The past few years have been the hottest on record for Earth: 47°C in Lisbon (2018), nearly 49°C in Syracuse (2021), 41°C in Athens (2023)… In the Mediterranean region, climate experts predict a temperature rise 20% faster than the global average.
As Mediterranean coasts prepare to welcome 500 million visitors by 2030, heatwaves are no longer the exception: they are the new normal.
Cooling Urban Spaces in Summer
How can cities adapt to rising temperatures while protecting both residents and tourists? What if we reimagined how we explore and live in urban spaces during the hottest hours of the day?
With Cool Noons, five pilot cities (Marseille, Lisbon, Imola, Budva, and Dubrovnik) are developing and testing solutions to improve thermal comfort and create new urban routes during extreme summer heat.
Cool Paths: Exploring the City Differently
The Cool Noons project tests and refines itinéraires de fraicheur en ville (EN) designed for thermal comfort in the five pilot cities.
Each city began by mapping its coolest urban paths. Using local climate data, satellite imagery, and detailed urban analysis, they identified naturally cooling areas: shaded streets, green spaces, coastal breezes, and water bodies.
Spotlight on Lisbon, Portugal
Explore Cool Paths in Lisbon, green corridors connecting the city with blue and green solutions along the way. The Monsanto Cool Path links two bioclimatic refuges: the Monsanto Forest (10% of the city’s total area) and the Estufa Fria, ensuring thermal comfort while promoting biodiversity and soil restoration.
Spotlight on Marseille, France
A network of urban walking routes for daily commutes or tourism. Cool Paths in Marseille connect the city by adapting public spaces to the new realities of climate change.
Spotlight on Dubrovnik, Croatia
Highlighting the city’s lesser-known paths, Dubrovnik’s seven Cool Paths create a network to discover the capital in a new light.
Spotlight on Budva, Montenegro
Also known as the “queen” of the Mediterranean, Budva is one of the fastest-growing destinations in the region. Its Cool Paths connect major tourist attractions with daily local life, from the Academy of Knowledge to the Avala Hotel, passing through the town hall and Budva’s clock tower.
A Participatory Approach
These urban routes were developed in collaboration with residents, local authorities, NGOs, universities, and business owners through workshops and participatory urban walks.
Goals:
- Identify and connect cool islands (shaded or refreshing areas).
- Encourage visitors to explore lesser-known, authentic neighborhoods in each city.
A Catalog of Thermal Solutions
Discover the Cool Noons catalog of refreshing solutions, identified during participatory workshops in the five pilot cities. These solutions are combined with proven strategies already successfully implemented in other urban contexts. A variety of approaches to combat urban heat:
- Nature-based solutions: Tree planting, urban gardens, vertical greening
- Water-based solutions: Fountains, water bottle refill stations, misting systems
- Urban furniture and space design: Benches and tables in shaded areas, shade sails, air corridors
- Technological and multimedia solutions: Informing and promoting refreshing routes
- Behavioral (human-centered) and cross-cutting solutions
The Cool Noons solutions are currently being tested in the pilot cities to assess their real impact and gather data to demonstrate the project’s benefits.
Project Activities
Online Photo Contest: Urban Heat in the Mediterranean
An open call for participation for all photographers, image creators, urban walkers, Mediterranean city residents, tourists, and daydreamers of all ages—from 5 to 99!
Project Overview
The COOL NOONS project provides climate change adaptation solutions for urban areas by reimagining the use of public spaces during the hottest hours of the day.
Focused on 5 Mediterranean cities, the project aims to renew local tourism offerings while improving urban quality of life and the environment. It implements technological and nature-based solutions, co-designed with citizens.
Lead Partner: AVITEM
Partnership: DURA – City Development Agency Dubrovnik, City of Marseille, Research Centre of the American College of Greece, Metropolitan City of Bologna, Tourist Promotion Agency of Imola-Faenza, Municipality of Budva, Municipality of Lisbon, University of Coimbra
- Programme Interreg Euro Med
- January 2024 > September 2026
Cooling Solutions in Public Spaces
COOL NOONS offers a replicable model, inspiring future adaptations across the Mediterranean region and beyond, contributing to a climate-neutral and resilient future.
