It seems we are never short these days of “things to do” when travelling. There is a tendency for us to pack in as much sightseeing as possible into one holiday. But does the magic of travel get lost amongst the incessant flurry of insta hot spots? Are we so focussed on ticking things off a list, that we never truly see a city?
A slower approach to travel is emerging amongst this backdrop of trying to see entire cities in two days. With the rise in digital nomads, “slow travel” has started to make a name for itself. And while you may not have the luxury of time to travel slowly, perhaps there are some aspects of it you can apply to your next holiday destination…and who knows, you may be converted to this slower and more intentional way of travel!
1. Narrow your destination
One of the cornerstones of slow travel is to commit to fewer locations when picking a holiday destination. People spend half of their holiday on a bus travelling from one place to the next, that they fail to spend enough time truly enjoying their holiday destination.
It can be difficult to narrow down the list of potential holiday spots, but it will make for a far more relaxing and deeper holiday experience. Sometimes it can take a couple days to settle into a place or to discover its true beauty and hidden gems, and often we bypass this if we only give ourselves 24 hours to see everything.
As a general rule of thumb give yourself at least four days in one city or town (and longer if you can). This will give you ample time to see the sights while also having moments to stop and “feel” a place.
2. Keep scheduled gaps in your itinerary
This is an essential tip for slow travelling. Some of us may want to plan everything down to the minute, but this kind of scheduling rarely works out – and if it does, people end up exhausted!
Of course booking things in advance is sometimes necessary but it is important to have gaps in the schedule for chilling out, or so you have the option to stay somewhere longer. Flexibility is key, and it gives you the ability to alter your plan depending on how you feel on the day.
3. Act as if you live there
Now this is the true embodiment of slow travel: act as if you live there. Become a short-term regular at your coffee shop down the road, go to a yoga class, cook yourself dinner with local produce from the fruit and vegetable market!
This tip may not be everyone’s cup of tea because let’s be honest, some of us go on holiday to escape the daily rhythm of our lives. But there can be a real beauty in spending a few days in a place acting as if you live there. You start to see the environment entirely differently. Instead of feeling like a tourist peering in, you feel like you are woven into the fabric of a place.
4. Consider volunteering or WOOFing
For those with a little extra time but not the extra cash, there are many opportunities all around the world to volunteer or be a WOOFer. While the idea of “working” may sound antithetical to the concept of a holiday, some places offer some amazing deals.
All around the world there are opportunities to work for a few hours a day while getting free accommodation, food and days off. You get to explore a completely new place, meet volunteers from all around the world, all while spending next to nothing!
“Worldpackers” have an endless amount of opportunities: from working at a hostel in a big European city, to volunteering for an NGO. “Work away” is another great resource with some more remote locations on offer.
Maybe you fancy staying for a month in a surf hostel in Portugal? Or perhaps staying a couple weeks in a remote farm in the Swiss alps? These opportunities are absolutely possible with these online platforms and will allow you to deep dive into slow travel.
So give it a go! Slow down, and you may just find slow travel is your preferred travel style.
By Jessica Watson