Cittaslow – have you heard of it?

International movement of cities where living is good. Responsible tourism.

The Movement of Cittaslow was born in 1999 through the Paolo Saturnini’s brilliant intuition, past Mayor of Greve in Chianti, a little town of Tuscany.

Cittaslow is a part (subculture) of the culture of Slow Movement. Slow Movement advocates a cultural shift toward slowing down life’s pace. It began with Carlo Petrini’s protest against the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, Rome in 1986 that sparked the creation of the slow food movement which spread all over the world.

A slow food restaurant placard in Santorini, Greece.

The new idea of considering the town itself and thinking of a different way of development, based on the improving of life quality moved to all Italy and then worldwide. The main goal of Cittaslow, was and still is today, to enlarge the philosophy of Slow Food to local communities and to government of towns, applying the concepts of ecogastronomy at practice of everyday life.

Municipalities which join the association are motivated by curios people of a recovered time, where human is still protagonist of the slow and healthy succession of seasons, respectful of citizens’ health, the authenticity of products and good food, rich of fascinating craft traditions of valuable works of art, squares, theaters, shops, cafés, restaurants, places of the spirit and unspoiled landscapes, characterized by spontaneity of religious rites, respect of traditions through the joy of a slow and quiet living.

There are 50 goals and principles that each Cittaslow town commits to work to achieve. They serve as benchmarks to improve the quality of life in each city.

The main aims of the movement are:

making life better for everyone living in an urban environment
improving the quality of life in the cities
resisting the homogenization and globalization of towns around the globe
protecting the environment
promoting cultural diversity and uniqueness of individual cities
providing inspiration for a healthier lifestyle

How to become a part of Cittaslow movement?

There are three categories of membership: Cittaslow town (population less than 50,000); Cittaslow Supporter (population more than 50,000); and Cittaslow Friend (individual or family).

Like Slow Food, Cittaslow is a membership organisation. Full membership of Cittaslow is only open to towns with a population under 50,000. To become eligible for membership, a town must normally score at least 50 percent in a self-assessment process against the set of Cittaslow goals, and then apply for admission to the appropriate Cittaslow national network. An annual membership fee is payable by towns.

The certification of towns concerns 72 requirements for quality, subdivided into 7 macro areas:

1. Energy and environmental policies
Parks and green areas, renewable energy, transport, recycling, etc

2. Infrastructure policies
Alternative mobility, cycle paths, street furniture, etc.

3. Quality of urban life policies
Requalification and reuse of marginal areas, cable network city (fibre optics, wireless), etc.

4. Agricultural, touristic and artisan policies
Prohibiting the use of GMO in agricolture, increasing the value of working techniques and traditional crafts, etc.

5. Policies for hospitality, awareness and training
Good welcome, increasing awareness of operators and traders (transparency of offers and practised prices, clear visibility of tariffs), etc.

