offers a culturally influenced supporting programme around the 44 topic of fish and its preparation. With the theatre in the fishery harbour, the cultural industry has also found its way into this location and creates synergies. Find out more via: https://www.fischkochstudio.de/
• Dimitria Festival
  The Dimitria Festival holds a pivotal role in Thessaloniki's vibrant cultural landscape, being the city's most significant event and the second-largest festival in Greece. Hosted annually in October, this festival enriches the tourism experience and enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. With a history deeply rooted in Thessaloniki's multicultural character, the festival becomes a dynamic platform for various cultural expressions, including theatre productions, concerts, dance performances and art exhibitions. Noteworthy for its diverse and inclusive nature, the Dimitria Festival, with its physical and online festivities, serves as a celebration of the city's artistic richness and cultural identity, providing a unique and engaging experience for all participants. Find out more via: https://thessaloniki.travel/event/dimitria-festival/
• ‘City Memory Museum’
  The ‘City Memory Museum’ has an oral history archive consisting of 9 different themes: History, Cultural Heritage, Ethnic Culture, Culture and Art, Education, Economy, Genetic Heritage, Sports and My Eskişehir and 120 interviews. Visitors can access this archive from 9 touch screens. In addition, the robotic sculptures of Atatürk 40 and İsmet İnönü tell the recent history with their own sounds and movements in the Live History Stage. Find out more via: http://www.kentbellegi.org/
• Lviv IT Cluster
  Lviv has positioned itself as one of the prominent centres of the IT sector in Ukraine, boasting the presence of some of the country's largest and globally influential IT companies. Among these industry leaders are notable entities such as SoftServe and ELEX, which have not only made significant contributions locally, but have also expanded their operations on a global scale. To enhance collaboration, innovation and community engagement within the IT sector, these companies have come together under the umbrella of the Lviv IT Cluster. This collaborative initiative serves as a dedicated community platform, fostering research, development and the implementation of social projects to propel the city's IT landscape forward. The Lviv IT Cluster thus plays a pivotal role in bringing together diverse talents and resources, contributing to the city's status as a thriving hub in the ever-evolving industry. Find out more via: https://itcluster.lviv.ua/en/
• Digital Strategy 2017-2030
  Thessaloniki is actively fostering a digital-friendly environment for business growth and overall city development through its Digital Strategy 2017-2030, a strategic digital policy framework. This comprehensive strategy outlines measurable targets and specific actions focused on digitalising governance, enhancing citizens' quality of life, improving interactions with both citizens and businesses, boosting digital skills capacity for businesses and reducing administrative costs. The city's commitment to accessibility is evident through its descriptive website in four languages providing integrated information on points of interest in the wider area. Additionally, the 'Improve my city' app and web platform actively engage citizens in dialogue on various issues, including tourism, with plans for multi-language development soon. This strategy underscores Thessaloniki's dedication to leveraging digital advancements for the benefit of its residents and businesses. Find out more via: https://www.intelligentcitieschallenge.eu/sites/default/files/2019-07/Digital_transformation_strategy_THESSALONIKI.pdf
• The VisitGenoa app
  ‘VisitGenoa’ is the city’s official tourist app. In the app, you can follow one of four tours (in Italian and English) specially designed to discover all that there is to see in Genoa. The app boasts augmented reality and virtual reality content. Moreover, the app offers an immersive virtual reality tour that starts right from the sky and then moves on to some of the main historical and cultural points of interest of the city. Find out more via: https://www.visitgenoa.it/en/play-phygital
• Environmental ecosystems
  Continuous collaboration between the public administration, private sector and the local community resulted in ‘KM VERDE’, an initiative that strives to create green areas and permanent woodland in Parma and the surrounding province. To date 60,095 trees and shrubs have been planted, 60.8 hectares have been reforested and 100.6 tons of CO2 stored. Further initiatives include Bosco Spaggiari, an urban woodland project, which is planting 12,000 trees; Picasso Food Forest, an agroecology and urban permaculture project; and the University Botanical Garden, a floral installation in a deconsecrated church.Find out more via: https://parmafuturosmart.comune.parma.it/en/
• Seal Rehabilitation Centre
