One of my goals for 2021 is to include more reading in my free time, both fun and educational books. Recently, I went looking for a slow travel book to add to my reading list and was shocked to find so many amazing titles to choose from. Here are 11 slow travel books to check out, plus some can be listened to for free on the free 30 day Audible trial.
Slow Travel Books
Slow Travel: A Movement by Penny Watson
This slow travel book goes over how hard it can be to say no to modern-day tourism trends. Watson discusses how one can adapt to slow travel both physically and philosophically. There are also tips on how to get ‘off the beaten path’ and how to reclaim your travel so it fits you rather than what the travel industry tells you.
Unforgettable Journeys: Slow Down and See the World
Unforgettable Journeys: Slow Down and See the WorldIf you are more of a visual learner, then this book is for you! It focuses on having a slow journey because they often tend to be more scenic. This visual guide is meant to inspire you by showing 200 once-in-a-lifetime journeys that you can take on foot, by bike, by car, on the water, or by rail.
Learn about lesser-known journeys like cycling around Botswana or kayaking through Finnish Lakeland. This slow travel book is perfect to give as a gift for any adventurers or even for your coffee table!
The Idle Traveller: The Art Of Slow Travel by Dan Kieran
This slow travel book poses some interesting questions like why has travel become a way to escape our everyday lives? or is finding better weather a good reason to travel? It talks about the reasons why people travel and what travel has become.
The Art Of Slow Travel talks about looking past all of the cruises, airport lounges, hotels, and resorts, to think about how you can go deeper than artificial distractions that are often marketed to consumers and find meaningful travel.
Slow Travel With Children: A Short Guide To Slow travelling With Babies And Young Children by Eva Cirnu
This is one of the most up to day slow travel books out there! This slow travel book was released not long ago in September 2020, making it relevant and helpful. It is the go-to source for slow traveling with children, both the benefits and challenges it poses.
Unlike other slow travel books, it is less about the philosophy of slow traveling and more of a practical guide for those going on family vacations and families who are considering living abroad!
Slow travel: Escape The Grind And Explore The World by Jennifer M. Sparks
This slow travel book focuses on how you can extract yourself from the fast-paced, ‘rat race’ world many live in. The author, Jennifer Sparks spent many years slowly traveling around 6 continents with many quirky forms of transport: bicycle, camper van, train, bus, tuk-tuk, taxi, bulldozer, ferry, sailboat, etc.
Her book is a resourceful guide filled with tips, tools, and techniques that she learned along the way. Escape The Grind And Explore The World would be a great present for someone hoping to do long term slow travel.
Wild By Nature: From Siberia To Australia, Three Years Alone In The Wilderness On Foot by Sarah Marquis
Discover Sarah’s intense slow travel journey that lasted for 3 years as she traversed the wilderness on foot for 10,000 miles from Siberia to Australia. Here’s a slow travel book that gets into the nitty-gritty like encountering the temperatures from subzero to scorching, mafia, drug dealers, thieves on horseback, and life-threatening wildlife.
Plus there were a fair share of physical trials like dengue fever in the Laos jungle, tropic ringworm, dehydration, and a life-threatening abscess. Let her perseverance and resilience inspire you to get outside of your comfort zone on your next adventure. Plus, you can listen to this book for free by doing a free 30-day Audible trial.
Travel Anywhere (And Avoid Being A Tourist): Travel Trends And Destination Inspiration For The Modern Adventurer by Fathom, Gerba & Rosati
Though this guide is not necessarily a slow travel book, its main goal is to help you be a better traveler and have more immersive travel experiences. This is an interactive book that acts as an ‘off the beaten path’ alternative travel guide filled with images, anecdotes, suggestions, and interviews on things like, ways to give back, learning about other cultures, how to go off-grid, and where to go for a once-in-a-lifetime meal.
Jupiters Travels: Four Years Around The World On A Triumph by Ted Simon
This slow travel book tells the adventures of a slow traveler riding a motorcycle over 78,000 miles through 45 countries. Though Simon did this 4 year trip in the 1970s, his book is filled with meeting people from all walks of life and being caught up in wars and revolutions, making it a book you cannot miss! Plus, you can listen to this book for free by doing a free 30-day Audible trial.
Destination Earth: A New Philosophy Of Travel By A World-Traveler by Nicos Hadjicostis
This is a slow travel book focused on helping you travel with purpose whether you are visiting a city, a region, or taking a long term world journey. Hadjicostis uses his 6.5-year continuous around the world journey to share meaningful travel ideas, experiences, stories, and photographs to help you interact and dive deeper into what it means to travel slowly.
Slow Is Fast: On the Road At Home by Malloy, Zimmerman & Keene
This slow travel book describes a spontaneous adventure of three guys jumping on a train to northern California with bikes and surfboards. On The Road At Home is special because the transport they chose (cycling) gives a particular portrait of California that they would not get when traveling in a car or camper van. The book tells the story of meeting interesting people and finding themselves in some unique situations while slowly traveling in their backyard of California.
