diff --git a/web/src/components/UserMemoMap/UserMemoMap.tsx b/web/src/components/UserMemoMap/UserMemoMap.tsx
index 79fa4de82..ff8ce8edd 100644
--- a/web/src/components/UserMemoMap/UserMemoMap.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/UserMemoMap/UserMemoMap.tsx
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ interface ClusterGroup {
 
 const createClusterCustomIcon = (cluster: ClusterGroup) => {
   return new DivIcon({
-    html: `<span class="flex items-center justify-center w-full h-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground text-xs font-bold rounded-full shadow-md border-2 border-background">${cluster.getChildCount()}</span>`,
-    className: "custom-marker-cluster",
+    html: `<span class="flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-border bg-background/95 text-xs font-semibold text-foreground shadow-sm backdrop-blur-sm">${cluster.getChildCount()}</span>`,
+    className: "border-none bg-transparent",
     iconSize: L.point(32, 32, true),
   });
 };
@@ -67,17 +67,41 @@ const UserMemoMap = ({ creator, className }: Props) => {
   const defaultCenter = { lat: 48.8566, lng: 2.3522 };
 
   return (
-    <div className={cn("relative z-0 w-full h-[380px] rounded-xl overflow-hidden border border-border shadow-sm", className)}>
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        "memo-user-map relative z-0 h-[380px] w-full overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border bg-background shadow-sm",
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
       {memosWithLocation.length === 0 && (
         <div className="absolute inset-0 z-[1000] flex items-center justify-center pointer-events-none">
-          <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-1 rounded-2xl border border-border bg-background/70 px-4 py-2 shadow-sm backdrop-blur-sm">
-            <MapPinIcon className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground opacity-60" />
-            <p className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">No location data found</p>
+          <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-1.5 rounded-xl border border-border bg-background/92 px-5 py-3 shadow-sm backdrop-blur-sm">
+            <MapPinIcon className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground opacity-70" />
+            <p className="text-xs font-medium tracking-[0.02em] text-muted-foreground">No location data found</p>
           </div>
         </div>
       )}
 
-      <MapContainer center={defaultCenter} zoom={2} className="h-full w-full z-0" scrollWheelZoom attributionControl={false}>
+      <div className="pointer-events-none absolute left-4 top-4 z-[950] flex items-start justify-between gap-3 rounded-xl border border-border bg-background/92 px-3 py-2.5 shadow-sm backdrop-blur-sm">
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <span className="grid size-7 place-items-center rounded-full bg-primary/10 text-primary">
+            <MapPinIcon className="size-3.5" />
+          </span>
+          <div className="min-w-0">
+            <p className="text-[11px] font-medium uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-muted-foreground">Mapped memos</p>
+            <p className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">{memosWithLocation.length} places pinned</p>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <MapContainer
+        center={defaultCenter}
+        zoom={2}
+        className="h-full w-full z-0"
+        scrollWheelZoom
+        zoomControl={false}
+        attributionControl={false}
+      >
         <ThemedTileLayer />
         <MarkerClusterGroup
           chunkedLoading
@@ -88,26 +112,36 @@ const UserMemoMap = ({ creator, className }: Props) => {
         >
           {memosWithLocation.map((memo) => (
             <Marker key={memo.name} position={[memo.location!.latitude, memo.location!.longitude]} icon={defaultMarkerIcon}>
-              <Popup closeButton={false} className="w-48!">
-                <div className="flex flex-col p-0.5">
-                  <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-border pb-1 mb-1">
-                    <span className="text-[10px] font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-                      {memo.displayTime &&
-                        timestampDate(memo.displayTime).toLocaleDateString(undefined, {
-                          year: "numeric",
-                          month: "short",
-                          day: "numeric",
-                        })}
-                    </span>
+              <Popup closeButton={false} className="memo-map-popup w-64!">
+                <div className="flex flex-col gap-2.5 p-3">
+                  <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
+                    <div className="space-y-1">
+                      <span className="inline-flex rounded-full border border-border/70 bg-muted/50 px-2 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-medium uppercase tracking-[0.14em] text-muted-foreground">
+                        Memo
+                      </span>
+                      <span className="block text-[11px] font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+                        {memo.displayTime &&
+                          timestampDate(memo.displayTime).toLocaleDateString(undefined, {
+                            year: "numeric",
+                            month: "short",
+                            day: "numeric",
+                          })}
+                      </span>
+                    </div>
                     <Link
                       to={`/memos/${memo.name.split("/").pop()}`}
-                      className="flex items-center gap-0.5 text-[10px] text-primary hover:opacity-80"
+                      className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full border border-border bg-background px-2.5 py-1 text-[11px] font-medium text-foreground transition-all hover:border-primary/40 hover:text-primary"
                     >
-                      View
-                      <ArrowUpRightIcon className="h-3 w-3" />
+                      Open
+                      <ArrowUpRightIcon className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
                     </Link>
                   </div>
-                  <div className="line-clamp-3 py-0.5 text-xs font-sans leading-snug text-foreground">{memo.snippet || "No content"}</div>
+                  <div className="space-y-1">
+                    <div className="line-clamp-3 text-sm leading-snug font-medium text-foreground">{memo.snippet || "No content"}</div>
+                    <div className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                      {memo.location!.latitude.toFixed(2)}°, {memo.location!.longitude.toFixed(2)}°
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
                 </div>
               </Popup>
             </Marker>
diff --git a/web/src/components/map/LocationPicker.tsx b/web/src/components/map/LocationPicker.tsx
index 3315780dd..cdcf90a54 100644
--- a/web/src/components/map/LocationPicker.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/map/LocationPicker.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import L, { LatLng } from "leaflet";
 import { ExternalLinkIcon, MinusIcon, PlusIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import { type ReactNode, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
-import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { MapContainer, Marker, useMap, useMapEvents } from "react-leaflet";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { defaultMarkerIcon, ThemedTileLayer } from "./map-utils";
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ interface MapControlsProps {
 const MapControls = ({ position }: MapControlsProps) => {
   const map = useMap();
   const controlRef = useRef<MapControlsContainer | null>(null);
-  const rootRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof createRoot> | null>(null);
+  const [container, setContainer] = useState<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
 
