From Limerick to Delft: applying a literary lens to the study of urban culture and planning in European cities This special issue of Writingplace brings together the work of the EU COST Writing Urban Places network. Using narrative approaches to analysis and design, the network highlights the specificity of local urban cultures in contemporary European cities. Drawing on research from a range of disciplines (including architecture, urban studies, literary theory, sociology and media studies), the issue explores spatial approaches that promote responsible, site-specific and socially inclusive design strategies for European cities. The first section offers reflections on the theoretical, methodological and practical outcomes of the Writing Urban Places project. The second part contains case studies of European cities that were studied during the EU COST Action, including Limerick, Almada, Osijek, Tallinn, Tampere, Porto, Canakalle, Skopje and Delft. These collected findings offer important insights for students, scholars and spatial practitioners interested in urban planning and the European city.