Sloth Journal – Slow Down: Enjoy the Moment
Though technically not a slow travel book, it is a book that can help you as you slow travel. Besides having an adorable sloth on the cover that reminds you to slow down, this quality spiral-bound notebook can be used for taking notes, as a journal or a diary. Journaling during travel is an amazing way to capture your thoughts and feelings for reflection and keep a detailed log of your adventures to look back on later.
If you don’t find sloths adorable, please re-evaluate your life – kidding! Check out this is minimal but elegant journal that may be for you instead.
Slow Movement Books
Chasing Slow: Courage To Journey Off The Beaten Path by Erin Loechner
This book talks about how chasing fame, fortune, the ‘perfect’ life, etc. can be a toxic path. It focuses on the struggles of Loechner, an HGTV star, and her path to renewing her perspective and refreshing her priorities in life.
Courage To Journey Off The Beaten Path is about a personal journey that is meant to be relatable in hope of sparking your change. Plus, you can listen to this book for free by doing a free 30-day Audible trial!
Slow: Simple Living For A Frantic World by Brooke McAlary
Even if you are not able to get away through a slow travel adventure, this slow living book talks about how to get out of the fast-paced, materialism driven world while being at home. The book aims to shed off having a life set on perfectionism and then helping you find joy in the simple aspects of life once again.
In Praise Of Slow by Carl Honore
One of the most well-known books on the slow movement, In Praise Of Slow, poses some thought-provoking questions about why we live in a society that is obsessed with speed. This book talks about how being speed-obsessed can make the quality of life go down and can turn up the dial on stress and unhappiness.
It is unofficially known as the handbook of the slow movement so it’s a good place to start. Plus, you can listen to it for free by doing a free 30-day Audible trial.
Destination Simple: Everyday Rituals For A Slower Life by Brooke McAlary
This slow movement book focuses on rituals that can help transform your life. These rituals can help trade being overworked and sleep-deprived for long-lasting habits that promote better rest, minimized stress, and peace even on busy days.
The Slow Fix: Solve Problems, Work Smarter And Live Better In A Fast World by Carl Honore
This slow movement book is centered around how you can take action for a better life even while the world is obsessed with speed. The book’s purpose is to improve your quality of life in a fast world; it helps you to work smarter and have efficient, sustainable problem-solving. The Slow Fix is a practical guide that is meant to help you produce long term change.
Slow traveling can teach you so many things about yourself, but if you want to specifically focus on personal development, you have to check out books about self discovery too.
Slow Travel Podcasts
Thoughtful Travel Podcast
- How slow is slow travel
- Slow travel benefits
- Taking it slow: travelling to feel like a local
- How to embrace slow travel
- Slow family travel and nomadic life
Zero To Travel Podcast
- Slow travel philosophy and traveling as a black woman
- The great debate: slow vs fast travel
EA Radio Travel Podcast
- Fast vs slow travel
Travel Goals Podcast
- How to travel mindfully and why it’s important
We Will Nomad Podcast
- Slow travel versus Fast travel
EER125 Podcast
- Slow travel in Europe with kids
Women Who Travel Podcast
- How to embrace slowing down
Ideas With Intention Podcast
- A more mindful way of traveling with conscious city guides founder, Nichole Dunst
Slow Your Home Podcast
- Slow Travel
- 6 Reasons to Try Slow Travel
- Tsh Oxenreider on slow travel and why you’re never really ready
- Slow travel with the World Wanderers
- Slow travel, fast kids, and making counter-cultural choices
Slow Movement Ted Talk
In Praise of Slowness given by Carl Honore
Slow Travel Blogs & Websites
Maptrekking
On Maptrekking, we bring you all the information you need to start slow traveling! Make sure to check out how to be a responsible tourist and slow traveler.
Slow Tours
A site where you can find slow travel tour operators all around the world.
Conscious City Guides
A blog focused on helping travelers be more conscious as they travel to different destinations.
“My hope is to help direct you to places and experiences that are sustainably-minded and help facilitate self-growth and self-discovery. To encourage you to tread lightly, to travel slower.” – Conscious City Guides
Slow Europe
A community forum for those who have questions about slow traveling in Europe.
Travel Telling
Matthias is a Serbian travel blogger who writes about his past slow travel adventures and tips on how to be a responsible traveler.
Sloww
An all-around slow movement website that is bursting with great information.
What If We Walked
Luke and Nell run a slow travel blog centered. They specialize in exploring with their feet, whether it is a hiking trail or a city stroll because it gives such a unique perspective.
“Our type of walking is not an endurance hike or a race. It’s just walking at a simple, everyday human speed. Travelling to experience and absorb as much of what we pass through as possible: the cultures, the details – big and little. Slow, simple, seasonal, personal” – Luke & Nell
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