6. Social cohesion
Integration of disable people, poverty, minorities discriminated, etc.

7. Partnerships
Collaboration with other organizations promoting natural and traditional food, etc.

Below, you can see the full list of Cittaslow 272 towns-members by December 2020

Cittaslow Australia Goolwa Katoomba Yea	Cittaslow Austria Enns Hartberg Horn	Cittaslow Belgium Jurbise Chaudfontaine Enghien Estinnes Lens Maaseik Silly
Cittaslow Canada Cowichan Bay Lac-Mégantic Naramata Wolfville	Cittaslow China Changjia (Gaoqing County) Changshan – Zigang _In progress Erdaobaihe (Changbai Mountain) Fuli (Fuchuan Yao Autonomous County) Jingyang (Jingde County) Luzhi (Wuzhong District) Maolin (Yudong New District) Shimenshan (Qufu city) Songbai (Shennongjia Forest District) Yanyang (Meizhou city) Yaxi (Gaochun County) Yingpan (Zhashui County) Yuhu (Wencheng County)	Cittaslow Colombia Pijao
Cittaslow Denmark Mariagerfjord Svendborg	Cittaslow Finland Kristinestad	Cittaslow France Cazaubon Créon Labastide d’Armagnac Loix Mirande Saint Antonin Noble Val Samatan Segonzac Simorre Valmondois
Cittaslow Germany Bad Essen Bad Schussenried Bad Wimpfen Berching Bischofsheim Blieskastel Deidesheim Hersbruck Homberg (Efze) Lüdinghausen Maikammer Meldorf Michelstadt Nördlingen Penzlin Schneverdingen Schwetzingen Spalt Überlingen Waldkirch Wirsberg Zwingenberg	Cittaslow Great Britain Aylsham Berwick upon Tweed Llangollen Mold Perth	Cittaslow Hungary Hódmezővásárhely
Cittaslow Iceland Djupavogshreppur	Cittaslow Ireland Clonakilty	Cittaslow Italy Abbiategrasso Acqualagna Acquapendente Altomonte Amalfi Amelia Anghiari Asolo Baiso Barga Belluno Borgo Val di Taro Bra Brisighella Caiazzo Capalbio Casalbeltrame Castel Campagnano Castelnovo nè Monti Castelnuovo Berardenga Castel San Pietro Terme Castiglione Olona Castiglione in Teverina Cerreto Sannita Chiavenna Chiaverano Cisternino Città della Pieve Città Sant’Angelo Civitella in Val di Chiana Controguerra Cortona Cutigliano – Comune di Abetone Cutigliano Ficulle Follina Fontanellato Francavilla al Mare Galeata Gioi Giuliano Teatino Gravina in Puglia Greve in Chianti Grumes – Comune di Altavalle Guardiagrele Levanto Marradi Massa Marittima Monte Castello di Vibio Montefalco Morimondo Mulazzo Novellara Orsara di Puglia Orvieto Parrano Pellegrino Parmense Penne Perito Pianella Pollica Positano Pratovecchio – Stia Preci Ribera Salorno San Miniato San Potito Sannitico Sant’Agata di Puglia Santarcangelo di Romagna San Vincenzo Santa Sofia Scandiano Sperlonga Stio Suvereto Teglio Tirano Todi Tolfa Torgiano Trani Travacò Siccomario Trevi Turbigo Usseglio Vigarano Mainarda Zibello – Comune di Polesine Zibello
Cittaslow Japan Kesennuma Maebashi-Akagi	Cittaslow Netherlands Alphen-Chaam Borger-Odoorn Echt-Susteren Eijsden-Margraten Gulpen-Wittem Heerde Midden-Delfland Peel en Maas Vaals Vianen – Vijfheerenlanden Town Hall Westerwolde (Former Bellingwedde and Vlagtwedde Town Halls)	Cittaslow New Zealand Matakana (Rodney District)
Cittaslow Norway Sokndal Ulvik	Cittaslow Poland Barczewo Bartoszyce Braniewo Biskupiec Bisztynek Działdowo Dobre MIasto Głubczyce Goldap Górowo Iławeckie Jeziorany Kalety Lidzbark Lidzbark Warminski Lubawa Morąg Murowana Goślina Nidzica Nowe Miasto Lubawskie Nowy Dwór Gdański Olecko Olsztynek Orneta Pasym Prudnik Rejowiec Fabryczny Reszel Rzgów Ryn Sępopol Sianów Sierpc Szczytno Wydminy	Cittaslow Portugal Sao Bras de Alportel Silves Tavira Viana Do Castelo
Cittaslow Russia Svetlogorsk	Cittaslow South Africa Sedgefield	Cittaslow South Korea Cheongsong County (Pacheon-myeon) Damyang County (Changpyeong-myeon) Gimhae (Bongha Village & Hwapocheon Wetland Eco Park) Hadong County (Akyang-myeon) Jecheon City (Susan-myeon & Bakdaljae) Jeonju City (Jeonju Hanok Village) Mokpo City (Oedal Island/ Dali Island /Modern historical & cultural area) Namyangju City (Joan-myeon) Sangju City (Hamchang-eup, Gonggeom-myeon, Ian-myeon) Seocheon County (Hansan-Myeon) Shinan County (jeung-do island) Taean County (Sowon-myeon) Wando County (Cheongsando Island) Yeongwol County (Kimsatgat-myeon) Yeongyang County (Seokbo-myeon) Yesan County (Daeheung & Eungbong-myeon)
Cittaslow Spain Balmaseda Begues Begur Bubión Lekeitio Mungia Pals Rubielos de Mora Villa de La Orotava (Isle of Tenerife)	Cittaslow Sweden Falköping	Cittaslow Taiwan Dalin Fonglin Nanzhuang Sanyi
Cittaslow Turkey Ahlat Akyaka Eğirdir Gerze Gökçeada Göynük Güdül Halfeti Köyceğiz Mudurnu Perşembe Şavşat Seferihisar Tarakli Uzundere Vize Yalvaç Yenipazar	Cittaslow Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Geçitkale Lefke Mehmetçik Tatlısu Yeniboğaziçi	Cittaslow USA Sebastopol Sonoma