We are excited to unveil the cities that have made the shortlist, each demonstrating outstanding innovation and impact in revitalising small retail across Europe.
Vanguard cities
Meet the small-sized cities with 5 000 – 50 000 inhabitants that are leading the way in nurturing innovative and forward-thinking small retail environments.
Makarska blends a small Mediterranean coastal setting with a strong retail sector made up mostly of micro and small businesses, including restaurants, cafés, boutique shops, and service providers. Main retail districts such as the beachfront, historic old town, city centre, shopping mall zone, and the eastern and western suburbs create a diverse urban fabric supporting local commerce, community life, and tourism. With most registered retail entities active, small businesses account for the vast majority of the sector, demonstrating their central role in economic vitality and social cohesion.
Makarska has revitalised its historic old town through diverse initiatives and programmes, including joining the Cittaslow International Network, the Lokale u Kale programme, O’Doli branding, Maestrale events, and Urban Design Guidelines. Investments in streets, squares, lighting, greening, and accessibility, alongside the Hepicentar co-working hub, strengthen small business capacity, digital skills, and sustainable practices. By combining modern services with traditional craftsmanship, the city addresses challenges such as overtourism, seasonality, labour shortages, traffic congestion, and vacant premises, creating a resilient retail ecosystem rooted in community, identity, and long-term sustainability.
Silandro presents itself as a vibrant, multifunctional centre in the heart of Val Venosta and combines a historic pedestrian town centre with a dense network of independent shops, cafés, services, and family-run hotels. First documented as a market town in the 14th century, it remains a regional hub for trade, craftsmanship, and agriculture. The pedestrian historic centre, supported by key public institutions, attracts daily visitors and creates an inclusive, multifunctional space where short distances and diverse shops make it a gathering place for all ages.
The city promotes both traditional and experimental retail formats, including weekly and farmers’ markets, seasonal events, and temporary cultural venues through BASIS Vinschgau Venosta. Collaborative initiatives, such as the local retailer alliance ‘Do leb i – do kaf I’ and the ‘Monni Card’ voucher system, enhance visibility, community solidarity, and local shopping. Cross-sector partnerships drive innovation through Repair Cafés, cultural markets, and participatory projects aligned with EU priorities like the Green Deal, Digital Decade, SME Strategy, and New European Bauhaus. By blending local culture with teamwork and digital tools, Silandro supports a strong, innovative retail scene focused on community and slow tourism.
Silla, in the Horta Sud region of Valencia, combines regional connectivity with a strong commitment to small retail, which plays a significant role the local economy. Even with lower shop density and fewer young business owners, the city keeps a strong commercial network where local shops, markets, and services stay at the heart of community life. Its strategic location near Valencia city and the Port of Valencia supports both regional integration and the retention of local identity.
Silla’s retail strategy integrates modernisation, sustainability, and digitalisation through programmes such as Impulsem Silla and the Revitalisation of the Municipal Market and Adjacent Commercial Area. Alignment with plans including the PATECO Commercial Action Plan, PUAM/Urban Agenda, SECAP, and PATSECOVA ensures coordinated development. Public-private collaboration, via a joint commission with the Association of Entrepreneurs and Retailers, promotes training, entrepreneurship, and generational renewal. Through these initiatives, Silla strengthens competitiveness, fosters innovation, and maintains a socially inclusive retail ecosystem, offering a model for small retail cities across Europe.
Vibrant cities
Meet the medium-sized cities with 50 000 – 250 000 inhabitants that are dynamic, where small retail thrives and creates a lively urban experience.
Braga is a lively commercial centre in northern Portugal, where small shops and local services drive the economy, forming the majority of businesses and jobs. The city is home to a large number of small and micro enterprises, providing substantial employment. Its historic centre, with numerous shops across many streets and several officially recognised ‘historic shops,’ is the heart of commerce, connecting heritage, entrepreneurship, and community life. Over the past 10 years, the city’s retail sector has grown steadily, reflecting Braga’s entrepreneurial spirit and ability to combine tourism with local business.
Braga modernises retail through initiatives such as Centro Braga, a digital commercial district connecting numerous shops with online marketplaces, integrated communication systems, and e-payment solutions. Pedestrianised streets, an expanding electric-bus fleet, and public Wi-Fi enhance accessibility and urban vitality. Training and incubation programmes boost digital skills and innovation, while cultural events and tourism bring economic benefits and strengthen the city’s commercial identity. By blending heritage, digital transformation, and sustainable practices, Braga builds a resilient, innovative, and tourism-driven retail ecosystem.
Caldas da Rainha combines its historic centre with a resilient small retail sector, which drives both economic and social life. With a large number of small retail establishments forming a significant share of total commerce, generating substantial turnover, and providing many jobs, the city demonstrates the central role of small retail in employment, cultural identity, and community vitality. The historic centre, centred on Praça da Fruta with its family shops, restaurants, and local services, is the heart of commerce and strengthens community life and cultural heritage.
