What Is Slow Travel?
If you’re slightly confused about the meaning of slow travel, I don’t blame you! There are a bunch of different definitions and opinions floating around:
“Slow travel means spending more than 1 month in each place.”
“It’s about spending more time in fewer places …” Reddit.
“Slow travel means different things to different people. It’s vague.” Also, from Reddit.
Here’s the thing – there’s no official definition for slow travel. I lean towards that third opinion. You’re likely to hear what slow travel means to the folks doing it – and that will differ for each person.
I’m here to help you figure out WHAT SLOW TRAVEL MEANS TO YOU. Let’s cut to the chase so you can decide if it’s for you then you can get to work planning your family’s next big move.
When you jump into Reddit forums about slow travel, you’ll quickly find people arguing about how long you should stay in a place to call it slow travel. But I believe we’re getting it all twisted. We’re too fixated on the logistics.
Slow travel is more of a mindset, and truth be told, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Let’s go beyond practicalities and grasp the underlying essence of slow travel.
Is Slow Travel Just a Passing Trend?
When we throw around the word “trend,” it often implies something fleeting – here today, gone tomorrow. Something not worth too much attention. At least, that’s how I see trends!
Slow travel has been gaining ground in recent years, but I wouldn’t label it as a passing trend or “just a phase.”
Some say slow travel originated from the Slow Food movement in Italy during the 1980s which aimed to counteract the fast-food culture.
Honestly, I beg to differ on the idea that Slow Travel owes its existence solely to the Slow Food movement. It would have sprung up anyway as a response to the rapid pace of today’s consumerist society. It mirrors our desire to return to a slower way of life – a simpler existence.
Slow Travel shares this sentiment with Minimalism, Slow Fashion, Slow Parenting, Slow Tech, Slow Education, Slow Money, and the list goes on.
Behind these ‘trendy’ labels are ways of living that bring our focus back to sustainability, mindfulness, and a deeper appreciation for life. It’s about truly living, being aware of our impact on the environment and those around us, rather than mindlessly going through the motions.
While slow travel might not be everyone’s go-to choice, the concept continues to attract people seeking a more fulfilling and intentional approach to exploring the world.
It’s more than a trend – it’s a movement toward a richer, more mindful way of experiencing life.
The Slow Travel Concept
Slow travel is an alternative approach to travel. One where we shift our focus from jam-packed schedules and ticking off bucket list items just for the sake of it. Instead, we zone in on the educational and emotional experience that a place, culture and its people evoke in us.
We can only really grasp that by slowing down, ditching the agenda, and living more like a local than a tourist.
There is no one rulebook about how long that takes or even how exactly you go about doing it! It varies for everyone, and that’s ok.
But there is a common ground that most would agree on – slow travel is underpinned by mindfulness. It’s about living in the moment, soaking in a place’s sights, smells, sounds, and vibes. It’s a full-on immersion in the whole experience.
The slow travel concept encourages us to slow down. It pulls us out of the busy headspace and into the body. From this place, we can start to appreciate the world around us and acknowledge the things we would usually pass by without noticing.
So, to truly embrace slow travel, or slow living in general, we can focus on practicing mindfulness rather than seeking arbitrary qualifiers to tell us if we’re doing it right.
Are you slowing down and living in the moment? Focusing on your present experience rather than filling your mind with the next thing on the agenda? If you’re happy to sit and soak up what a place has to offer, in my opinion, you are practicing slow travel or slow tourism.
You don’t need tons of time to experience the benefits of slow travel!
Slow Travel vs. Fast Travel
So, if slow travel is all about being mindful and taking the time to fully soak in a place, does that mean fast travel is just buzzing around without really experiencing anything?
NOPE, NOT AT ALL!
First things first – this isn’t a battle of good vs. bad or right vs. wrong. The key is finding a sweet spot that suits you.
It’s a spectrum. At the super fast travel end of the scale your itinerary will likely be packed out and that often comes with the feeling that time is limited. So much to do, so little time!
We’ve been there and I find it’s often difficult to remember every spot we visited. After zipping through 5 museums, 3 churches, and 4 nature parks, it all kind of blurs together into a mish-mash of memories.
But that’s not saying fast travel is wrong. If you’re going on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, this mode of travel might fit the bill (you might just need another vacation to recover!).
On the flip-side, for super slow travel you may not have anything on your itinerary at all. The joy is found in experiencing a different way of life at your own place. The focus moves from DOING to BEING.
Again, one approach is not better than the other – it’s just different. And you don’t have to sit at either end of the spectrum. It is possible to strike a balance.
How To Strike a Balance
Finding a good balance between slow and fast travel starts in the planning phase. Here’s what we recommend: List everything a place has to offer, scour travel blogs and Instagram, but then STOP. Ask yourself one crucial question:
“Which of these things truly mean something to me?”
Now start crossing things off. If art doesn’t float your boat, why spend time in galleries and museums? Refine your list.
Trim your agenda so you have no more than one attraction each day. Every experience must be meaningful to you (and your family)! Now you’re slowing down. Now you can return with more than just souvenirs and rushed photographs – you’ll create lifelong memories with your family.
How to Embrace Slow Travel with Limited Time on Vacation
- Ask what experiences truly matter to you and your family. If it doesn’t light you up, scratch it off.
- Craft an itinerary with max. one attraction each day. Soak up all the sights, sounds, smells, vibes. Be mindful!
- Dedicate at least one day to ditch the agenda. Wander, live like locals. Savor precious family time without the usual life worries.
Our Family’s Journey with Slow Travel
We started our slow travel journey in 2024. For us, it’s more than an approach to travel. It’s a lifestyle.
In late 2023, we were faced with a redundancy. An opportunity to re-evaluate the direction our lives were going in. Did we want to continue on the same path or create a new reality for ourselves?
After weeks of discussion and research it became clear that we wanted the same things:
- More time together as a family while the kids are young
- New experiences and learning opportunities (for us and the kids!)
- Location and time freedom
- A simpler, slower-paced life
Very soon the thought of settling into another 9-5 just wasn’t an option anymore.
So, we got to work selling and donating everything we owned in exchange for a life that was more meaningful to us as a family. The house, the car, everything – it all went, and let me tell you, it felt LIBERATING!
Every material possession we own now has to earn it’s place in our life. To see the items we wouldn’t travel without, see our Slow Travel Resources and Travel Essentials page.
In March 2024, we boarded a plane to Tangier, Morocco with two cabin bags and four rucksacks containing everything we own (except for some sentimental items at my parent’s house).
The plan was to integrate into a community for the next three months and learn everything we could about the culture and language. There was no itinerary, just an intention to live life together at a slower pace doing what made us happy.
And we continue to do just that. Although we’ve now moved to a new destination, we’re prioritizing living a simpler life on our terms.
To continue to follow us on our journey, please consider signing up to our mailing list.