Slow travel: How to apply its principles in 2023, in the UK and abroad
Many of us could do with slowing down a little – or being more considerate and intentional with our choices. An ever-growing ‘slow movement’ can be applied to different parts of our lives, from gentler and slower starts to our days to slow gardening. The approach isn’t new, but it’s showing no signs of, well, slowing down. As more people decide it’s the right approach for their health and wellbeing, they also apply it to their holidays and travel plans.
With this in mind, we thought we'd take a closer look at slow travel. From what it means to how you can do it and whether it's really a sustainable way to holiday in 2023, here's the lowdown on slow travel...
What is slow travel?
Slow travel is about taking time to appreciate where you are and not always taking the fastest route to your holiday destinations. Travelling at the calmer and more considered pace that slow travel demands is perhaps the opposite of how you may tackle a city break.
Instead, you might ease into a destination and spend longer savouring each experience rather than cramming in as much as possible. If this sounds like it’s the domain of backpackers and nomads, you're right. But there are elements of slow travel that we can all incorporate into our holidays.
How can I incorporate slow travel into my holiday?
Even if you don’t have the time to commit to completely slow travel, you can try some simple slow travel ideas on your next trip. You could linger longer in more offbeat places or take a calmly-paced UK road trip that takes the scenic route rather than the most direct way of getting there.
You could make the journey part of the experience by taking a railway holiday (try Spain and Morocco by train) or a cruise that takes you from place to place at a leisurely speed, such as a peaceful river cruise through Portugal's Douro Valley. Or simply rethink how you approach your trip when you've reached your destination and make an extra effort to notice the details of each moment.
How can a holiday destination inspire slow travel?
One of our favourite parts of slow travel is the chance to meet local people and learn how they live – perhaps how generations of the same family grow delicious produce on farms in Crete or ancient wine-making techniques in Portugal.
Or find out about how life once was in places around the world by staying in authentic accommodations like a cave hotel in Matera or conical Trullo in beautiful Puglia. By slowing down, more time can be spent veering off well-beaten paths to discover more authentic pockets of even the most popular destinations.
How should I spend my time on a slow travel trip?
Slow travel isn't passive, nor do you need to dedicate long spells to meditation. But given that slow travel is about pausing and reflecting, learning culturally distinct mindfulness or relaxation practices as part of a slow travel trip is a wonderful way to spend time on a slower-paced adventure. You could ease your muscles in the hot springs at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, join Tai Chi at dawn in the Far East, practise yoga in India, or simply indulge in a siesta in Spain.
For others, true relaxation is achieved through more active pursuits like surfing - a pastime loved from the north coast of Cornwall to the west coast of California - which can show us how different parts of the world relax, too.
CHECK IN AND RELAX AT THE RETREAT AT THE BLUE LAGOON
Where should I try slow travel first?
When you're thinking about where to try the idea of slow travel, it helps when you can fall into step with the rhythm of a country, guided by those who are used to leading their lives with an easier-going tempo. Scandinavian countries, including Iceland, and tropical islands like Jamaica often enjoy a reputation for a slower pace of life. Although you could also try Italy — there’s something about the Italians' approach to long lunches and delicious wine that dovetails beautifully with the notion of slowing down and appreciating the detail of the moment.
Taking the time to prepare food lovingly can help us all slow down a little. A cooking holiday in Italy can be the ideal slow travel trip, with Sicily a particular favourite as its pasta and street food is considered among the best. Dried pasta has become a convenient staple for so many of us, but taking the time and care to learn how to make it fresh is the perfect embodiment of slow travel.
Appreciating and cooking a nation’s dishes does more than show us a new skill — you’ll usually get to know a local chef and spend time in their community, too.
How can nature help us slow down on holiday?
As any keen wildlife spotter knows, patience is essential when waiting for animals to emerge on a nature holiday. Wildlife-spotting trips can be the perfect slow travel experience, where the timetable of your day is dictated by the whims of whales in Canada or the route of a soaring eagle over Scotland, forcing us to sit and appreciate the world around us while we wait for nature's display.
Spending longer spells in nature, particularly when you're waiting for a spectacle to emerge (such as the ethereal Northern Lights in Iceland), can often be a timely reminder that not everything happens at the speed we want, but patiently waiting can make it all the more rewarding.
Do you need to spend longer in a place to practise slow travel?
While spending longer in a place really embraces the idea of slow travel, for many of us, it's simply not practical. But that's not to say that we can't plan our holidays better to help get the benefits, perhaps something as simple as extending a day trip into something that lasts a few days instead.
One of the advantages of travelling more slowly through a country is the opportunity for a place to really reveal itself. While Thailand's exciting colour and scent hit travellers immediately, for instance, the real nuance of its culture transpires far more slowly.
Spending longer in the Thai countryside can teach us more about the locals' lives, how they work with the land and the incredible wildlife. Instead of visiting Thai elephants on a day trip as part of a jam-packed itinerary, spending a little longer observing the work of mahouts, those who care for orphaned and rescued elephants, is worth your time.
Focusing on the conservation efforts of a country is a rewarding way to get to know a nation’s challenges, providing reflective moments that stay with us long after we return home.
HELP CARE FOR ELEPHANTS IN THAILAND
Does a cruise holiday allow you to travel more slowly?
Choose the right cruise itinerary and it can be the perfect way to try slow travel. Find smaller ships that can tuck into smaller ports so you'll travel with fewer people at a calmer pace. You could board the beautiful Star Clipper as she sails around the coast of Costa Rica – another wonderful place to slow your pace and savour a destination – and get the benefits of slower-paced travel blended with the serenity of a nature holiday.
Look out for cruises with days at sea, too — when there's simply nowhere else to go, you can sit back and relish the experience of sailing on the open ocean. It takes three days to reach Iceland from Southampton, the perfect way to start a cruise holiday with a touch of slow travel.
Is slow travel more sustainable?
The benefits of slow travel go beyond what we can personally gain from the experience. It can often be a more sustainable, socially conscious holiday option, not only because we take the time to think more carefully about the choices we make on the journey (perhaps taking a train between places rather than a flight and reducing our carbon footprint), but acknowledging that the journey can be part of the overall experience.
You can reach Switzerland from London by train and spend a week in the Bernese Oberland, staying in an Alpine village that’s completely free of cars. While it may be faster to fly, the train journey allows you to enjoy the scenery and relax into your trip.
And tempting though it may be to move around the Swiss wonderland once you arrive, staying in a family-run hotel for the duration of your trips allows the time to get to know a village properly and get beneath the skin of a place away from its most popular hotspots.
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