Travel often promises you plenty of relaxation and adventure; however, in reality, it can quickly turn into something that feels stressful, rushed, packed, and overwhelming. You hop between different places and landmarks, snap photos, check maps, and you are constantly on the move. By the end, you have seen everything; however, you feel very little relaxation.
If you are looking to get a little bit more out of your trips, not just in memories but also in the present, slowing down is something that you need to do. You don’t need to fill every activity into your trip; you need to learn to slow down.
You just need to make sure that you are in tune with where you are. Let’s have a look at how you can travel slower, enjoy more, and come back home feeling recharged rather than feeling drained.
Start by Cutting Your Itinerary in Half
The biggest mistake that travellers make is usually trying to do too much in the time that they have. Although it might be tempting to try and see everything when you are in a destination, you need to really think about whether it is worth visiting all of the sites.
If you choose fewer things and do them with your full attention, it’s going to leave you room for spontaneous experiences. For instance, you can enjoy wandering around a quiet street sipping coffee for a few hours or people-watching. Think about spending quality time in a location rather than the quantity of time you are there.
Each day should give you one main plan, and then leave the rest to happen naturally.
Wake Up Early and Walk Without a Plan
Before the crowds arrive and the tour buses roll in, think about taking a nice early walk. You’re going to see a different version of the place that you are visiting when it is absolutely packed. Locals are opening up their shops, street cleaners are working, and markets are setting up their stores.
Without having a destination in mind, you are going to start noticing things about the local environment: textures of your buildings, smells from the bakeries getting ready for the day, and the sound of languages that you don’t speak.
This is where the real connection happens with a destination that you visit—not in the big sites, but in the quiet, in-between moments.
Talk to People Without an Agenda
When you stop rushing, you are creating more room for a connection. Talk to your house, the person at the bakery, and the vendor selling fruit on the street. Ask them for their tips: where’s the best place for breakfast, or what do they recommend that you try while you are there?
Conversations like this can change your whole experience. You’re not just passing through anymore; you are participating in daily life. You don’t need perfect language skills to do this. A smile, a few words, and openness go a long way.
Take a Break from Photos
There is value in capturing your memories; however, taking lots of photos can be overwhelming, especially if you are always the person behind the lens. Pick one hour each day where you don’t take any photos—not of food, not of buildings, not of the people you are with. Just be in the moment. Slow travel involves seeing what happens when you let your eyes linger without needing to capture what’s around you.
Build in Time for Mindful Play
Not every moment of travel has to be about exploration; you’re allowed to take some time to rest.
One great way for you to start relaxing when you’re away is to take time to do some mindful play. Whether you are on a long train ride, relaxing in your hotel, or you’re waiting out the rain, playing a quiet game can help you to reset.
Try a game of Mahjong; it keeps your mind active while also being a mindfulness practice. The simple act of matching tiles and focusing on the board can shift your attention from the noise and fatigue. You can play a few rounds online.
Games like this help you to find a peaceful pause without disconnecting from the moment. They are great for slow travel days when you need low-energy activities.
Eat Slowly and Stay at the Table Longer
Food is an important part of travel; however, it can be very easy to rush through your meal, moving on to the next item on your list. Slow travel tip: try sitting down and savouring the experience. Notice the spice, the texture, and the sounds of the restaurant around you. Spend some time watching people and let your meal stretch out so that you can truly relax. If you’re at a market, find a bench, sit down, and eat what you’ve picked out.
Even an extra 10 minutes at the table helps you slow down and enjoy the moment. This is where memories are made: in the warmth of a dish you’ve never tried from a tiny café with a beautiful view, amidst the rhythm of the local life around you.
Limit Screen Time in the Evenings
After a long day of exploring, it’s very tempting to sit back and scroll through your phone for many hours. However, the more that you scroll, the more you are detaching from the experience that you are having.
Slow travel is about using the evenings to reconnect. You could even write a few lines in a notebook and reflect on what you have seen in the day or how you felt, read a book, listen to local music, or just watch the street from your hotel window.
If you want to stay online, look up something about the place that you’re in, the history of a building you passed, and a recipe for a dish that you’ve tried. Just let your curiosity guide you instead of your news feed.
Get Lost on Purpose
Sometimes the best discoveries happen when you are going off the normal path. Leave your map behind for a few hours and wander around a new place. Take turns without planning, stay safe, of course, and make sure that you have given yourself permission not to know what’s happening next.
You might find a park full of chess players, a staircase with a massive, incredible view, or a bookstore with a few handwritten books inside. These moments rarely show up in the guidebooks; however, they are the ones that stay with you when you are traveling.
Notice How the Place Feels, Not Just What It Shows
It’s easy to list what you did: you saw the Cathedral, you took the photo, you climbed the tower. But how did the place actually feel to you? Was the air heavy with humidity? Did the breeze move through your hair or through the narrow streets in a certain way? Was there a rhythm to the footsteps on the cobblestones? Were the people walking beside you moving fast or slow?
Think about turning and tuning into the atmosphere around you, as it will help you to experience the place beyond just the obvious. You go from observing and watching to truly absorbing the destination you are exploring.
Finally
Fast travel does fill your photo albums; however, slow travel helps to fill your memories.
When you give yourself permission to pause, wonder, play, and eat slowly, you experience more than just a place that you are visiting. You are having a connection with it, and that connection is what stays with you long term.
Wherever you are heading to next, ask yourself how you can move slower, notice more, and enjoy this place with your full attention, and you will soon start to experience travel in a whole new way.
**Contributed post
London Easter Family Activity Guide 2025
