Croatia's Makarska in “European Capitals of Small Retail” award final
Croatia's Makarska has been shortlisted for the final of the prestigious European award “European Capitals of Small Retail” and is among the three best small towns leading in sustainable and innovative urban development, the city announced.
The award, given by the European Commission for 2026, is in the “Leaders” category, reserved for towns with up to 50,000 inhabitants that pioneer new development models, open paths for innovation, and change existing paradigms in supporting small retailers, craftsmen, and entrepreneurs, CE Report quotes HINA.
The European Commission noted that Makarska “represents an example of a city that has successfully transformed how space, economy, and urban everyday life are perceived in a short period,” placing it among the three best small European towns. Makarska reached the final, the statement emphasizes, due to its comprehensive approach to revitalizing the old town center, combining infrastructure investments that directly create new jobs with a range of “soft” activities—from incentives and training for entrepreneurs to cultural and tourist programs that enhance the vitality of the city center.
The application highlighted projects that jointly contributed to the revival of life in the old town: from the reconstruction of key streets and public spaces, greening the city, and improving cleanliness, to incentive programs such as “Lokale u kale” and educational panels with entrepreneurs, the development of the HEPICENTAR coworking space, the introduction of the city circular transport Điro, the cultural program Maestrale, and digital solutions such as the mobile app “Moja Makarska.”
The European Capitals of Small Retail (ECoSR) initiative awards European towns that have achieved outstanding results in revitalizing city centers, supporting craftsmanship and small retail, and successfully implementing digital and green transitions. The program was initiated by the European Parliament.
From each category, three towns are selected for the final round. In the small towns category, alongside Makarska, the finalists are Silandro in Italy and Silla in Spain. In the large towns category (with over 250,000 inhabitants), the finalists are Barcelona and Zaragoza in Spain, and Utrecht in the Netherlands. All finalists, including Makarska, will participate in a panel in Brussels on January 28 next year, where the winners of the award will be chosen.
foto Jure Divić
