The paper discusses rural transformations resulting from urban influences. The analyzed area consists of rural municipalities (the smallest administrative unit in Poland) in the immediate vicinity of Olsztyn, Elbląg, Mrągowo, Ełk - the biggest cities of the Region of Warmia and Mazury.

The type and rate of social and spatial changes in rural areas with high urban influence were analyzed. The following issues have been addressed:

• a comparison of demographic changes in rural municipalities neighboring an urban center with demographic changes in the city,

• changes in the land-use structure of rural municipalities neighboring an urban center, with particular emphasis on open and protected spaces,

• architectural changes in the analyzed suburban areas,

• landscape changes in the analyzed suburban areas.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/enviro.2017.121