Slow travel holidays: 11 of the best journeys to take

2. Take the train to Sicily

Take your time to travel by rail through France and Italy, where in Villa San Giovanni at the toe of the boot of the mainland your train gets shunted onto a ferry to cross the Strait of Medina to sun-drenched Sicily. It’s the largest island in the Mediterranean and the warm sandstone architecture reflects its quirky mix of Norman-Arab-Byzantine history. Wander around capital Palermo to admire its souks and palaces before heading to Enna in the island’s mountainous interior. Make charming Syracuse and its old town on the island’s east coast your final stop, where in the summer months you can sunbathe on wooden platforms overlooking the jewel-blue Ionian Sea.

Spectacular views on the Camino de Santiago (Alamy)

3. Walk the Camino de Santiago

Religious conviction is no longer a prerequisite for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. What you will need, though, is a sense of adventure and a good amount of time to leisurely soak in ever-changing Northern Spanish landscapes. For over a thousand years dedicated pilgrims have walked to Santiago de Compostela Cathedral to views the relics of St James the Apostle. Of multiple “ways” the classic remains “Camino Frances” which requires upwards of 30 days walking from the French Pyrenees. But, it doesn’t have to be done in one go. And you don’t have to spend a whole month doing it, either. Ten days will give you plenty of time to enjoy the camaraderie, medieval towns, and local food and wine, such as citrusy albarino and Galician shellfish. “Buen Camino” as the locals say.

On the Indian Pacific from Perth to Sydney (Alamy)

4. Take the slow train with Indian Pacific Rail

With ocean one side and parched outback on the other, slow travel doesn’t get any grittier than this epic 4,500km rail journey between Sydney and Perth across the Australian continent — linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It’s not a fast express. Since the 1970s this luxury train has made a stately three-day crossing. Heading west from Sydney, the ghosts of mining history are revealed at Broken Hill while mirages and kangaroos’ dwell on the furnace Nullarbor Plain. The greenery of south-west Australia’s farmland is a welcome relief when the Indian Ocean comes into sight, nearing Perth.

Best train journeys in Australia

Women at work in Almaty, Kazakhstan (Alamy)

5. Roam the Silk Road

The romance of Silk Road journeys has long captivated travellers to China and Central Asia. It’s actually a nebulous network of trade routes that emerged from the Han Dynasty and spread over 2,000 years as far as Japan and India. So, where do you start? How about Uzbekistan, with architectural treasures, a hearty regional cuisine, and ethnically diverse and welcoming local people. Want to extend your trip? Head to the razor-sharp snow-caps of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan mountains or delight in Central Asia’s traditional nomadic local culture, seen unhurriedly on the train from Tashkent to Almaty in Kazakhstan.

Chinstrap penguins on Zavodovski Island, part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Getty Images)

6. Dive deep into Antarctica

Powder-blue tinged icebergs the size of tower blocks in a pristine frozen wilderness. Wildlife as rich as the Galapagos of the Southern Ocean. It’s little wonder Antarctica makes every travel bucket list, really. Peak season is October to March, when long warm days ensure the ocean around the white continent remains largely ice-free. A typical starter trip will be a languorous ten-day cruise from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula — spending hours on deck marvelling at krill-feeding whales, soaring albatrosses, and amusing penguins turning the struggle for survival into comedy. Those with a greater amount of time — and resources — might add Shackleton’s South Georgia and the quaintly British Falklands while the complete Antarctica travel experience is a transoceanic voyage onwards to Cape Town in South Africa.

On the Mekong at Luang Prabang (Alamy)

7. Float along the Mekong

There are few experiences more authentic than following Southeast Asia’s life-giving artery. From the Tibetan Plateau to its deltaic dénouement, south of Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong meanders in stultifying heat by world-famous Buddhist architecture, pulsing metropolises, and lime-green rice paddies. In sleepy Laos, the Francophone gem of Luang Prabang oozes a slow tropical vibe, and with many cookery classes it’s a place to learn how to prepare classic Laotian dishes like laap, a minced meat salad. The Mekong eases into Cambodia, flowing near Angkor Wat then down to bustling Phnom Penh’s river frontage pulsating with bars and cafés. Gradually the river loses energy and disperses downriver, sprawling across a vast delta, etched by small canals with floating markets and slow-moving rice barges.

Canal de l’Aisne à la Marne in Reims (Getty Images)

8. Cruise through Champagne on a barge

Whether exploring magnificent woodlands and chateaux or tasting Champagne’s eponymous effervescent produce, you don’t want to be hamstrung by driving. So, consider the slow-lane on picturesque waterways, travelling by a sedate barge cruise — from the slow-flowing River Marne to the canals linking Reims, with its famous cathedral. The landscape is medieval in essence, enriched by the produce of local artisans — not least the champagne houses: from the international powerhouse of Moët et Chandon to family-run specialists, like Drappier.

Hippos in South Luangwa National Park (Getty images)

9. Take a walking safari in South Luangwa

Switch off your safari vehicle engine and fully engage with African wildlife on a walking safari in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park — the game-saturated park that’s the birthplace of walking safaris. Over multiple days you can walk a circuit of bush-camps around the Mfuwe area, three to four hours between camps, or simply hike out from lodges for a few hours with an experienced guide and scout who know exactly what to do during exhilarating encounters with elephants or lions. But walking safaris also open your eyes to a minutia of bush life neglected on game-drives — you might learn about the incredible social structure of colossal termite mounds or how cunning baboon spiders set their deadly traps.

Boats on the Ganges at Kolkata (Getty Images)

10. Sail the sacred Ganges

From its renaissance in frozen Tibet, India’s sacred Ganges — personified as goddess Ganga in Hindu mythology — hurries from the Himalayas before slackening on the flatter Indian plains, then winds her way lethargically east, through India’s holiest city, Varanasi. Yet the best cruising is arguably in its Bengali reaches near Kolkata. Here, on a small riverboat cruise, you’ll witness a complex historical and religious river life: from the bloody battlefield at Plassey where the East India Company defeated the Nawab of Bengal to awe-inspiring Kalna, with its sacred 108 temples devoted to the Ganges’ greatest god, Mahadev (Shiva).

The scenic West Highland Line (Alamy)

11. Explore the West Highlands and Isle of Skye

Made famous by the Harry Potter films, the West Highland Line is likely the most scenic rail route in Britain. The train from the lowlands to the highlands — choose between ScotRail and or the Jacobite steam train — skirts lochs and crosses Glenfinnan Viaduct and the wilds of Rannoch Moor: pause at the outdoor capital of Scotland, Fort William, to explore more on foot or by bike. The next stop is the Isle of Skye, where you can stay in the pretty harbourside town of Portree to explore the challenging Cuillin (An Cuiltheann) mountains, hike the trails at Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr, or take a freezing dip in a loch or from one of Skye’s pristine beaches.

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