  The Seal Rehabilitation Centre in Klaipeda serves as a superb educational asset for young people, functioning as a platform that introduces them to the marvels of marine wildlife, emphasises the significance of conservation and instils a sense of responsibility for environmental stewardship. By offering informative programs and engaging experiences, the centre plays a crucial role in moulding the mindset of young individuals towards a future that is more sustainable and environmentally conscious. Find out more via: https://muziejus.lt/en/paslaugos/baltic-sea-animal-rehabilitation-centre
• Klimahaus
  The Klimahaus Bremerhaven is a unique scientific exhibition house that conveys the complex topics of climate and climate change in a vivid and tangible way. It has received an award for its interactive simulation game WORLD FUTURE LAB. Particularly noteworthy is the use of intelligent technologies that allow the players' decisions to be displayed in real time on a giant sphere. 23 Find out more via: https://www.klimahaus-bremerhaven.de/en/
• Life Asti Programme
  Thessaloniki is dedicated to enhancing air quality, mitigating pollution and prioritising the health of its citizens, especially children, as well as safeguarding historical assets. Through the Life Asti programme, the city has established a robust system providing vital information about environmental conditions and the impact of Urban Heat Island effects. This initiative reflects the city's commitment to creating a healthier and more sustainable urban environment for its residents and preserving its cultural heritage. Find out more via: https://app.lifeasti.eu/thessalonikidashboard
• Reducing CO2 emissions
  Bremerhaven has voluntarily committed itself to reducing its CO2 emissions by 95% by 2038 and a master plan for active climate protection has already been drawn up in which well over a hundred measures have been listed and updated. In Bremerhaven, municipal and private housing companies have renovated various residential buildings from the 1950s and 1960s with innovative energy-saving concepts. An online solar register is freely available to citizens to inform them about the solar potential of their roofs. Almost all Bremerhaven schools participate in the ‘3⁄4 plus’ energy-saving project, educating children about climate protection. The pupils discuss problems and connections between energy, resource consumption and climate change in class while their caretakers check the consumption of electricity, heat and water and implement technical energy efficiency measures at home. The project facilitates learning and testing of energy-saving and 22 climate-friendly behaviour in everyday school life. Based on the energy and water consumption, the participating schools receive an annual bonus of up to 2,500 euros. Find out more via: https://www.bremerhaven.de/sustainability
• Accessible city resources
  San Sebastián has numerous accessible resources. As an example, La Concha beach has an assisted bathroom service. The Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the 5-star María Cristina Hotel were built at the beginning of the 20th century but have recently been remodelled. The Tabakalera International Centre for Contemporary Culture have been recently created and all of them comply with high regulatory standards. The Tourist Office meets accessible requirements and actively works to achieve inclusion. The office staff have received training on people with disabilities and LGBT+ collective. Access to the office has no uneven surfaces and has a sufficient passage width. Internal circulation is also spacious and comfortable. The counter is double height and allows users in wheelchairs to approach from the front. Find out more via: https://accessibility.sansebastianturismoa.eus/en/
• Cycling tours
  In cooperation with the German Bicycle Association, special cycling tours for people with disabilities have been developed to enable them to enjoy environmentally compatible holiday experiences. This makes Bremerhaven accessible to all and strengthens the area of inclusion in the leisure sector. E-rental bikes are available to people with balance disorders and mobility impairments. Two additional e-bikes enable joint cycling tours between cyclists and people with wheelchairs and visual impairments, hearing loss, cognitive impairments and mobility impairments. Find out more via: https://www.bremerhaven.de/en/tourism/touristic-general-information/accessibility/cycling-for-everyone.130914.html
• Sustainable Urban Accessibility Plan
  Thessaloniki has demonstrated its commitment to enhancing the accessibility of historical and cultural monuments through the 16 development of a comprehensive ‘Sustainable Urban Accessibility Plan’. This detailed plan focuses on various aspects of sustainable tourism in the city, emphasising measures and policies to upgrade accessibility through sustainable modes of transport, prioritising walking and biking while eliminating barriers for individuals with special access needs. Additionally, it encompasses infrastructure that facilitates barrier-free paths throughout the city and this valuable information is easily accessible to visitors through the Municipality's geospatial data portal. Detailed descriptions of pedestrian roads, pavement widths, ramp locations and tactile paving are provided, ensuring that visitors can navigate and explore the city with ease and inclusivity. Find out more via: www.svakthess.imet.gr
• Nano Nagle Place