Caldas da Rainha integrates retail with culture, tourism, and innovation. Initiatives include the Bordaliana route, the national commerce with history programme, and events such as MESTRA and Caldas Nice Jazz, which strengthen the link between commerce and culture. Digital programmes like ACELERAR 2030, Startup Oeste, INCUBA.Centro, and the Digital Commercial District support hybrid business models and broaden market reach. Urban sustainability is embedded through the Thermal Masterplan, Municipal Climate Action Plan, and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, promoting soft mobility, pedestrian zones and energy efficiency. By mixing heritage, innovation, and sustainable practices, Caldas da Rainha secures the long term vitality of its small retail sector.
Fuenlabrada’s retail scene combines its historic central district with surrounding neighbourhoods, creating a diverse and strong commercial fabric. Most retail is concentrated in the city centre, while local shops, markets, and weekly street fairs in neighbourhoods provide daily goods and spaces for social interaction. With a large number of active ground-floor establishments, mostly small, family-run shops, the city demonstrates its commitment to local commerce, community, and economic vitality.
Fuenlabrada uses its strong civic identity, stable population, and strategic location to promote retail innovation. Close cooperation between the city, associations, and retailers supports new approaches like local commerce, digital tools, and sustainable practices. Municipal programmes and neighbourhood initiatives help tackle challenges such as generational change, digitalisation, and shifting consumer habits. By blending traditional strengths with modern solutions, Fuenlabrada builds an inclusive, adaptable, and forward-looking retail ecosystem.
Visionary cities
Meet the large-sized cities with more than 250 000 inhabitants with forward-looking strategies that prioritise small retail to shape a sustainable and prosperous future on different levels.
Barcelona has long built its identity around retail, which goes beyond economic activity to shape urban planning, social cohesion, and cultural life. Its dense network of neighbourhoods and ground-floor architecture creates diverse, interconnected retail corridors that act as spaces for social interaction and community vitality. Retail represents a significant share of the city’s GDP and generates a substantial number of jobs, demonstrating strong post-pandemic recovery across a large number of active establishments. The city’s economic role and strong connection to its urban and social life make it a leading example for local retail in Europe.
Barcelona’s approach to retail is guided by a strategic retail plan with 7 lines of action
- fostering entrepreneurship, training, and generational renewal
- digitalisation
- promoting proximity commerce as a backbone of neighbourhood life
- commitment to environmental and social sustainability
- reactivating ground floors to ensure urban vitality
- consolidating a balanced commercial model with commercial hubs and markets as engines of cohesion
- and governance based on public-private collaboration.
Mixing in-person and online shops, protecting street-level businesses, and reusing empty spaces all help strengthen neighbourhoods. By working together and trying new ideas, Barcelona keeps its retail sector lively, competitive, and useful for the community.
Utrecht mixes historic charm with a lively retail scene where small businesses thrive. Most of its shops and hospitality venues are SMEs, ranging from family-run stores to creative boutiques, craft shops, and cultural spaces. This human-scale setup encourages flexibility, personal contact, and constant renewal, helping the city grow while keeping its unique character. Utrecht is a strong example of a European city where small retail, local identity, and visitor appeal come together.
Utrecht succeeds thanks to clear policies and good teamwork between partners. Initiatives such as 'Centrummanagement Utrecht' and the 'Utrecht Entrepreneurs Fund' allows entrepreneurs and property owners to invest in placemaking, sustainability projects, business development and targeted marketing campaigns. The city addresses contemporary challenges, including digitalisation, zero-emission logistics, and urban vitality, through innovative, community-driven solutions. Participation in programmes such as the 'city deal dynamic city centres' ensures developing and sharing innovations that tackle today’s urban challenges. Through this combination of strong policy, entrepreneurial creativity, and community engagement, Utrecht sustains a vibrant, resilient, and socially connected retail ecosystem.
Zaragoza has a varied and growing retail scene, shaped by historic shopping streets, new districts, strong neighbourhood networks, and large shopping centres. Its retail system, guided by the '2021-26 Local Commercial Equipment Plan', supports a dense network of shops. The 'Casco Histórico' area is a well established shopping hub, with many open stores, pedestrian friendly streets, and close access to tourist sites, showing its importance for the city’s economy and community life.
Zaragoza combines preservation with renewal by helping new districts like 'Delicias and Avenida de Madrid' through urban upgrades, better mobility, and support for entrepreneurship. Other neighbourhoods also benefit from retail projects led by its community and municipal grants that help small family shops modernise and go digital. 12 large shopping centres add to the retail offer, mixing local businesses with international brands and leisure activities. Across the city, targeted programmes and financial support give businesses the tools they need to adapt, innovate, and grow sustainably, ensuring the strength of Zaragoza’s retail sector in the long run.
