diff --git a/static/mappicker.js b/static/mappicker.js
index 0cab3e5..78ff00b 100644
--- a/static/mappicker.js
+++ b/static/mappicker.js
@@ -118,15 +118,14 @@
 
     if (!map) {
       map = L.map(mapEl, { worldCopyJump: true, zoomControl: true }).setView([44.5, -95], 4);
-      // Themed CARTO basemap (no key needed) instead of the plain gray OSM raster:
-      // sleek "dark matter" tiles under the app's dark theme, colorful "voyager"
-      // tiles under the light theme, so the picker matches whichever is active.
-      const dark = matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches;
-      const tiles = dark
-        ? "https://{s}.basemaps.cartocdn.com/dark_all/{z}/{x}/{y}{r}.png"
-        : "https://{s}.basemaps.cartocdn.com/rastertiles/voyager/{z}/{x}/{y}{r}.png";
-      L.tileLayer(tiles, {
-        subdomains: "abcd", maxZoom: 20, detectRetina: true,
+      // Colorful CARTO "Voyager" basemap (no key needed) instead of the plain gray
+      // OSM raster — used in both themes for its richer road/land/water colors.
+      // Requesting tiles one zoom level lower and rendering them at 512px
+      // (tileSize 512 + zoomOffset -1) makes roads and city labels noticeably
+      // larger; @2x keeps them crisp while enlarged. A saturation boost (style.css)
+      // pushes the colors further.
+      L.tileLayer("https://{s}.basemaps.cartocdn.com/rastertiles/voyager/{z}/{x}/{y}@2x.png", {
+        subdomains: "abcd", maxZoom: 20, tileSize: 512, zoomOffset: -1,
         attribution: '&copy; <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright">OpenStreetMap</a> &copy; <a href="https://carto.com/attributions">CARTO</a>',
       }).addTo(map);
       // Branded accent teardrop pin (the same glyph the Find button uses), styled
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index 76cf4ae..36762ca 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -702,6 +702,8 @@ main { max-width: 1200px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 20px 24px 60px; }
   box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, .25), 0 6px 18px rgba(0, 0, 0, .25);
 }
 .mp-map .leaflet-container { background: var(--surface-2); }
+/* Push the CARTO Voyager colors further — bolder roads, greener parks, bluer water. */
+.mp-map .leaflet-tile-pane { filter: saturate(1.35) contrast(1.05); }
 /* Branded accent teardrop pin (an L.divIcon wrapping the Find-button glyph),
    replacing Leaflet's default blue raster marker. */
 .mp-pin { background: none; border: none; filter: drop-shadow(0 3px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, .45)); }