I wanted to write about finding the joy in slow travel because it’s had such a positive impact on the way I travel. Slow travel refers to the concept of taking the time to connect with and appreciate the place and people surrounding you in the destination you have visited. 

Finding the Joy in Slow Travel

You could simply be taking a day trip away from home or be on the other side of the world, but regardless of where you are it is important to take the time to enjoy the people, landscapes and even the food.

Of course, the way you travel to your destination is just as important as what you do once you’re there. I often hear and read of people talking about how stressful they find flying: the checking in process, dealing with security, encountering delayed and cancelled flights and then the actual flight itself. If you really want to experience finding the joy in slow travel and make your travel experience as relaxed and enjoyable as possible then you could consider using alternative modes of transport: trains, buses, cycling and maybe even walking.

Once you’ve reached your destination, continue to move at a slower pace, cycle or walk around the location. Immerse yourself in local life, support local businesses by staying in family-run hotels, and try obtaining your food from local markets or farm shops.

Even if you are staying in a busy city by appreciating the slower and quieter aspects of the destination you’ll find that you’ll return home feeling energised and refreshed, and perhaps even inspired to try out some of those local foods that you enjoyed on your holiday.

Generally, a slow traveller will travel how they live – at a slow and comfortable pace – they are likely to spend more time in one place than move from place to place. Slow travel is much more of a mind-set, in terms of creating a relaxed and enjoyable experience rather than ticking things off a bucket list.

The concept of slow travel may seem more likely to be undertaken by someone who has chosen to travel on a long-term basis, allowing them to spend weeks or even months in each location. However, for those who don’t have that lifestyle slow travel may require a little more consideration. 

Fast travel has its own share of advantages – there is never a dull moment when you are on the go., as this can mean hopping from country to country in a span of just a few days. While it may allow you more adventures, more places to visit, it also takes away the part where you meet and interact with more people. It is also generally more expensive and can end up being exhaustive for some people.

I love an itinerary. I’m naturally a huge planner and it isn’t unusual for me to have an entire trip planned out on paper weeks before I leave. However, the problem with an itinerary is that it can be extremely restrictive and can take away any hint of spontaneity, which is often where the magic happens on a trip.

The key is to allow yourself time to stumble across picture-perfect streets, markets, unusual buildings, or gardens, it’s these moments that can make your trip most memorable. Always give yourself permission to step away from any hint of an itinerary.

We always say to ourselves and each other that life is fleeting and can pass us by in the blink of an eye, this can often make us want to do and see more in a short space of time. However, it should really encourage us to go to fewer places and explore them in more detail. The point is not to tick off all of the sights but to make time to soak in the atmosphere and see what a place really has to offer.

Slow travel is all about taking in and appreciating moments and being present. My key tip for accomplishing this would be to turn your phone off and remove the temptation of social media, this way you’ll truly appreciate what’s going on around you rather instead of trying to capture what you might feel to be Instagram worthy.

We’ve all seen the blog posts that tell us about the most Instagrammable spots of particular destinations encouraging people to flock there in their droves. This will usually entail spend precious hours dragging yourself to specific places just to get that photo. But do you really want to visit this place? Could you have spent that time doing something more worthwhile? Are you only taking those photos because it was an experience to enjoy and remember or are you simply after the social media engagement?

Children have a wonderful natural ability to find joy in almost everything. Once we grown into adults we obtain the unfortunate ability to make life much more difficult for ourselves: we have a tendency to over-think every aspect of our lives and when it comes to travel we continue this with over-planning, over-packing and over-doing. what should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience ends up being exhaustive instead.

Don’t forget, everyone has their own travel style, so if you enjoy spending a little more time in your hotel room then allow yourself that luxury. If you want to simply spend a morning in a café people-watching then take the time to do it. If you want to treat yourself to a spa visit then do it and don’t let anyone tell you not to.

If you truly want to embrace the joy in slow travel then remember why you want to travel in the first place. Is it to see as much of the world as possible in a short space of time, or is it to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and take time for yourself? 

Have you found the joy in slow travel?

Let me know in the comments.