Slow Travel

I’m a newbie to the concept of slow travel. Even the term is new to me. I’ve heard of the slow food movement and inferred that it must be the travel equivalent without really exploring what precisely that entails. There are a lot of facets to slow travel that aren’t immediately apparent and there is no one recipe for slow travel since it is more of a mindset than a specific action. So, what is slow travel all about? First let me describe what slow travel is not. Slow travel isn’t picking up a Fodor’s guide to a destination, taking an international flight for a week’s vacation where in a whirlwind you cram in as many “must see” sights as possible. Admittedly this is how I often find myself traveling, and I think I’m not alone. I often find myself on strict time schedules, passing through places, or trying to fill my one week off with as many “fun” things as possible without ever allowing myself the time to fully experience a place. This habit is fueled by my own FOMO (fear of missing out), but actually results in missing out on a lot as well as not being at all relaxing.

Slow travel is about the quality of the experience, with the more time, attention and depth given to the experience the higher the quality. This might mean fewer overall attractions can be fit into your travel window or that you need to stay longer. Slow travel is about immersive experiences, living like a local and experiencing local culture through connections with people. Another component of slow travel can be the idea of giving back to the place that is hosting you. Participants in slow travel often utilize the sharing economy whether its house sharing, car sharing, or bike sharing. This leads me to the reason I am writing about slow travel which is because slow travel has a lower (environmental) impact than traditional travel. So in addition to getting a more genuine local experience, slow travelers save money and are practicing a more sustainable form of travel. I find these reasons very compelling, though I know slow travel is not for everyone or every trip. I’m looking forward to looking at my future travel plans through the lens of slow travel.

Please tell me about your slow travel experiences.