The one travel habit Europeans get right - and Aussies often don't

The Advertiser

17-05-2025

At this time of year, Aussies are jetting off to Europe. Whether cruising the Med, the Rhine, the Baltic or the Adriatic, we have much to learn about living la dolce vita.
While cruise lines stack their ships with more and more things to do, Europeans believe happiness is having less to do. Italians have a lovely phrase: Dolce far niente, which means "the sweetness of doing nothing".
Unsurprisingly, in the country of siestas, there's a similar Spanish proverb: "How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward." In Spain, nobody rushes. While everyone else queues to be first off the ship, grumbling about the delay, Spaniards will eventually make their way to a sunny square for a cold beer and tapas.
Whingeing passengers, please take note of Hurtigruten's campaign using Norwegian sayings to promote expedition cruising. "Ut pa tur, aldri sur" translates as "out on a trip, never grumpy".
Another wise concept is the Croatian fjaka - the art of embracing stillness, slowing down, and enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Marina Rogoznica, cruise director at Unforgettable Croatia, describes her uncle as "the poster child of fjaka, sitting on his porch, staring at the sea, drinking his own wine, and saying there is nothing in the world better than this".
Sounds like a small ship cruise along the Dalmatian coast, where you spend your days swimming, relaxing on quiet decks, and savouring meals with no pressure to hurry.
A Greek person will take you to the oldest cafe in town, teach you three different toasts with ouzo, and casually explain the difference between philosophy and mythology over grilled octopus. Don't be surprised if a full-blown celebration erupts with music, singing, dancing and slabs of baklava.
The French show us how to dress stylishly and remind us how to open wine with a corkscrew. They would definitely skip the buffet (except to inspect the cheese) and instead settle in for a leisurely lunch with a bottle of Bordeaux. A French cruiser wears a light scarf and a linen outfit that says "I might own a vineyard".
Next time you're on a cruise, channel your inner European. Choose quality over quantity, peace over plans, and never underestimate the power of a nap. You'll come back not only tanned but transformed.
At this time of year, Aussies are jetting off to Europe. Whether cruising the Med, the Rhine, the Baltic or the Adriatic, we have much to learn about living la dolce vita.
While cruise lines stack their ships with more and more things to do, Europeans believe happiness is having less to do. Italians have a lovely phrase: Dolce far niente, which means "the sweetness of doing nothing".
Unsurprisingly, in the country of siestas, there's a similar Spanish proverb: "How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward." In Spain, nobody rushes. While everyone else queues to be first off the ship, grumbling about the delay, Spaniards will eventually make their way to a sunny square for a cold beer and tapas.
Whingeing passengers, please take note of Hurtigruten's campaign using Norwegian sayings to promote expedition cruising. "Ut pa tur, aldri sur" translates as "out on a trip, never grumpy".
Another wise concept is the Croatian fjaka - the art of embracing stillness, slowing down, and enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Marina Rogoznica, cruise director at Unforgettable Croatia, describes her uncle as "the poster child of fjaka, sitting on his porch, staring at the sea, drinking his own wine, and saying there is nothing in the world better than this".
Sounds like a small ship cruise along the Dalmatian coast, where you spend your days swimming, relaxing on quiet decks, and savouring meals with no pressure to hurry.
A Greek person will take you to the oldest cafe in town, teach you three different toasts with ouzo, and casually explain the difference between philosophy and mythology over grilled octopus. Don't be surprised if a full-blown celebration erupts with music, singing, dancing and slabs of baklava.
The French show us how to dress stylishly and remind us how to open wine with a corkscrew. They would definitely skip the buffet (except to inspect the cheese) and instead settle in for a leisurely lunch with a bottle of Bordeaux. A French cruiser wears a light scarf and a linen outfit that says "I might own a vineyard".
Next time you're on a cruise, channel your inner European. Choose quality over quantity, peace over plans, and never underestimate the power of a nap. You'll come back not only tanned but transformed.
