Accessibility to cultural heritage is crucial for fostering inclusive urban environments and preserving historical and cultural identities. This study addresses the gap between heritage conservation and urban accessibility with two objectives: (1) to identify tangible and intangible cultural heritage elements based on user preferences from the social media platform Foursquare, and (2) to assess the impact of accessibility on public engagement using Space Syntax analysis. The historic centres of Valencia and Alicante, Spain, were chosen as case studies for their rich cultural heritage and dynamic urban contexts. A novel urban cultural heritage (UCH) taxonomy was developed to categorise heritage elements into buildings, public spaces, elements, and events/festivities. Findings indicated that social media data offer valuable insights that complement official heritage catalogues, providing a richer understanding of cultural assets and public engagement. The results showed that higher public engagement was concentrated (1) in and around key heritage sites, (2) in heritage sites that combine cultural significance with multifunctional public use, (3) in public spaces and urban nodes that are highly accessible and well connected to the urban structure, (4) in areas where clusters of heritage elements are located close together, and (5) around sites of architectural prominence and cultural significance. This emphasised that accessibility is as important as historical significance for attracting public interest. The study suggested that improving accessibility and integrating social media data with traditional methods can enhance heritage conservation strategies and support sustainable urban development by fostering stronger identity values within cities.

Esta investigación aborda la brecha existente entre la teoría de la movilidad urbana y las dimensiones del cuidado, y la aplicación práctica de estas teorías en las ciudades. A partir de una revisión de estudios previos, se elabora una clasificación taxonómica de lugares del cuidado y se propone un método para diagnosticar su disponibilidad y diversidad en áreas peatonalmente accesibles a 200m, 400m y 800m desde las paradas de metro ligero. Este método se aplicó en la línea 2 del TRAM de Alicante, España, utilizando la red social Google Places como fuente principal de información. Los resultados subrayan la relevancia de atender la escala de 3 minutos (200m) en los alrededores de las estaciones de metro ligero y la escasa representatividad de los lugares del cuidado en estos ámbitos, además de un desequilibrio significativo en comparación con la oferta general de actividad económica y urbana, siendo especialmente pronunciado en los barrios más vulnerables

Urban environments often overlook the spatial needs of caregivers, despite their essential role in sustaining social and economic well-being. The increasing demand for care services in the European Union, particularly in Spain, highlights the need for integrated urban planning approaches that prioritise accessible and inclusive caregiving spaces. By framing caregiving as a pillar of sustainable and inclusive urban communities, this research identifies a critical gap between theory and practice in recognising caregiving needs in the urban fabric. To address this, a conceptual review methodology was employed to synthesise academic and policy perspectives, enabling the development of a Caregiving Place Taxonomy, grounded in theory and applicable to spatial diagnostics. Digital data tools—particularly Google Places—were used to enable reproducible and granular urban mapping. This framework is applied in a pilot study in Alicante (Spain), revealing mismatches between care-related infrastructure and caregiving mobility patterns. The findings underline the need for policy interventions that consider the spatial dimension of care work, offering a diagnostic tool for designing inclusive cities.

Ensuring accessibility in urban public spaces is a key challenge for contemporary cities, particularly in the context of ageing populations, socio-spatial inequalities, and the global call for inclusive urban development. Despite its importance, accessibility is often treated as a cross-cutting issue rather than as a central objective in planning practice. This study examines how accessibility can be addressed in participatory urban public space design through a geodesign workshop conducted with architecture students from the University of Alicante. Focusing on the area along Line 2 of the TRAM light-rail network in Alicante, Spain, the workshop applied the geodesign framework in four iterative phases: system analysis, stakeholder role-play, design negotiation, and consensus building. The workshop participants represented six stakeholder groups with varying objectives and priorities, proposing micro-interventions in vulnerable urban areas aimed at improving walkability, surface conditions, and access to services. The role-play phase highlighted contrasting views on accessibility, particularly emphasised by groups representing older adults and people with disabilities. Negotiation revealed both alliances and tensions, while the final consensus reflected a moderate but meaningful inclusion of wide accessibility concerns. The resulting proposals showed spatial awareness of socio-territorial inequalities. The findings suggest that geodesign fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy in future urban professionals; however, challenges persist regarding inclusivity, contextual adaptation, and integration into practice. Future work should explore long-term impacts and co-creation of accessibility standards.