The cittaslow movement, which is a combination of the Italian word 'citta' and the English word 'slow' and means calm city, was launched in Italy in 1999 to expand the Slow Food movement to the urban area, and advocates living at a pace that is enjoyable to live and improving the quality of life, and is envisaged to be possible by preserving the city's original structure, architecture, traditions and customs, local food and historical identity.
According to the news of Turizm Haber Merkezi, the news source of the tourism sector, Cittaslow Turkey list, which started in 2009 with the inclusion of Seferihisar district of Izmir in the Cittaslow Association, continues to grow with the inclusion of new cities in the list, while cities that succeed in meeting the criteria gathered under the headings of environment, infrastructure, urban quality of life, social cohesion and hospitality, including issues such as air and water cleanliness, reduction of visual pollution and traffic noise, creation of efficient bicycle paths, are added to the Sakin City list. As a result of more than 3 years of work and consultations, there are 22 districts of 17 provinces in Turkey that have succeeded in obtaining the Sakin City title and are entitled to be included in the Sakin City list of the International Cittaslow Association.
Izmir's Seferihisar and Foça, Muğla's Akyaka and Köyceğiz, Isparta's Eğirdir and Yalvaç, Bolu's Göynük and Mudurnu are on the list. The other calm cities are Ahlat in Bitlis, Arapgir in Malatya, Finike in Antalya, Gerze in Sinop, Gökçeada in Çanakkale, Güdül in Ankara, Halfeti in Şanlıurfa, İznik in Bursa, Kemaliye in Erzincan, Perşembe in Ordu, Şavşat in Artvin, Uzundere in Erzurum, Vize in Kırklareli and Yenipazar in Aydın.
Daday in Kastamonu, Eflani in Karabük, Güzelyurt in Aksaray, Yakakent in Samsun, Bayramiç in Çanakkale, Sivrihisar in Eskişehir, Şarköy in Tekirdağ and Osmaneli in Bilecik are the 8 districts that have applied for candidacy to be included in the Cittaslow Turkey list and are waiting for the finalization of the nomination process.
