The story of the restoration of the Moise Palace has earned Cres the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories 2026 award. The recognition was presented on 28 October at the Green Destinations Global Conference 2026 in Kranj, Slovenia.
The Moise Palace is a historic building that, after its restoration, has become a university, educational and cultural centre in the very heart of Cres. It is the largest Renaissance palace on the island of Cres and is owned by the City of Cres. Following a demanding restoration, the palace was entrusted to the management of the University of Rijeka.
Inclusion among the selected stories is the result of a project that linked valuable architectural heritage with the needs of today’s island community. Throughout the year, the palace hosts students, professors, researchers and participants in educational, scientific and cultural programmes from Croatia and abroad. Public lectures, workshops, discussions and lifelong learning programmes are held within its walls.
Cres Mayor Marin Gregorović stated that the Moise Palace is an excellent example of how a historic space can be given a new purpose and become a driver of development. He highlighted that by revitalising the palace, the island attracts new people, knowledge and ideas. Island communities, it is noted, face an ageing population, depopulation and limited educational opportunities, while seasonal tourism alone cannot ensure year-round vitality for a place.
Rector of the University of Rijeka, Professor Goran Hauser, emphasised that this is a space where knowledge is connected with place, people and the challenges of modern society. He considered the award an incentive for the further development of the palace as a place of cooperation and open dialogue.
At the ceremony in Kranj, the award was accepted by Mayor Marin Gregorović, Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Cres Željka Stašić, and Programme Director of the Moise Palace Dr Andreja Malovoz.
The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories is not a ranking of 100 destinations by tourist numbers or overall quality of offer, but a selection of stories that demonstrate concrete examples of responsible management, heritage preservation and local community development. Alongside Cres, this year’s selected stories from Croatia include the island of Lošinj and Plitvice Lakes National Park. More than 95 per cent of the territory of the island of Cres is included in the Natura 2000 ecological network.
