7 Ways To Embrace Slow Travel on Your Next Getaway

This is where slow travel starts. Putting fewer places on your travel itinerary allows you to focus more fully on each destination, exploring beyond its most obvious sites and neighborhoods. That time pays off as you’ll begin making new discoveries, both places, and people. Becoming a regular at a great neighborhood café in Melbourne or a colorful Marrakech market makes you a familiar face, not just a tourist skimming by on their way to the next place.

A few phrases go a long way when it comes to connection. Learning a new language can open new doors by showing respect and appreciation for local culture. You don’t have to be a language wiz to get started.

Try booking a 1-day language class to learn some basic vocabulary—it’s the fastest way to go beyond the basics. Whether you’re doing a Greek immersion on a Mediterranean island or perfecting your bonjour at a Parisian café, these experiences double as a great way to meet like-minded slow travelers.

Some of the world’s most famous places really are astounding—slow travel doesn’t mean skipping that Petra tour or avoiding the Uffizi galleries. But for many travelers, the memories that linger most come from unexpected encounters like a spontaneous connection, a surprising view, or quirky art in a neighborhood that’s far off the tourist map.

Thinking beyond the bucket list leaves more time for such experiences while freeing you from the goal-oriented pressure of ticking off top sites. It gives you the time to befriend locals, practice a new language, or explore those hidden gems.

Many places are best explored on foot, as walking through an unfamiliar city lets you experience the sounds, smells, and rhythms of a new place. You can stop as often as you want, ducking into shops or exploring intriguing side streets.

Whether you’re on a walking tour of Hanoi or strolling through Vienna with a guide, wandering is also a great way to get your bearings when you first arrive and figure out which places you’d like to discover in greater depth.

There are endless ways to connect with authentic culture, and classes and workshops are wonderful places to start. Foodies can get a glimpse of Peru’s culinary wealth by signing up for a Peruvian cooking class, visitors can make their own carnival masks in Venice, and K-Pop fans can practice their moves in Seoul dance studios. (If your next vacation feels a long way off, you can even hop onto a virtual class or tour to tide you over.)

Spirituality speaks volumes, and learning more about local beliefs gives you important cultural context. Tours are great for this, as it’s hard to gain such intimate insight on your own. With a guide, you can experience traditional ceremonies at Balinese temples; join praying pilgrims on the banks of the Ganges; or learn why Sedona, Arizona, has become a New Age spiritual hotspot.

It’s tempting to fill every bit of your limited vacation time, and it’s true that some tours, tickets, and restaurant bookings are best snagged in advance. But it can also pay off to leave some time unscheduled—afternoons for wandering, an impulsive shopping trip, mornings to linger in the corner café, or wine with new local friends. A bit of blank space on your itinerary can lead to unexpected places and incredible memories.