Slow Your Vacation Down

Our hectic pace of life takes its toll on our physical and emotional health, so when it’s vacation time, why not consider a trip that’s part of the Slow Cities movement.  The movement, started by the Italians in the 1990’s, is a way of protecting traditions and traditional ways of living.  You remember those – before gadgets and communications systems demanded that we be available 24/7?

Slow Travel gives you an opportunity to connect to a place and its people, rather than racing through a bunch of cities.  It’s about experiencing culture and heritage, not just about finding the nearest fast food drive-thru.  In other words, take time to stop and smell the roses – or look at the sunflowers!

Take time to enjoy the sunflowers in Tuscany, Italy

As part of the slowing down process, a number of cities banded together to create Cittaslow, and to set up an official Slow Cities charter and designation.  To get the designation, a city must have less than 50,000 residents and meet 55 criteria covering environmental policy, infrastructure, quality of urban fabric, encourage of local produce and products, hospitality and community, and awareness of the Slow City movement.  Applying cities are thoroughly vetted before being granted the designation, and are regularly checked to maintain compliance to standards.

There are more than 120 Slow Cities in 16 countries around the world.  Most can be found it Europe, with the majority located in Italy, but they are also found in Australia and South Korea.  Cowichan Bay in British Columbia is the first Slow City in North America.  It comes as no surprise that there aren’t any Slow Cities in the United States.  Maybe that will change soon.

What do you think of the slow city movement?  Could you slow your vacation down, seeing less but more in depth?  Or do you want to experience more when you travel?

Photo credit:  personal collection

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