Slow travel: tips for sustainable travellers

For many years, the fast lifestyle we are used to has also affected our way of travelling. We throw ourselves head first into the offers and end up in crowded destinations, devouring them quickly and spending more time taking photos than enjoying ourselves. We have become accustomed to the idea that travelling is a three-day-a-year luxury, and that you have to squeeze those three days to the max.  

In response to this trend, in recent years there has been growing talk of slow travel and sustainable travel. Slow travel proposes several principles to help soak up the culture of a place, relax between destinations and marvel at each stop. It’s about enjoying every step of the journey, instead of racing past and settling for a blurry image. If you want to try the new slow travel trend, here are some tips for sustainable travellers. 

Principles and tips for sustainable travellers  

Slow travel proposes several principles based on two ideas: reducing our ecological footprint and slowing down to enjoy more. It is advisable to stay for slightly longer, instead of spending only 2 or 3 days at your destination. Time is essential if order to really experience the local culture, get to know the place thoroughly, try things you hadn’t planned and, ultimately, define yourself more as a traveller than as a tourist.  

Looking for local accommodation instead of isolating yourself in a hotel is the first of our tips. Alicante and the Costa Blanca have a remarkable diversity of natural landscapes and small towns. In this type of place it is easy to find apartments or rural houses, with nature and sustainability as its main attraction. It is worth noting that in a rural properties you usually have more space, better atmosphere and nature right on your doorstep, but an apartment near the sea is also a great option. 

You’ll need a vehicle to get there and back, but if you make the most of the slow travel mindset, it’s well worth it. Another one of our tips for sustainable travellers is to visit fewer sites, for longer. Take the car, go to a town like Altea, Calpe or Jávea and walk around it on foot. Try the local cuisine. Fast food sites are not worth it – the idea is to mix with the locals, try their traditional dishes and talk to the inhabitants of the town. In our article on the best hiking trails in Alicante, we propose some destinations with one or more walking trails nearby, such as the Eight Villages trail in Vall de Gallinera. There are applications like Wikiloc that help you find the most suitable route for you, taking into account difficulty, length or degree of overcrowding. Remember to leave free time on your trip for improvisation and rest, and if you stop to eat in a natural spot make sure you do so responsibly and sustainably. 

Sustainable travel with Lara Cars 

While one of the ideas of slow travel is not to rush everywhere, you will need a vehicle to get around. Especially if you are looking for places off the beaten track, or at some point you decide to do a wine tourism route or any other activity that is not close to your accommodation. Our service is a pretty good fit for our tips for sustainable travellers. 

We offer quick service so you don’t waste time queuing, and a large fleet so you can choose a car that suits your preferences. One of the foundations of our service is peace of mind, which is why we offer insurance without excess and the possibility of picking up the car at the airport, among other advantages. The idea is that when you drive with us, you don’t have to worry about anything. Try slow travel and take advantage of our tips for sustainable travellers!