   const handleOpenInGoogleMaps = () => {
     if (!position) return;
@@ -156,39 +156,25 @@ const MapControls = ({ position }: MapControlsProps) => {
     const control = new MapControlsContainer({ position: "topright" });
     controlRef.current = control;
     control.addTo(map);
-
-    // Get container and render React component into it
-    const container = control.getContainer();
-    if (container) {
-      rootRef.current = createRoot(container);
-      rootRef.current.render(
-        <ControlButtons position={position} onZoomIn={handleZoomIn} onZoomOut={handleZoomOut} onOpenGoogleMaps={handleOpenInGoogleMaps} />,
-      );
-    }
+    setContainer(control.getContainer() ?? null);
 
     return () => {
-      // Cleanup: unmount React component and remove control
-      if (rootRef.current) {
-        rootRef.current.unmount();
-        rootRef.current = null;
-      }
       if (controlRef.current) {
         controlRef.current.remove();
         controlRef.current = null;
       }
+      setContainer(null);
     };
   }, [map]);
 
-  // Update rendered content when position changes
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (rootRef.current) {
-      rootRef.current.render(
-        <ControlButtons position={position} onZoomIn={handleZoomIn} onZoomOut={handleZoomOut} onOpenGoogleMaps={handleOpenInGoogleMaps} />,
-      );
-    }
-  }, [position]);
+  if (!container) {
+    return null;
+  }
 
-  return null;
+  return createPortal(
+    <ControlButtons position={position} onZoomIn={handleZoomIn} onZoomOut={handleZoomOut} onOpenGoogleMaps={handleOpenInGoogleMaps} />,
+    container,
+  );
 };
 
 const MapCleanup = () => {
@@ -222,21 +208,30 @@ const DEFAULT_CENTER_LAT_LNG = new LatLng(48.8584, 2.2945);
 
 const LeafletMap = (props: MapProps) => {
   const position = props.latlng || DEFAULT_CENTER_LAT_LNG;
+  const statusLabel = props.readonly ? "Pinned location" : props.latlng ? "Selected location" : "Choose a location";
 
   return (
-    <MapContainer
-      className="w-full h-72"
-      center={position}
-      zoom={13}
-      scrollWheelZoom={false}
-      zoomControl={false}
-      attributionControl={false}
-    >
-      <ThemedTileLayer />
-      <LocationMarker position={position} readonly={props.readonly} onChange={props.onChange ? props.onChange : () => {}} />
-      <MapControls position={props.latlng} />
-      <MapCleanup />
-    </MapContainer>
+    <div className="memo-location-map relative isolate w-full overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border bg-background shadow-sm">
+      <MapContainer
+        className="h-72 w-full"
+        center={position}
+        zoom={13}
+        scrollWheelZoom={false}
+        zoomControl={false}
+        attributionControl={false}
+      >
+        <ThemedTileLayer />
+        <LocationMarker position={position} readonly={props.readonly} onChange={props.onChange ? props.onChange : () => {}} />
+        <MapControls position={props.latlng} />
+        <MapCleanup />
+      </MapContainer>
+
+      <div className="pointer-events-none absolute left-3 top-3 z-[450] flex items-center gap-2">
+        <div className="rounded-full border border-border bg-background/92 px-2.5 py-1 text-[11px] font-medium tracking-[0.02em] text-foreground/80 shadow-sm backdrop-blur-sm">
+          {statusLabel}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
   );
 };
 
diff --git a/web/src/components/map/map-utils.tsx b/web/src/components/map/map-utils.tsx
index 984cf2e36..fe7c490d7 100644
--- a/web/src/components/map/map-utils.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/map/map-utils.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { useAuth } from "@/contexts/AuthContext";
 import { resolveTheme } from "@/utils/theme";
 
 const TILE_URLS = {
-  light: "https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png",
+  light: "https://{s}.basemaps.cartocdn.com/light_all/{z}/{x}/{y}{r}.png",
   dark: "https://{s}.basemaps.cartocdn.com/dark_all/{z}/{x}/{y}{r}.png",
 } as const;
 
@@ -24,12 +24,17 @@ interface MarkerIconOptions {
 }
 
 export const createMarkerIcon = (options?: MarkerIconOptions): DivIcon => {
-  const { fill = "orange", size = 28, className = "" } = options || {};
+  const { fill = "var(--primary)", size = 28, className = "" } = options || {};
   return new DivIcon({
-    className: "relative border-none",
+    className: "relative border-none bg-transparent",
     html: ReactDOMServer.renderToString(
-      <MapPinIcon className={`absolute bottom-1/2 -left-1/2 ${className}`.trim()} fill={fill} size={size} />,
+      <div className={`relative flex items-center justify-center ${className}`.trim()}>
+        <MapPinIcon fill={fill} size={size} strokeWidth={1.9} style={{ filter: "drop-shadow(0 6px 10px rgba(15, 23, 42, 0.22))" }} />
+      </div>,
     ),
+    iconSize: [size + 8, size + 8],
+    iconAnchor: [(size + 8) / 2, size + 4],
+    popupAnchor: [0, -(size * 0.7)],
   });
 };