”Slow City” as a Local Development Model

Subject and purpose of work: The goal of the article is to characterize the “slow city” model, its assumptions, conditions and effects of its implementation in Polish conditions. It also aims to present intelligent solutions in using own resources of small cities.

Materials and methods: The article was based on the study and synthesis of Polish and foreign literature and a review of strategic documents of Polish cities belonging to Cittaslow.

Results: The article fills the existing gap in the area of contemporary strategies for the development of small towns. It describes the “slow city” model, on the basis of which small cities belonging to the Cittaslow city network are developing. Intelligent solutions in the use of endogenous own resources of small cities are also presented.

Conclusions: The analysis carried out made it possible to state that the “slow city” model is useful in the development of small towns. It guarantees optimal and intelligent use of endogenous resources of a small town. However, the review of the strategic documents of the cities of “slow city” shows that these cities affect, like most small cities, negative socio-economic phenomena.