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How to slow travel: 6 tips for embracing quality over quantity Staying longer in one place, immersing yourself in it, connecting with local culture and people – slow traveling isn’t a style of travel, it’s about having a more meaningful travel experience off the main tourist paths. Here are six slow travel tips to help you plan / By Lihi Ron

01 More authenticity. Slow traveling is best experienced away from the obvious touristic destinations, in lesser known places like small mountain villages, or little seaside towns. These locations offer direct contact with local culture in a way that over-touristified destinations don’t. Tuscany, Provence, and the Greek islands at the end of the season offer lots of slow travel destination options. 02 Weeks rather than days. The secret to slow travel lies in the length of your stay. Instead of trying to pack in as many tourist experiences as possible in a few days, if you can, give yourself weeks rather than days, (months even), to really immerse yourself in a place - get to know locals, learn the language, begin to feel genuine familiarity with your surroundings. 03 Learn, experience, connect. Participating in local activities offers a chance to experience a place far more meaningfully. Joining a cooking class for instance or taking part in local festivals and events and learning about local traditions, opens up whole new perspectives. And don’t hesitate to approach people and ask questions - it’s such a great way

to form real connections and experience a culture from the inside. 04 Forget about highways and car rentals. Using public transport is part of fully connecting with a place in a truly authentic way. Buses, trains, ferries, bicycles are all great ways of experiencing the landscape, discovering hidden corners, meeting interesting people. Plus, it’s also far more environmentally-friendly. 05 Take the time to learn about your destination. History and culture are the keys to deeper connection and understanding of a

place. Visit small local museums, ask people about the history of their town, return to the same little café every day, live like a local. The more you’ll learn about the place, the better you’ll know it. 06 Flexibility is the name of the game. Slow travel isn’t for everyone, but it offers a fascinating alternative for those in search of more meaningful traveling. One of the core principles of slow travel is flexibility. Being spontaneous, changing plans last minute, getting impromptu recommendations from locals, all

lead to the most amazing, unexpected experiences.

10 ATMOSPHERE APRIL 2025