When the earth feels like it's spinning both faster and backwards, the longing for the sustainable and authentic increases. The experiences that leave a mark on the soul rather than in the number of stories on Instagram. A travel trend that I've been following for a few years is slow travel, where the trip is more about the experience itself than seeing the most attractions in the shortest amount of time.
I have always loved to travel and experience new things and for many years my travels were one big checklist with flights from city to city, “must-do lists” and pins on Google maps. In recent years, however, I have found that I have slowly changed my behavior. Maybe it started after the pandemic, when we were all forced to learn to appreciate the little things in everyday life. Or maybe I have always had some slow travel tendencies in me.
We spontaneously follow the hand-painted sign on the side of the road to the small winery. In the narrow parking lot, there is only a large truck, fully loaded with shiny bottles. A group is sitting under an umbrella at a large table eating lunch, but a woman gets up and walks towards us. It turns out to be the owner of the winery. She has just finished lunch with the local bottlers who helped with last year's harvest. Last year was a weak year, so they finished bottling earlier than planned. "But you are not in the way at all," she says with warmth in her voice. "You are more than welcome. Would you like to try my wines?"
For me, slow travel is about getting to know a place a little more thoroughly. Not rushing with a pre-determined plan, but taking the time to get to know the area. Having time to turn off spontaneously towards the little handwritten sign and not just visiting the expected places. What I discovered when I started to miss it, was that I SAW more. I found small family vineyards that no guidebook or influencer would ever discover, I had time to talk to the people I met, and I took the time to sit down at a small cafe that no one would ever recommend. I experienced more. I felt more. I was more present.
One thing I have also discovered, as a result of my slower travel, is that I very rarely book my trips far in advance these days. A good example is this summer's road trip, where the route and final destination in France were decided two days before departure. There was no must-do list to check off, there were no map pins that needed to be visited. Every day on site I found a few new places that I wanted to visit and experience. What we managed to do, we managed to do. What we didn't manage to do, we'll do next time. It's always possible to go back to a destination that you don't feel finished with – one of the reasons why I've visited Australia six times and will probably never feel finished with that country.
Another aspect that is important for the future of travel is sustainability. By staying longer in the same place, the climate impact is reduced. You support local businesses instead of tourist traps and get involved in local activities that ChatGPT will never be able to recommend to you. You also have more time to walk and cycle instead of driving. Fewer transports, fewer international chains, fewer travel days. It feels good for both the environment and your wallet. Is slow travel perhaps also a counter-reaction to flight shame, environmental anxiety and consumerism?
Some tips for slow travel, but without reducing the experiences
Don't get me wrong – I'm not a lazy traveler when I travel. But I travel more consciously, less "must" focused and with less meticulous planning. That's where the perfect trip is created, with room for the unforeseen and the unexpected. For me, slow travel is about stopping, breathing and letting the journey take its time. A longing for the real in a time when everything is rushing forward and fake news and AI images are taking over the world.
Here are my best tips if you want to travel a little more consciously and slower next time, without compromising on the experiences.
- Feel free to plan, but be flexible! It doesn't hurt to have a little knowledge of the area you're going to visit, but remember that The unexpected is often what creates the most memorable. Replan if the weather is not on your side and dare to opt out.
- Don't see an overnight stay as an unnecessary stop. Stay instead. Stay several nights in one place and experience the area with day trips around the same place.
- Eat like the locals. Visit the local mussel festival in Brittany that you saw a poster about in the bus shelter, or sit on a wooden bench on the terrace of a small family-run brauereigasthof in Bavaria. Places that will never get a Michelin star and that don't throw guests out because your 2-hour session is over. Places where locals come with family and friends and that will make you leave hours later with a smile on your face.
- Drop the “must-do” list". Think about why you have certain places on your must-see list. Is it because someone else said it's a must-see, or is it really important for you? Sometimes a long walk on the beach can be more rewarding for you than visiting three museums. And you – if you are not interested in art, skip the big art museum in Florence. It will not be a memorable experience for you anyway. Spend your time on something that makes you happy.
- Allow yourself to be more present. Smell the seaweed notes of the salty sea breezes, sit and watch the sun slowly sink over the horizon or eavesdrop on the everyday conversation at the café table next door. Live in the moment without thinking about where you have to rush to next.
- Choose sustainable transport. Train travel is a great way to see and experience more. Instead of flying to Stuttgart via Frankfurt – take the train from Frankfurt. Distances in Europe are shorter than you think and the time savings with a flight are often non-existent.
- Pack lightly. Less focus on things, clothes and packing and more focus on presence and experiences.
- Avoid high seasonWhen the pace of the destination slows down and the tourist restaurants close, you find the soul and authenticity of the destination. Barcelona in December is such a much better experience than Barcelona in July.
- Explore nature. Hiking, paddling or walking in nature – great experiences that provide time for reflection without leaving a big hole in your wallet.
- Travel with respect. Experience the journey with curiosity, not speed. Leave the place more beautiful and cleaner than when you arrived.
What a nice and inspiring reflection on Slow Travel – words that sometimes feel tacked on but should be filled with meaningful content/Yvonne
Thank you, Yvonne! I agree that restrends and fancy words can often feel tacked on. I hadn't thought that I might be a "slow travel" tourist before I started studying for a job, but it feels like a healthy development of myself :)