What is Slow Travel?
In 2005, the author Carl Honore wrote a book, ‘In Praise of Slow’, which introduced the world to the Slow Movement.
He told the story of Carlo Petrini, an Italian political activist and journalist who launched a campaign against the opening of a McDonalds near the Spanish Steps in Rome, which is sadly still there, and in the process started the Slow Food Movement.
Honores book applied the ‘slow’ principle to other aspects of life, and it has all grown from there, with slow fashion, slow money, slow schools, slow cities and of course, slow travel.
There are no hard and fast rules as to what constitutes slow travel, but the general consensus is that it is about avoiding the sort of holidays where you charge around trying to pack in as many tourist attractions as you can.
The emphasis instead is on really getting to know the place you are visiting, taking your time to explore the whole area and not just its overcrowded and over populated highlights.
Rather than giving your money to the multi-national companies that dominate, you stay and buy local, contributing to the local economy instead.
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The idea is to travel as lightly as possible, forgoing high polluting modes of transport for public transport, bike or foot. Flexibility is also key, having the time to wander off the beaten track, explore the hidden alleyways or watch the world go by from a park bench.
Slow Travel is suitable for anyone, whether it's those with young families who need to holiday at the child’s pace, backpackers on a shoestring budget, travellers who want to get to know the locals and a real feel for a place, those who want to stay as environmentally friendly as possible and those who want to give back to the communities they are visiting.
There are some basic elements to Slow Travel - click on each image below to read more
Leave No Trace
Avoid Overtourism
Low Impact Transport
Eat Local
Stay Local
Shop Local