Welcome to the world’s only sovereign Grand Duchy! Luxembourg City is a charming combination of ancient and modern, local and global, simplicity and luxury. Wander around the old town, in the narrow, winding alleyways. This area is excellent to enjoy spectacular views of historic buildings and the city‘s stone bridges across the river, and the former fortress of Luxembourg’s original city walls. Luxembourg City has excellent public transport system featuring several innovations for people with disabilities, which helped it win the 1st place Access City Award for 2022. Luxembourg City launched their city app in 2020, providing city-wide information, such as bus times, parking space and public bike availability while allowing users to interact with officials. Use it to reach the ‘floating’ cycle path suspended under the famous Pont Adolphe bridge!
We recommend you make a stop in Leuven on your DiscoverEU journey and here’s why! While in the Belgian city, you’ll be able to saunter through the small and grand beguinages, these series of alleys, courtyards, gardens and parks with dozens of houses and convents. The Great Beguinage has been listed as UNESCO world heritage, and it is free of charge, so why not go? There’s more to see in Leuven, and to best prepare for your trip, take a virtual tour of the city. As a smart city, Leuven also aims to make the best use of innovation to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. The Belgian city was named the 2020 European Capital of Innovation. It also earned a special mention for mainstreaming accessibility, including in the digital area, in 2022. Leuven sets up inspiring governance models in which residents, companies, organisations and knowledge institutions are committed to helping shape the future.
Welkom in Roffa*! Rotterdam offers many awesome cultural experiences that make the city a must-stop on your DiscoverEU trip! The Dutch city has many shining examples of modern, innovative architecture, including a particularly unusual housing complex known as de Kubuswoningen (the Cube Houses). While in Rotterdam, taste a kapsalon - this highly calorific, meaty melange, available at kebab stores, originated in Rotterdam. Keep discovering the city by bike! Rotterdam is fully adapted to urban cycling, and you’ll find many useful apps designed to help visitors during their stay in the city. Rotterdam is, by many means, a digital city. It is working on becoming cyber resilient to be best prepared for eventual cyberattacks. The city’s work on improving accessibility also earned it the 2nd place Access City Award in 2017.
Dortmund is famous for its football team, but if it is the only reason you know the city, stop there and discover this treasure trove! While in Dortmund, make sure to see the Wasserschloss Haus Rodenberg, an outstanding example of Renaissance architecture, overlooking a lake in the centre of a park. After strolling the vivid streets of the city centre, take a break at the Westfalenpark and play, spotting the differences between the 3,000 rose varieties present. Did you know Dortmund also collects innovation and digital prizes? The city was named Germany’s “Most digital city” in 2018. Dortmund was also a finalist for the European Capital of Innovation 2019, won the 2019 “Stadt.Land.Digital” competition, and hosted the Digital Summit the same year.
The German city of Hamburg offers lots to do and explore – making it a perfect stop on your DiscoverEU journey. The astonishing architecture, the Elbe river banks, encompassing parklands and array of unique museums here elevate it as an exciting place to spend a day exploring. Hamburg is widely recognised as Germany’s most innovative Smart City, coming top in both Bitkom’s & Haselhorst Associates’ 2020 rankings. Hamburg is testing the potential of autonomous driving in Europe. So, hop on an autonomous e-shuttle minibus and experience a lift in the city with no driver! Keep on exploring advances in urban and digital innovation and visit the Hammerbrooklyn.DigitalCampus.
Aarhus is the second-largest city in Denmark, but not the second best! Take a trip down to the Harbour Bath and enjoy a significant attraction. Swim in the harbour baths or take a green kayak out - they are free of charge, as long as you bring back some trash from your trip. Then, you can get up close to some of the city’s most exciting attractions, like the bustling Dokk 1 Cultural Centre or the iconic building of the Iceberg at the new Aarhus Ø district. Aarhus uses innovation to become a smart(er) city. It is the location of the European Commission’s Smart City Project READY, showing how to reduce energy demand through retrofitting buildings, integrated energy systems, ICT, mobility and transportation.
If you are in Copenhagen for the first time, go snapping a photo of the Little Mermaid statue or visit a market to taste Smørrebrød. But if you have already been there or want to go off the beaten track, take the “Know your ‘bro” digital free self-guided walking tour. It offers an authentic twist to your city trip. Whether you want to explore the young, multi-cultural and buzzing Nørrebro, the unpolished, diverse and hip Vesterbro, or the most densely populated and waterfront Amager, you’ll learn about the history, culture and daily life in the 3 former working-class areas. Copenhagen is also using digital tools to become more sustainable. It sets green standards for smart cities worldwide, becoming the first carbon-neutral capital by 2025.
Founded in 1621 by King Gustav II Adolf as a commercial fishing hub, the second-largest city in Sweden is a unique combination of a city pulse with nature on its doorstep. Moving around is very easy, also thanks to the wide range of electric buses operating in Gothenburg! The city was elected European Capital of Smart Tourism in 2020 and ranked #1 in the 2017 Global Sustainability Index of world cities. Take a walk along its canals and discover the Feskekôka, the historic fish market with its unusual church-like shape. Then, stop for a ‘fika’ in Haga! Originally planned as Gothenburg’s first suburb in the 17th century, this inspiring neighbourhood is now an unmissable area of the city centre, with its cobbled streets and well-preserved wooden houses from the 19th century. Are you a thrill-seeker? Then you cannot miss Liseberg amusement park, with its amazing rollercoasters and music performances!
Despite its compact size, Oslo is a perfect combination of vibrant city life and nature, as well as old and new in its architecture. The city is digitising many of its public services to become more sustainable and has installed a network of smart lighting to lower emissions. You can start your journey with an immersion in the city’s history by visiting the Akershus Fortress, dating back to the 1300s, and the complex’s different museums. Only a few steps away is Bjørvika, the beautiful neighborhood with great examples of modern Scandinavian architecture, including the world-famous Opera House. Are you feeling hungry? Then jump on a bus to get to Mathallen, the Food Hall, where you can have a taste of Norwegian food culture! In the evening, don’t forget to explore the banks of the Akerselva river in Grünerløkka borough to enjoy the unique Oslo bar scene. And if you are not sure you will make it on time, don’t worry: thanks to the use of the Internet of Things and data collection, Oslo buses provide a wide range of on-board systems, including location tracking, ticketing, and rider information.
