Slow Travel is the New Way to Go

Slow Travel. Butterfield & Robinson‘s motto has long been “Slow down to see the world.” Now is as good a time as any to do just that. Slow Travel. You’ll return home from your trip feeling more relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated. The philosophy is so in-keeping with the modern-day concept of Wellness Travel.

Walking in Japan – Photo courtesy of Butterfield & Robinson

AARP takes a look at WHY you should think about experiencing slow travel for your next trip.

Whether it’s walking, cycling, driving to a destination or simply spending more time in a particular region of the world to truly experience the history, local culture, culinary offerings and other gems, here are three opportunities to make your next vacation all about Slow Travel:

BUTTERFIELD & ROBINSON

Toronto-based tour operator in business for 50 plus years, Butterfield & Robinson has newly announced their 2023 Trip Collection. Designed for groups of up to 16 people, these nature-inspired multi-day trips offer the opportunity to travel slowly, enjoy local experience and activities, engage the mind and simple BE in the moment. The collection offers over three dozen scheduled trips of between 6 and 12 days in length to places including Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, France, the Greek Islands, India, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Portugal, Peru, Sardina, Spain, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Rates start under $5,000 U.S. per person. You can also gather your own group for one of these itineraries. Here’s the complete new collection of 2023 Slow Travel experiences from Butterfield & Robinson

SOJOURN BICYCLING & ACTIVE VACATIONS

Based in Vermont and founded in 2004, Sojourn Bicycling & Active Vacations also espouses the slow travel experience with their various biking, hiking, kayaking, sailing and rafting excursions. Offering slow travel trips to destinations in North America, Europe and Asia, Sojourn allows for your level of cycling or activity. Intermediate trips offer the greatest flexibility for cyclists of mixed abilities or interests, with various daily route options for intermediate or avid cyclists. For those who are newer to cycling or who prefer a more relaxed pace on gentle terrain, easier tours are aslo offered.

Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona – Photo courtesy of Sojourn

One of their more popular slow travel experiences are those that take travelers cycling through the stunning vistas of U.S. National Parks. For instance, Glacier National, Southern Arizona’s Saguaro National Park, the world’s most extensive collection of geysers at Yellowstone, the Hoodoos at Bryce, the glacier-crafted shorelines of Acadia, the wildlife of the Everglades, or the stunning landscapes of California’s parks at Death Valley and Joshua Tree. Tours are for groups of up to 22 people, are 4 to 7 days in length, and rates start at just under $3,000 U.S. per person. Here is the complete collection of excursions to U.S. National Parks from Sojourn Bicycling & Active Vacations.

Not convinces that a cycling might be a right for you? Here are six good reasons to book a cycling trip

Another slow travel experience is being offered for those who travel to Turkey

Established on the foundations of various cultural civilizations from thousands of years ago, Turkiye (Turkey) has a deep-rooted culinary tradition. Many destinations across the country prefer home cooking of traditional foods, and often use products that are grown domestically. These regions are listed among the most prominent global “slow food” stops as they prepare and consume foods prepared from entirely organic sources. At the same time, they protect the culture and heritage that a fast-paced consumption approach has been gradually leaving behind.

Among the many wonders Türkiye offers its visitors is more than 500 different types of local dishes that are sometimes cooked only in one region of some provinces. Therefore, healthy recipes that have been prepared for generations also serve as cultural heritage.

The country’s important gastronomy cities and districts, including İzmir, Bodrum, Ayvalık, Aydın, Adapazarı, Samsun, Ankara, Gaziantep, Kars, and Iğdır are among those that participate in the Slow Food Movement. Local preferences and traditional diets are dominant in Turkish culinary culture. 

Türkiye also has a wide array of biodiversity across its seven regions. Different kinds of vegetables, fruits, and grain products are grown in each area. Specific diets are eaten in these regions, where nomadic and settled cultures are intertwined. Here, you can come across a completely different culinary culture and habits. The Mediterranean diet, which is known to include healthy ingredients in recipes, originates from the entire coastline from the Aegean to the Mediterranean.

In every part of Türkiye, every season brings its own rush for preparing food, especially in the Summer and Autumn. During the Fall, grapes are turned into wine and molasses. Drying vegetables and fruits, canning summer vegetables, and preparing pickles to be eaten during the winter months are main summer traditions that have been practiced for centuries. Wherever you go in Türkiye, the scenery gives you the same feeling: Earth not only feeds you but also heals you.  Here’s more about the local foods and dishes of Turkey to add to your Slow Travel Experience.

You also might like to read Jay Vogt’s story about his Walking tour of England