The idea of CittaSlow was born in 1999 in Italy and inspired by the slow food movement. Town municipalities who'd like to join this organization must meet several criterias, and most important of all they must sustain these criterias after they become a member as well. These towns should have a population of less than 50.000, mainly having an easy life style settlement for those who seek peace, quiet and calm life. Today as of January 2023, there are 287 CittaSlow members in more than 30 countries around the world, most being in Italy.
In Turkey, CittaSlow membership was first established in 2009, when Seferihisar town in the Aegean region became a member of the CittaSlow Association. Today as of December 2024, Turkey has 23 members in this network. And one of these, Izmir city is the first and only Metropolitan city in the world holding this title since 2021.
- Ahlat - Bitlis
- Akyaka - Mugla
- Arapgir - Malatya
- Egirdir - Isparta
- Finike - Antalya
- Foça - Izmir
- Gerze - Sinop
- Gökçeada - Çanakkale
- Göynük - Bolu
- Güdül - Ankara
- Halfeti - Sanliurfa
- Izmir
- Iznik - Bursa
- Kemaliye - Erzincan
- Köycegiz - Mugla
- Persembe - Ordu
- Seferihisar - Izmir
- Savsat - Artvin
- Tarakli - Sakarya
- Uzundere - Erzurum
- Vize - Kirklareli
- Yalvaç - Isparta
- Yenipazar - Aydin