Urbanization and ageing are the two main processes currently shaping the social environment worldwide. In this context, creating senior friendly cities should be an important target, especially in developed countries, which have the highest rates of population over 60 years old. Our study focuses on the use of urban parks and aims to analyze how friendly their planning, design, and use are for elderly people. We used field observation carried out in four case study parks in Bucharest (Romania) to assess the spatial planning and design of urban parks, and to identify the environmental problems. We applied a total of 5752 questionnaires (16% to elderly people) in the majority of Bucharest’s parks in order to analyze the behavior and perception of seniors in contrast with that of the general population. The analysis highlighted the lack of endowments especially planned or designed for seniors and the multiple problems deriving from their interaction with other visitor groups which make them feel disrespected or unsafe. Our study highlights the need for including the needs, demands, and desires of elderly people in decision making processes, with the aim of creating inclusive and senior friendly parks.

Geographical studies and environment protection research

Heritage tourism is increasingly positioned as a strategy for revitalising rural communities, particularly in areas where structural transformations have changed traditional ways of life. However, its outcomes reveal a paradox. The same processes that preserve cultural landscapes often commodify them, converting living traditions into marketable symbols. This paper investigates this heritage paradox through a complex study of Viscri, a UNESCO-listed village in Transylvania, Romania. Combining demographic and occupational data (2002–2022) with 51 questionnaires, 7 semi-structured interviews, field observations, and local records, the study examines how tourism-driven heritage valorisation reshapes socio-economic structures and identity narratives. The results show a profound restructuring of livelihoods, with a marked decline in subsistence agriculture and the emergence of micro-entrepreneurial activities related to accommodation, crafts, and gastronomy. These changes, while improving local incomes and infrastructures, have also increased external ownership and redefined authenticity as a performative resource negotiated among residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors. Local voices oscillate between pride and fatigue, between preservation and loss. By conceptualising the heritage paradox as a dynamic interplay between conservation and commodification, this study contributes to global debates on authenticity, sustainable rural transformation, and community resilience, offering an empirically grounded model of heritage tourism’s ambivalent consequences through an original analytical lens for post-socialist rural contexts.

Urban food markets are increasingly being recognized not only as centres of cultural identity and tourism but also as pivotal spaces for promoting urban sustainability. This study explores the role of urban markets in advancing sustainable cultural tourism, using Obor Market in Bucharest as a case study. As a historic marketplace and cultural landmark, Obor Market embodies Bucharest’s traditional commercial practices and community-oriented values. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and systematic surveys, we evaluate the location of markets, cultural authenticity, and visitor satisfaction. The quantitative findings reveal meaningful correlations between demographic factors (particularly nationality and age) and visitor perceptions, highlighting the market’s appeal through its authentic culinary offerings and immersive sensory experience. However, this study also identifies shortcomings in current promotional strategies employed by local stakeholders. The results suggest that urban food markets can serve as sustainable urban assets, fostering cross-cultural integration, supporting local economies, and encouraging environmentally conscious tourism behaviours. We argue for data-informed urban cultural policies that enhance the visibility, accessibility, and sustainability of such spaces, reinforcing their dual role as economic drivers and cultural touchstones.