Traveling to different places with the idea to learn something from those places instead of just exploring the famous attractions are known as slow travel. There the traveler would prefer to get to know about the local culture and people during his travel.
What is slow travel?
Nowadays, slow travel are more preferred by younger generation. This helps the people get in touch with the locals of the place. It explore a place to its maximum slow travel is the right choice.
The locals of a place would know a lot of infamous attractions that are not so praised about always.The travel also comes with the boon of traveling for a longer period. Just as the name suggests slow travel are supposedly slower than normal travel as it takes longer time to cover a locality.
The slow travellers usually enjoy traveling to different locations getting in touch with the locals, gelling up with then, visiting the local hideouts, tasting local cuisines and learning the cultures and tradition of that place.
Slow travel is a unique experience on it’s on. it can be made practical on traveling alone or even a limited member group of like minded people or even with ones own family. It is easy for the locals to accept small number of people and show them around their places. Large crowd might not always be accepted by the locals as showing them in and out of their local hideouts might not always be a good option and even if one among the group insults or mistreats the cultures and practices the whole town would react and things can go downside.
Slow travel Definition
Slow travel can be defined as traveling to different places over the earth surface by different means and not on a plane while in a location. It usually includes traveling long distance on land and sea involving close analysis of various changes such as climatic condition, cultures, traditions, languages, cuisines and so on.
In other words, slow traveling can be defined as traveling to various location through land and water ways to explore the location in its fullest.
Why slow travel?
There are plethora or reasons so as to why people prefer slow travel. It rises the standard of the tour. Some reasons to opt for slow travel tour are
Educational benefit:
Slow travel Tours give educational benefits to its travellers. The idea of slow traveling involves studying about the locations in details. As it involves gelling up with locals, slow travel tours offers more knowledge about a place rather than a normal tour usually taken to visit new places and to refresh oneself. Here, knowledge about various aspects are gained with one single tour.
Friendship:
Friendship is another reason as to why people prefer slow travel. Since, slow travel tours involve staying in a place for comparatively long period its obvious to make friends with the residents of the place. These friendships can be cherished for life time. These new friends would also help you in visiting some places that is not known to the tourists. It could be a personal Hideout of the locals. Only if you get along with the localities they would treat you as one among them and let you enter the places they enter.
Food exploration:
Another major benefit and reason for travellers preferring slow travel tours is to explore the local. Food cultures of the place. Slow travellers are mostly blessed with the opportunity to taste some exotic cuisines that are famous with the locals but not well known among travellers. Friendship with locals adds as a boon to explore locally famous food centres.
Cultural changes:
Slow travel tours helps in understanding cultures changes form place to place. As the travellers are no in a hurry to finish the trip they can be a part in studying and enjoying this cultural changes. These cultural knowledge helps a traveller to survive in the place with ease. As long the traveller respects these cultures and follow the ones that are mandatorily followed by all, the slow travel would be a pleasant one.
New languages:
Another benefit of slow traveling is the exposure of the traveler to various local languages. This would help the slow traveller in learning a language or two, which would surely help him UN is future endeavours. Language learning will never go waste. Being multi lingual will give you the confidence to survive anywhere no matter what. In addition, learning the local language of the location will help in easily communicating with the localities and also in befriending them without much struggles.
8 Slow Travel Europe guidelines
It’s not easy to say what to exactly do and expect while you’re planning a slow travel in Europe. However, some guidelines can be given so that you can plan and pull out a memorable slow travel in Europe.
Travel slow:
It’s always nice to travel slowly without any hurry. Traveling slowly by enjoying every bit of the place would be intriguing and unforgettable for the travellers.
Talk to the people in the community:
Talk to the people in the community you have approached. Developing a rapport with the residents will help you enjoy the location even better
Select the right place to stay:
It’s not advised to select rich and Porsche places while on a slow travel tour. To get the right picture of the place chose an easily affordable yet safe place to reside. Your safety must never be compromised while selecting a stay. Home stays and airbnb are available in many places so pick the best from one among them.
Public transportation:
To travel around try and use public transportation so as to get the correct picture of the location. In case you miss or take the wrong bus or train it will give you even more knowledge.
Experience local cafes and restaurants:
To get the authentic tastes of slow travel Europe enter the café you see as you walk down the streets. These restaurant will surprise for sure with some unique authentic European tastes that will tickle your taste buds.
Shop from local street markets:
Local street markets offers the goods that are available in big stores at higher rates. These local Street markets are affordable and also has so many additional products. The souvenir of the travels can be brought from local markets.
Capture some picture:
Europe has so many slow travel tour destinations. You will have some great collection pictures before your trip is over. Ensure to capture all the beautiful views for maintaining the record of your journey.
Give something back:
When u learn a lot about a place that you visited for few days. Make sure to give the community something in return so that they are more welcoming the next time. It need not always be materialistic, it can be some simple words of gratitude.
How to Slow travel?
There are multiple ways to carry on your perfect slow travel tour. The best ways include the following:
Cycling:
If you are alone for a slow travel, you can pick a cycle to fulfil your dream. Cycle is environmental friendly as well as reliable. It can be used to cross through the narrow paths where a car or other vehicles might not pass with ease.
Campervan:
Campervan could be another option for slow travel. These are best suited if you are planning to travel with your family or friends and need not worry about your stay. Choose a campervan for your slow travel experience.
Bikes:
Motor bikes is the next best option. If you like a little bit of adventure in driving along with slow traveling motor bikes could help you get that. Pick a motor bike you can handle through out your trip. These are sometimes better than cycles as you can move faster if you need to.
Public transports:
The best means to choose is public transportation like buses and trains. These helps you in getting the right picture of the local places and lives of the people in the places. Finding the best public transport and using them also makes you enjoy the slow trip to the maximum.
Private cars:
Private cars also helps you in enjoying your slow travel. The only problem, is it cannot be easily moved along traffic affected places with ease. And the rules of driving has some changes with the change in locations. This will help you travel at ease at your own time without the trouble of waiting for others.
Taxis or hired vehicles:
You can hire a taxi or any vehicle from the locals and roam around. Since the taxi comes with a driver who would mostly be a local, Can guide you through the places and help you Enjoy and make your slow trip more meaningful and also memorable at the same time. These local taxies will help you get into some local destination which you might not be aware of.