Cities Forum 2025 in Krakow: City Centers at the Heart of a Resilient and Attractive Europe
From 17 to 19 June 2025, the city of Krakow hosted the Cities Forum 2025, a flagship event of the EU’s urban policy. Held in a hybrid format, the forum brought together policymakers, urban experts, researchers, and citizens to shape a shared vision for sustainable, inclusive, and innovative cities. Throughout the event, city centers emerged as central to the discussions…
Bitburg City Center: More Quality of Life, More Visibility
Rethinking the Heart of the City What defines Bitburg’s city center today? What are its strengths, weaknesses, and future potential? To answer these questions, the City of Bitburg launched a collaborative project with its residents and key stakeholders. The goal: shape a future-oriented, vibrant city center grounded in the city’s identity and the voices of those who live and work…
Is Culture the Catalyst for Vibrant City Centers ?
If so, Coimbra might just be setting the standard. The Portuguese city of Coimbra has just earned a prestigious European certification for its strategy to promote cultural and animation activities—highlighting the essential role of culture in revitalizing and energizing urban life. This recognition is part of the EFFE Seal (Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe), awarded by the European Festivals…
Recap of the 19th National City Center Conference in Montpellier
📅 May 21 & 22, 2025 | Montpellier Over 700 participants gathered in Montpellier to attend the 19th National City Center Conference, organized by Centre-Ville en Mouvement in partnership with the City of Montpellier and Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole. Held under the theme “City Center : Beautify, Move, Refresh, Shine”, this edition featured inspiring presentations, constructive exchanges, and immersive visits, highlighting…
EUROPE – Are 15-Minute Cities the Future of Urban Living?
If so, European city centers are already leading the way. At the heart of the 15-minute city concept lies a powerful idea: urban life should be organized around proximity —residents being able to walk or cycle to essential services within a short timeframe. And where is this model already most visible? In our historic city centers. City centers, with their…
EUROPE – Public Transport Costs in EU Capital Cities
From daily commutes to cultural outings, public transport is a key driver of the vitality of Europe’s city centers. Yet across the 27 EU capitals, prices for monthly passes vary widely—revealing different urban strategies and priorities for central accessibility. How much does it cost to reach the heart of the city? Public transport isn’t just about mobility—it’s about access to…
EUROPE – Rethinking the Night: How Cities-centers Are Embracing 24-Hour Urbanism
The city never sleeps — or at least, it shouldn’t anymore. As European city centres look to bounce back after the pandemic, the night has emerged as a powerful but often overlooked driver of urban vitality. Through cultural innovation, public policy and new models of local governance, a shift is underway: one that reclaims the night as part of the…
URBACT City Festival: how European cities are reinventing their city centres… together!
From April 8 to 10, 2025, the city of Wrocław, Poland, hosted over 600 participants from across Europe for the URBACT City Festival, a flagship event of the URBACT programme celebrating urban innovation and the exchange of best practices. An inspiring gathering in the UNESCO-listed Centennial Hall, full of connections, ideas, and enthusiasm. So, what exactly is URBACT? URBACT is…
PORTUGAL – Guimarães, European Green Capital 2026: An Opportunity for the City Center
Guimarães, in northern Portugal, has been named European Green Capital for 2026, a recognition that could transform its city center into a model of urban sustainability. This award, granted by the European Commission, aims to encourage cities to adopt eco-friendly practices while improving citizens’ quality of life.A Historic City Center at the Heart of the Challenge Guimarães, often called the…
FRANCE – Examples of territories implementing actions before signing the LUD charter: Three contexts illustrated through the cases of Bordeaux Métropole, the Valenciennes Métropole Urban Community, and the Le Havre Seine Métropole Urban Community.
The number of territories supported by the InTerLUD+ program currently stands at 58. While 10 new territorial and concerted urban logistics charters were signed in 2024, this foresees the launch of several actions in 2025. In this article, we will focus on three territories already taking action, each with an evolving charter that has not yet been signed. Bordeaux Métropole,…
