In alphabetical order, the ACA2024 finalists selected by the European Jury are:

Łódź, Poland

Łódź is a city of creativity and festivals at the heart of Poland, home to over 650 000 inhabitants. After World War II, Łódź became the cinematic capital of Poland, opening up an important chapter of its history. In 2017, Łódź was inducted into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and named UNESCO City of Film. Including this year’s application, Łódź has applied five times to the Access City Award.

Saint-Quentin, France

Nestled at the heart of the Paris-London-Brussels triangle, the city of Saint-Quentin holds over 2 000 years of history. Bringing together a flamboyant Gothic style of the 16th century together with Art Deco façades from the 19th century, this city has held the “City of Art and History” label since 2006. Its 53 100 inhabitants get to enjoy all this art and culture every day they go out. This is their second application to the Access City Award.

San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain

Part of the Canary Islands, San Cristóbal de la Laguna has been a World Heritage Site since 1999. The charm of San Cristóbal de la Laguna can be seen in its streets, historical houses in pastel colours, and more. Home to 160 000 inhabitants, San Cristóbal de la Laguna has numerous historical landmarks dotted across the city. This is the first time San Cristóbal de la Laguna has applied to the Access City Award.

South Dublin County, Ireland

Bounded by the River Liffey to the North and the Dublin Mountains to the South, South Dublin County brings together nine main villages with over 270 000 inhabitants. South Dublin County is home to, among other historic remains, the Round Tower which is one of the only remaining round towers in County Dublin and represents over 1 000 years of history. This is the third time South Dublin County has applied to the Access City Award.

Tübingen, Germany

Located in in central Baden-Württemberg, Tübingen is home to one of the Europe’s oldest universities and about 90 000 inhabitants. Tübingen balances a restored medieval city centre with the colourful bustle and atmosphere of a young student town. Alongside this historic city centre, you can get to Neckar Island with Tübingen’s punts. This is the first time Tübingen has applied to the Access City Award.