Slow Travel: The art of slowing down
Find out how you can become a “slow traveler” and change your mindset forever.
Who’a never felt tired after a trip, feeling like you need a day off from the holidays? Or that anxious feeling before leaving, anticipating the schedules and miles on our feet that lie ahead?
Taking inspiration from movements such as “slow living” and “slow food”, “slow travel” appears as a way to recover the connection we lost with the simplest of things. Ironically, we live in a society increasingly connected to smartphones and increasingly disconnected from the world around us.
In the past, traveling involved setting off on a journey of several days on rough roads until reaching the destination. Eating a meal meant bringing the animal from the backyard, picking the vegetables from the garden, preparing them, making the fire and cooking, and only then seating the whole family at the table. At the end of all this, the result was valued, as we invested our time and care to get there.
Everything happens much faster now. This is great on the one hand (bless the washing machine!), but it also means that we take little time in every moment, whether that’s at work, meals or family moments. We see vacations as a kind of checklist of experiences that we have to cross off the list in order to take a picture and say "I've been there." It's easy to fall into the FOMO trap (“fear of missing out”) and feel like we're wasting time when we could be visiting all the amazing sites that others post on social media.
This is where the “slow movement” and “Slow Travel” arise:
slow down and enjoy every moment without stress or schedules;
live reconnected with ourselves, respecting the natural rhythm of things;
traveling as a way to get to know ourselves, opening our eyes and heart to what surrounds us.
3 reasons to try it
More authentic: To get to know a place or a culture in depth, we have to live it and be present: enjoy the cuisine, get to know the traditions up close, talk to the locals and change plans to visit a local fair or event. Beware, this is not always easy to do! Slow travel requires that we trust in "destiny" a bit and to be optimistic about the outcome. Imagine learning how to cook a traditional dish the next time you travel: this is an experience you will never forget.
Less expensive: when we decide to travel more slowly, we also end up saving a lot. A tour full of attractions involves a lot of money spent on tickets and travel as well.
The sweet taste of holiday: Trying to see as much stuff in as little time as possible can be truly exhausting. Slow travel allows you to enjoy your time in each location, taking as long as necessary so that you don't feel the typical “burnout” of the holidays.
Tips to become a slow traveler
Stay at least 3 nights in the same place - You'll enjoy the new daily “routine” and you'll have more time to enjoy the atmosphere. The result: that “homey” feeling.
Choose alternative hotels, foods and activities - Let go of the pressure to go where everyone else goes. Choose alternative places and activities that really meet your values.
Transportation is also a form of travelling - If you have time, use all available means of transport to explore the region. They are usually the best way to enjoy the view through the window.
Disconnect from the "cloud" - Turn off your alarm clock, mobile phone, social media and TV (even if only for a few hours) Socialize, exercise and focus on your well-being, participating in a yoga retreat or even a pottery class!Participate in anything that is an invitation to live in the moment.
Practice "mindfulness": We know it sounds like meditation slang, but this word just means "being in the present". At mealtimes, savor the food with every mouthful. When riding in a car, turn off the "autopilot": enjoy the landscape, the conversations, the wind coming through the window and listen to your favorite song!
Slow Travel: a mindset for life
And remember, slow travel is above all a way of life! When you come back from vacation, take the 'slow' into your daily life and personal relationships: you'll see the difference in your mood. Share your experience with us!