  Nano Nagle Place is a restored heritage site and a local gem that won the 2022 Council of Europe Museum Prize. It was also ranked sixth in the Top 10 Things to Do in Ireland by the TripAdvisor 2023 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award. The museum is fully accessible, offering visitors an interactive digital experience commemorating the life and 13 work of religious sister Nano Nagle (1718-1784). It also offers an online app with a visually descriptive guided tour for the visually impaired. This year, Nano Nagle Place launched their child friendly Visual Museum Guide or ‘Social Story’ which explains social situations to neuro-divergent children to help them feel safe when visiting the site. This guide, which is available online, was created as part of a project undertaken by eight Cork City museums to augment access and make our museums more inclusive. Find out more via: https://nanonagleplace.ie/accessibility/
• Accessible sport facilities
  The city is implementing a strategy to construct sports and cultural facilities that prioritise accessibility for individuals with disabilities, the elderly and those caring for young children. Notably, the National Rugby Stadium, the Municipal Stadium and the Gdynia Sports and Entertainment Hall have been purposefully designed to be inclusive. Features such as audio description for the blind and sign language interpretation for the deaf are incorporated into sports and cultural events. Furthermore, pavements are equipped with tactile paving to assist the visually impaired and in numerous locations, ramps have been installed to replace stairs, further enhancing accessibility. Find out more via: https://www.gdynia.pl/turystyczna-en
• Barrier-free infrastructure
  Accessibility in adventure facilities, gastronomy, theatres, tourist information, public transport, shipping and shopping was assessed on the basis of 15 categories and a total of 47 individual factors. Through the cooperation between the Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH, tourism stakeholders and affected persons, barrier-free offers in the tourism sector have been significantly expanded. The city offers electric rental bikes for wheelchair users, accessible play equipment at children’s playgrounds, guided tours for people with hearing impairments and ‘Bremerhaven Barrier-Free’ map, detailing ramps, elevators and accessible facilities, available online and at tourist information centres. 10 Find out more via: https://www.bremerhaven.de/en/tourism/touristic-general-information/accessibility-simple-language/barrier-free.112221.html
• Free admission to the Museum Folkwang collection
  Since 2015, access to the permanent collection of the Museum Folkwang has been free for all visitors, thanks to a generous grant from the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation. In 2023, the city of Essen has also become a supporter of the project. The primary goal is to make it possible for every segment of the population to visit the museum as frequently as they desire. 9 Find out more via: https://www.museum-folkwang.de/en/collection
• LGBTQ+ Policy
  In 2023, Odense City Council adopted an LGBTQ+ policy and action plan, to accommodate the diversity of the city. The new policy helps toensure that everyone has access to local communities and social life; a safe environment for children and young people’s exploration of gender, identity and sexuality; increasing equality and well-being for all; equal access to associations and leisure activities.Find out more via: https://www.odense.dk/politik/politikker-og-visioner/tvaergaaende-politikker/lgbtqpolitik
• H22 City Expo
  In 2022, Helsingborg welcomed the whole world to the city for the innovation initiative H22. During the 35-day festival, full of free activities and events, visitors could feel the City Expo in every corner of the city. The city received over one million visitors from 51 countries. The H22 City Expo was one in a series of successful expos that 52 Helsingborg has staged in order to draw visitors to the city. This started in 1903 with the Industrial and Craftwork Expo, the 1955 Design Expo H55 and the 1999 Housing Expo H99. Find out more via: https://h22.se/en/h22cityexpo/
• City of Creators
  Iasi has garnered the prestigious gold medal in the Transform Awards, Europe's premier branding competition, for its transformative rebranding initiative as the ‘City of Creators.’ Positioned as Romania's foremost hub for creative industries, the concept extends beyond a mere brand, capturing the city's rich historical imprint and vibrant present culture. Iasi, known for shaping Romania's significant figures in art, literature and politics, invites visitors to relive these stories while fostering a bridge between past creators and those poised to shape the future. More than a nostalgic homage, ‘City of Creators’ serves as a dynamic call to action, encouraging a diverse array of talented individuals and professionals to contribute to Iasi's ongoing narrative through art, entrepreneurship and social projects. As a young and dynamic city, Iasi is progressively realising its potential, step by step, offering a contemporary and relevant value proposition. Find out more via: https://destinationiasi.ro