The Art Of Travelling Slow: The Complete Guide On The 'Slow Travel' Trend

NDTV

30-05-2025

There's a growing buzz again around a travel approach that's been around for decades — slow travel. While the term may sound trendy, the concept is far from new. For years, travellers have resisted the race through airports and attractions in favour of something more grounded: staying longer in one place, getting to know the rhythm of local life, and choosing connection over checklists. Slow travel is about resisting the pressure to "see it all" and instead giving yourself permission to really be somewhere. It's not just about how we travel — it's about why we travel, and what we take away from the experience.
Here's The Ultimate Guide To Slow Travel:
What Is Slow Travel?
At its heart, slow travel is exactly what it sounds like: Travelling at a relaxed pace with an emphasis on meaningful experiences, cultural immersion, and sustainability. It's not about how many places you can cram into a week but about truly being present in one. Think staying in a local village for a week rather than hopping from city to city. It's about savouring rather than skimming. The term comes out of the slow movement, which started in Italy in the 1980s with slow food. The same philosophy applies: Resist the fast-paced, mass-produced approach and focus on quality, connection, and sustainability.
Why Do We Need To Travel Slow?
There's a growing awareness that fast-paced travel-packed itineraries, red-eye flights, 15-minute photo ops — is exhausting and unsustainable. The world's most visited destinations, from Venice to Barcelona, are battling overtourism, and the environmental cost of flying from one country to the next in a matter of days is increasingly hard to ignore.
Slow travel reduces your carbon footprint, supports local economies, and lets you form real connections with people and places. It's better for the planet and your mental health. You get more out of less — and it doesn't feel like a whirlwind when you look back at your holiday photos and can actually remember people's names or the taste of that tomato salad you had three times in the same rustic trattoria.
How To Practice Slow Travel?
1. Stay Longer
Instead of visiting five countries in ten days, pick one city or region and stay for a week or more. Renting a flat, joining a local gym or yoga studio, or finding your favourite cafe gives you a feeling of routine-and that's surprisingly refreshing when travelling.
2. Use Public Transport
Trains, buses, bicycles, and your own two feet-these aren't just low-carbon alternatives but windows into local life. Riding a regional train in Portugal or catching a tram in Melbourne often shows you more of a place than a guided tour ever could.
3. Shop And Eat Local
Skip the international chains and head to neighbourhood bakeries, corner shops, and farmers' markets. Not only is the food better and cheaper, but your money goes directly into local hands.
4. Meet The Locals
Whether it's joining a cooking class, chatting with your Airbnb host, or volunteering for a few days, connecting with people who live there will shape your memories more than any monument.
5. Unplug A Bit
Sure, post that beach pic. But don't let the need to document every second pull you out of the moment. Travel without your phone glued to your hand changes everything — promise.
Where To Try Slow Travel?
Some destinations are tailor-made for this kind of travel. They don't rely on big-ticket attractions or overhyped experiences. They unfold slowly — and beautifully.
1. Tuscany, Italy
Skip Florence's packed piazzas and base yourself in a small town like Pienza or Montepulciano. Learn how to make pasta with a local nonna, visit vineyards that don't offer group tours, and spend your afternoons walking olive groves instead of queuing for museums.
2. Hoi An, Vietnam
This riverside town blends old-world charm with modern creativity. With its pedestrian-friendly streets, lantern-lit nights, lush farms, and fragrant markets, it's the ideal place to slow down. Sign up for a tailoring session or a cooking class using ingredients you picked out at the market that morning.
3. Kyoto, Japan
Once the imperial capital, Kyoto is all about temples, tea houses, and traditions. Renting a tatami -mat flat and exploring on foot or by bike allows for slow-paced days filled with quiet discoveries-from hidden shrines to secondhand bookshops.
4. The Scottish Highlands
Ditch the city entirely and head north. Stay in a lochside cottage, learn how to forage, take your time with hikes, and warm up by the fire in tiny local pubs. It's raw, peaceful, and endlessly photogenic.
5. The Peloponnese, Greece
Forget the crowded islands. This lesser-known region offers unspoiled beaches, ancient ruins without the crowds, and tavernas where menus are handwritten and dishes change daily depending on the catch.
Slow travel not only a better way to explore new places — it might just be a better way to live. Whether you're going away for five days or five months, slowing down could be the best decision you make. Because sometimes, the best way to see the world is by standing still — just long enough to actually notice it.