At this time of year, Aussies are jetting off to Europe. Whether cruising the Med, the Rhine, the Baltic or the Adriatic, we have much to learn about living la dolce vita.
While cruise lines stack their ships with more and more things to do, Europeans believe happiness is having less to do. Italians have a lovely phrase: Dolce far niente, which means "the sweetness of doing nothing".
Unsurprisingly, in the country of siestas, there's a similar Spanish proverb: "How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward." In Spain, nobody rushes. While everyone else queues to be first off the ship, grumbling about the delay, Spaniards will eventually make their way to a sunny square for a cold beer and tapas.
Whingeing passengers, please take note of Hurtigruten's campaign using Norwegian sayings to promote expedition cruising. "Ut pa tur, aldri sur" translates as "out on a trip, never grumpy".
Another wise concept is the Croatian fjaka - the art of embracing stillness, slowing down, and enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Marina Rogoznica, cruise director at Unforgettable Croatia, describes her uncle as "the poster child of fjaka, sitting on his porch, staring at the sea, drinking his own wine, and saying there is nothing in the world better than this".
Sounds like a small ship cruise along the Dalmatian coast, where you spend your days swimming, relaxing on quiet decks, and savouring meals with no pressure to hurry.
A Greek person will take you to the oldest cafe in town, teach you three different toasts with ouzo, and casually explain the difference between philosophy and mythology over grilled octopus. Don't be surprised if a full-blown celebration erupts with music, singing, dancing and slabs of baklava.
The French show us how to dress stylishly and remind us how to open wine with a corkscrew. They would definitely skip the buffet (except to inspect the cheese) and instead settle in for a leisurely lunch with a bottle of Bordeaux. A French cruiser wears a light scarf and a linen outfit that says "I might own a vineyard".
Next time you're on a cruise, channel your inner European. Choose quality over quantity, peace over plans, and never underestimate the power of a nap. You'll come back not only tanned but transformed.
At this time of year, Aussies are jetting off to Europe. Whether cruising the Med, the Rhine, the Baltic or the Adriatic, we have much to learn about living la dolce vita.
While cruise lines stack their ships with more and more things to do, Europeans believe happiness is having less to do. Italians have a lovely phrase: Dolce far niente, which means "the sweetness of doing nothing".
Unsurprisingly, in the country of siestas, there's a similar Spanish proverb: "How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward." In Spain, nobody rushes. While everyone else queues to be first off the ship, grumbling about the delay, Spaniards will eventually make their way to a sunny square for a cold beer and tapas.
Whingeing passengers, please take note of Hurtigruten's campaign using Norwegian sayings to promote expedition cruising. "Ut pa tur, aldri sur" translates as "out on a trip, never grumpy".
Another wise concept is the Croatian fjaka - the art of embracing stillness, slowing down, and enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Marina Rogoznica, cruise director at Unforgettable Croatia, describes her uncle as "the poster child of fjaka, sitting on his porch, staring at the sea, drinking his own wine, and saying there is nothing in the world better than this".
Sounds like a small ship cruise along the Dalmatian coast, where you spend your days swimming, relaxing on quiet decks, and savouring meals with no pressure to hurry.
A Greek person will take you to the oldest cafe in town, teach you three different toasts with ouzo, and casually explain the difference between philosophy and mythology over grilled octopus. Don't be surprised if a full-blown celebration erupts with music, singing, dancing and slabs of baklava.
The French show us how to dress stylishly and remind us how to open wine with a corkscrew. They would definitely skip the buffet (except to inspect the cheese) and instead settle in for a leisurely lunch with a bottle of Bordeaux. A French cruiser wears a light scarf and a linen outfit that says "I might own a vineyard".
Next time you're on a cruise, channel your inner European. Choose quality over quantity, peace over plans, and never underestimate the power of a nap. You'll come back not only tanned but transformed.