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people had adapted to the lazy current of the wide rivers,
to an almost perfectly flat landscape diversified by lonely
trees, rows of leaning willows or towers of historic build-
ings. No wonder that many Slow Road routes (slowroad.pl)
have been designated in Mazovia.
They can be traversed by car, bicycle, horseback, canoe
or motorbike. There are routes for lovers of active recrea-
tion, there will be something for those who like to watch
animals, learn about traditions during visits to museums or
overnight stays in traditional huts. fot. Hotel Narvil Conference & SPA
Podlasie and the eastern borders of Poland are not in a hur-
ry to become modern. They hid away from the big world,
somewhere between the Bug, Biebrza and Narew rivers.
It is a land of natural landscapes, forests and swamps, the
oldest, largest and most unusual national parks: Białowieża,
Biebrzański and Narwiański.
There are few monuments in Podlasie, but those that exist
have a unique atmosphere. Most of them are gathered in
small towns, which are among the most beautiful and most
atmospheric in Poland: in Tykocin, Drohiczyn or Supraśl, hid-
den in the Knyszyn Forest. The eastern borderland is also
full of temples and cemeteries of various denominations.
It is a reminder of the times when the local community was
multi-ethnic. Mosques are located near Orthodox churches,
Jewish cemeteries are adjacent to Muslim mizaras.

Slow life by the lakes
In the summer season in Warmia and Mazury, it is difficult
to escape from the crowds. That is why lovers of peaceful
rest by the water and on the water go to the reservoirs of
the Pomeranian and Wielkopolskie Lake Districts. The larg-
est number of Cittaslow towns is in Warmia and Mazury.
They are perfect for traveling in the spirit of slow.
The idea of Cittaslow was born in Italy in the late 1990s.
The Italians saw in the everyday life of small towns (up to
50,000 inhabitants) a model to follow and cherish. Life in
them still flows with a natural rhythm, and their hospitable
inhabitants share what they have best. Cittaslow fits per-
fectly into the assumptions of sustainable development. fot. Manor House SPA
There are already over 260 of them in 30 countries. Snail
cities promote a culture of good living. They nurture lo-
cal traditions, crafts and cuisine, revitalize monuments and
preserve the unique character of each of them. A distinc-
tive feature of Cittaslow cities is also the development of
a tradition of hospitality. The life of words is not in contra-
diction with thoughtful development and reasonable use
of the achievements of modernity.
The first Polish towns joined the network of “cities of
good quality of life” in 2006, and several months later the
Polish National Network of Cittaslow Cities (cittaslowpol-
ska.pl) was established. Today, it already includes 35 Pol-
ish towns, over 20 are towns in Warmia and Mazury. The
idea gives impetus to the activities of the cities themselves,
which focus their attention on the renewal and renovation
of the urban tissue, shaping friendly space and an interest-
ing cultural, recreational and tourist offer.
In the mountains and by the sea
A completely different experience is provided by slow

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