The 4 best destinations for slow travel
Slow traveling is this small grassroots movement that encourages people to travel in a slower pace to not get burnt out and to truly connect with a destination. It’s becoming increasingly more popular as people are getting more time off from work and can travel for longer, and more are also quitting their job to fulfill their dream of traveling for months, sometimes even years. So when you have this amount of time to travel, why stress through it? We often make the mistake of traveling in such a fast pace that we burn ourselves out. But for what? When we travel, we’re taking a break from our “real” busy lives so we can unwind and connect with ourselves. Being stressed doesn’t sound like the way to do it, right?
So if you’d like to embrace slow traveling and find out why so many people love it, here’s 4 destinations that are great for it.
Lisbon, Portugal
For long, this European city has charmed people from all over the world and the expat community is growing ever bigger. Lisbon’s one of the more affordable cities as well so if you’re on a tighter budget, it’s a fantastic city to visit. There’s always something happening here, from festivals to cultural events, you’ll never find yourself bored in Lisbon. Thanks to its favorable location, you can also hop on a bus or train and head to the beach when the sun gets hot. Lisbon is a beautiful city so why not enjoy it to the fullest and stay for a longer time?
Budapest, Hungary
Another budget friendly destination in Europe, Hungary is a bustling city filled with charm and beauty. The city is home to a number of famous attractions such as the Parliament Building and the Szechenyi Spa. It’s a fantastic city to explore just because there’s so many attractions around the city, but also because it’s an aesthetically beautiful city to look at and wandering around will never bore you. When night falls, swing by one of the ruin bars in Budapest. Each of the ruin bars have their own personality, but they all have one thing in common: they’re hella fun to go to.
Pai, Thailand
There’s not many places in the world that are just as chill as Pai in northern Thailand. In recent years, it’s become somewhat of an iconic backpacking town, where people come to relax, unwind and explore the beautiful surroundings in Pai. Just make sure to avoid staying in Pai during burning season when the pollution gets crazy. Not only will you not be able to see Pai when it’s the most beautiful, the pollution will also give you a big headache.
Cartagena, Colombia
Colorful buildings, good food, excellent beaches and a lively culture – what’s there not to love? Cartagena has become a huge success amongst travelers and more people are starting to find their way to vibrant Colombia. The political climate has become much more stable in recent years and it’s no longer strange to see foreigners in Colombia. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. Cartagena especially is a loved destination thanks to the accessibility to beaches and the historical architecture surrounding the city. It’s a great city to settle down in for a while and practice slow traveling.