HOW TO PRACTICE SLOW TRAVEL

 

If you’ve ever returned from a trip feeling more worn out than refreshed, you may have been moving too fast. Slow travel offers an alternative: instead of rushing to tick off every iconic site, you settle into each place, absorb the culture, and travel with purpose.

What Exactly Is Slow Travel?

Photo by Neom

Slow travel is more than just lingering in one place; it's a mindset. It involves rejecting the standard tourist checklist and instead opening yourself up to authentic, immersive experiences. You travel not just to see things, but to be in a place: to learn its rhythms, taste its food, hear its stories, and feel more rooted there rather than always being in motion. It’s sometimes also called mindful travel, sustainable travel, or low-impact travel.

Its roots go back several decades, most notably to movements like Italy’s Slow Food in the 1980s, which pushed back against the rise of fast food and commercialised culture. From that seed, ideas about slowing down have been applied to many parts of life, travel included.



Why Choose Slow Travel?

Photo by Andre Benz

Here are some of the biggest benefits people experience when they travel more slowly:

  1. More authentic culture
    You get time to pick up language basics, try local cuisine, observe daily routines, or take part in cultural traditions, things that go beyond the usual tourist experience.

  2. Less stress
    Fewer moving parts mean fewer logistics to juggle. Without a packed schedule, there’s a greater chance to relax, go with the flow, or adjust plans on the fly.

  3. Healthier mind and body
    With more time to walk, rest, explore at a gentler pace, and limit screen time, you can reconnect with yourself. It often leads to better wellbeing.

  4. Deeper relationships
    Staying longer in places gives you opportunities to meet locals, form friendships with other travellers, and share meals or experiences that leave a lasting impression.

  5. A deeper understanding of places
    You begin to appreciate not just the surface attractions but the history, community dynamics, social issues, and what life is really like for people who live there. Reflection and learning become part of the journey.

  6. Better value for money
    Accommodations tend to be cheaper for longer stays; the fewer times you move between places, the lower your transport costs. Buying and cooking local food is often more economical, and you won’t spend extra just to rush around.

  7. Personal growth
    Slowing down gives you room to push your comfort zones in manageable ways, trying new foods, navigating unfamiliar systems, learning local habits, not for the sake of adventure tourism, but for growth.

  8. Experiences with meaning
    Instead of collecting snapshots, you collect stories, relationships, and reflections. There’s more chance to volunteer, contribute in ways that matter, or shape your travel around values rather than “must-see” checklists.

  9. Lower environmental footprint
    Travelling slower often means fewer flights, fewer transfers, and more use of public transport. Supporting local businesses helps sustain communities and reduces the impact of mass tourism.

Photo by Jaume Galofré

How to Adopt a Slow-Travel Mindset

Here are practical ways to travel more slowly and intentionally:

  • Plan a looser itinerary. Prioritise fewer places and spend more time in each. Allow space in your schedule for spontaneous experiences.

  • Live like a local: choose accommodation in neighbourhoods, shop locally, eat where locals eat, and use local transport.

  • Be flexible: don’t stress about “seeing everything.” Skip tourist traps, follow advice from locals, and explore offbeat paths.

  • Embrace slow travel’s small pleasures: morning walks, chatting with hosts, cooking your own meals, or sitting in a café watching life go by.

  • Mix in longer stays or volunteer opportunities so you can truly settle into a place. Sharing life, stories, and space adds depth.

Slow travel isn’t about doing everything; it’s about experiencing more deeply. It may mean doing less in terms of sights, but gaining more in understanding, joy, rest, and connection. If you’re thinking about your next trip, slow down, and see what opens up when you move at a gentler pace.

 
TravelMary Fadahunsitravel