Have you heard of the term ‘Slow Travel’? It’s a style of travelling that focuses on the quality of experiences rather than the number of places visited. Enjoy every step of the way, connect with the local culture, and be conscious of your environmental impact.

Rather than planning a hectic itinerary of visits, ‘Slow Travel’ involves taking your time to get to know and appreciate each place, contemplating the connection with the local culture and the people who live there. It is a way of seeing the world that opposes the style of ‘travelling like a tourist’, which often involves visiting many places with just enough time to buy a ‘postcard’ or take a photo to post on Instagram.

This way of travelling also means being conscious of our environmental impact. This means making choices about how the activities you do, the places you visit and the way you travel affect the natural environment. Choosing more sustainable modes of transport and accommodation, as well as the leisure activities we engage in or the consumption of local products, can help prevent mass tourism from destroying the landscapes we visit.

It can also be an opportunity to disconnect from modern life and the rat race. It can be a way to find inner peace and connect with oneself, as well as the perfect opportunity to learn and grow as a person. So, how can we practice ‘Slow Travel’?

Proximity tourism

In the last couple of years, proximity tourism, a trend for exploring places in our own country, has become popular. Often, places that are just around the corner are the ones we plan to visit “one day”, but we tend to leave them at the bottom of the list in favour of something more exotic. So why not make today that “one day” and visit a city or place in our own territory? Hidden gems are all around us if we are willing to explore them.

Think eco and go off the beaten track

By booking eco-label hotels on your trip, you can help minimize the impact of your holiday on the planet while still enjoying your love of travel. Make your playlist, grab the snacks, take a good friend and hit the road to, well, anywhere! As travellers, we often favour capital cities over the runner-up cities  — the second or third most popular destinations. But those cities are where the magic happens, since they usually offer less touristy, more authentic experiences. Or even better, for your next slow trip, avoid cities altogether, consider exploring the unexplored.

Do you love to travel? With 11Onze Viatges you can book accommodation at the best price, without stifling the travel industry.