A slowed down reality, more than increased. It is that of the "Soft travel", the trips marked by relaxation and slow journeys that seem so much to like, lately, the Tiktokers and their communities. It is not just a return to the simple pleasures of walking without having planned every stage of the journey, of loitering between markets and squares, of taking breaks and breaks to taste a herbal tea or to read a few pages of a book listening to the sound of the wind between the branches. How much to make all this a style of travel and perhaps of life socially-acceptable and indeed enviable, no longer a slow wandering from Boomer in crisis of lucidity and in debt of energy but a conscious choice by demanding travelers who then like to share views and emotions soft&slow on their channels.
Quality of life and therefore also of travel seem to be the tracks on which this slow steam train runs, between rolling hills and small silent villages. A lazy wandering that seems almost an escape from the contemporary, from stress, from idle thoughts and intrusive work. One unplug that does not include dark rooms, padded walls and colorful but bright windows that let in a regenerating light while the only noise always present are those of the wind, the sea and birds roar in the sky. The contact with nature and the escape from stress seem to be the red lines to follow for every "Soft traveller" but must also choose the right destination for a holiday, spring or summer, in the name of slowness but certainly not boredom: otherwise it’s all useless!
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Rest when you feel the need, enjoy every moment of the holiday without turning into a tour de force. Forget the frantic search for the best Instagram opportunity preferring a fulfilling life opportunity, which then maybe will also give space to some viral story or some memorable shot. The choice of "Soft travel" is sometimes mandatory, especially in art cities or in the most touristy ones, also because now the other choice is that of hyper structured and plastered travel. The widespread, rational but ultimately counterproductive practice of compulsory online reservations forces travelers and tourists to make a choice: book everything at least 3 months in advance, having to schedule, schedule and organize everything retail or give up visiting museums, exhibitions or castles?
Yes, because a time of could also think of not buying a ticket for some attraction in advance, leaving the decision to the mood, commitments, weather and desire of the previous day. Now this is practically not possible. So either you start with Google’s calendar full of alarms and reservations or you take what there is. You travel light and slow. You visit what is open, that is not crowded, that is not expected and advertised. And the rest remains there, besieged by clouds of smartphones raised to the sky to shoot, publish and share.
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"Soft travel" means nothing hit and run, no runs to catch a vaporetto, no bumps to get to the cable car first. The view can be admired when you arrive, on foot, on top of the ridge. No frantic cycling in e-bikes shouting at slow walkers to avoid. The beach is enjoyed just before sunset, when everyone is already busy taking a shower and on the beach are the few, slow, connoisseurs. The castle of Chenonceau, in the Loire, can also be admired from outside, imagining the beautiful life of those who lived there centuries ago, while the sun begins to become less bright: all those golden stuccoes inside would not change much the value of that experience.
In choosing the destination of our slow and conscious travel we can help the Daily Express that suggests some interesting destinations in Europe, in which to apply this philosophy of travel and life.
Like Cadenet, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, a medieval village dominated by the castle ruins. The village of Lauterbrunnen, in the Alpine valley floor of Switzerland. The ancient village of Sarlat, in Dordogne, where you can alternate walks in history with paddling on the river.
For those who prefer less distant destinations, there are the many villages scattered on our Apennines, from Liguria to Basilicata, ideal for finding slow rhythms, good food, fine wines and great silent forests. And where, as Takagi&Ketra sang, there is little cell phone coverage.
Illustration by Gloria Dozio - Acrimònia Studios
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