A Beginner’s Guide to Slow Travel

Growing up, my idea of travel was shaped by meticulously organized family trips: Multiple cities — sometimes even several countries — covered in just a couple of weeks, rushing to see and do everything in a finite amount of time. It wasn’t until I began traveling on my own that I noticed my Type B traits didn’t exactly translate well to trip planning. Instead, I often forwent an itinerary, preferring to rely on spontaneity, curiosity, and, occasionally, what I like to call divine intervention. In doing so, my travel experiences became less surface level and even more meaningful.

Thus began my inadvertent introduction to slow travel.

Slow travel is exactly what it sounds like; it’s the concept of spending more time in destinations with fewer expectations. It’s a travel experience that doesn’t require scrupulous planning and, in fact, rather benefits from a lack of it. It values aimless wandering and leisurely routines rather than bustling sightseeing and hectic schedules.

But it’s not just about physically slowing down; slow travel emphasizes deeper cultural immersion, local experiences, and sustainable practices. It’s a form of travel that does not just benefit you as a visitor but impacts the destination as well, by supporting smaller businesses, walking or using public transportation, or simply honing your understanding and respect towards the customs and traditions in which you encounter. Beyond developing a renewed sense of place, slow travel also acts as a poignant mode of self-discovery. As your awareness of other cultures shifts, so will your perspective of yourself. 

Depending on how many days you can spare, be selective with the number of destinations you choose and ensure you have ample time to truly discover each place’s secrets. Even just choosing one city can be an incredibly rewarding experience. When you are visiting multiple destinations, and when it’s possible, avoid allotting timespans to stops and instead try to play things by ear. 

For long-term visits, consider countries with plenty of unique cities to bounce between, reliable domestic travel options, and myriad cultural encounters to keep your curiosity sated. Explore some ideas below that leave much to discover and even more to love. 

If you’re shorter on time, these destinations make for the perfect one-stop shop for slow travel experiences. They are cities and regions that you will undoubtably form a lasting bond with and will ache to return to long after you’ve left.

For those who are interested in slow travel but aren’t yet ready to fully surrender an itinerary, consider journeys that provide a bit more structure but still retain the leisurely pace and freedoms that make slow travel so attractive. Adventures such as train journeys, road trips, river cruises, and even hiking excursions provide a clear path to follow while still allowing room for spontaneity and off-the-beaten path experiences. These are journeys that deviate from traditional modes of travel and offer a fresh point of view on destinations that you thought you knew. 

To adopt the slow travel mindset, you must first and foremost relinquish a bit of control; Find comfort in the unknown and anticipate the unexpected. But there are also plenty of simple practices and mindful changes you can apply to your travel routines that will help you embrace the art of slow travel.

Interacting with locals not only connects you further but can also be a great resource for finding unique recommendations. Ask your bartender about other bars and restaurants, strike up a conversation with shop owners, treat those around you like potential new friends rather than strangers. Slow travel can be like a scavenger hunt, slowly unraveling new findings as you spend more and more time somewhere.

It’s activities like these that are often misconstrued as a waste of time while traveling, seen as doing nothing while you instead could be cramming as much as possible into your daily schedule. But it is also these activities that allow you to truly absorb your destination. It’s in these moments of simplicity and quiet when you tend to appreciate your surroundings the most.

That’s the beauty of slow travel: By giving yourself extra time to partake in the more mundane happenings, your perspective changes from an outsider looking in to a more integrated part of the community, and with that comes a more profound empathy and veneration.

We know slow travel isn’t feasible for everyone and that for some, planning a trip is half the fun. Luckily, it’s not an all-or-nothing endeavor. Slow travel is not just the forsaking of an itinerary, nor are the two mutually exclusive. You can still see all the sights you want to see, but consider limiting the amount you do at a time. Try to leave room each day for a bit of “nothing.”

Similarly, while traveling for long periods of time is a great way to get the full slow travel experience, it’s not always possible to simply pack up and escape reality for weeks at a time. If you only have a week or even just a weekend to spare for your next holiday, still consider applying some slow travel techniques to your visit. Or, choose one day to be your “slow travel day” and leave your schedule open for some wandering and spontaneity.