abstract
This article discusses how long-term strategic planning may direct the development of cities, emphasizing the potential that long-term strategic planning has to be an effective planning instrument for Brazilian cities. Two initiatives of strategic planning for Brazilian cities are summarized to illustrate the concepts under discussion and to exemplify the use of strategic planning in the Brazilian context. The desirable characteristics and the fundamental concepts of strategic planning are also discussed.
keywords: Cities; Strategic planning; Urban planning; Urban instruments