The Art of Slow Travel: Embrace the Journey

Slow travel is not just about reaching a destination; it's about gaining perspective and forging a deeper connection with yourself and your loved ones. This concept really resonates with us at Icon Villas. The whole aim of our existence and the why behind our business is to meet your every expectation, and beyond that – we want to show you how deliciously beautiful life can be.

In a world that often feels rushed and hectic, the concept of slow travel offers a refreshing and rewarding approach to exploring the world. Here’s a few reasons why we think you should embrace it too.

1. Deeper Cultural Immersion

Slow travel allows you to dive beneath the surface of a destination. Gone are the days of rushing and skimming through tourist attractions to take a quick photo. Claim your time to engage with local customs, traditions, and people. You can learn the local slang, participate in community events, and savour authentic cuisine. See our blog post on what our local cuisine has to offer here: Discover the Flavours of The Mother City

                                                                     Speak like a local.

2. Decompress. Less stress:

Rushing from one landmark to another can be exhausting and stressful. Slow travel promotes relaxation and mindfulness. Research before you leave and plan where you will spend your time, it is after all our most valuable asset. Think quality over quantity, appreciating the detail of things, leisurely strolls, unplanned detours, secret spots and adventure.

The Icon Villas team partners with several leading Cape Adventure and Touring companies to bring you a range of unforgettable experiences. For your planning purposes read more here: Escape Explore the Cape

                                                                       Walker Bay: Hermanus

3. Meaningful Connections

“Everyone returns us to a different sense of ourselves, for we become a little of who they think we are.”
― Alain de Botton

Embrace and let yourself be embraced by meaningful, genuine connections to others. Use travel as the vessel to foster relationships with loved ones and make memories that will sustain you to your dying day. Not only loved ones either, also make friends with the local shop owner, share a laugh with a local guide, chat to the flower seller. You will find that South Africans are among the friendliest people in the world. These interactions will serve to enrich your travel experience.

4. Personal Growth and Reflection

Slow travel encourages introspection and personal growth. Perhaps you enjoy traveling with people, perhaps you enjoy exploring on your own, whatever your preference, slow travel brings reflection and reflection brings perspective.

“The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to.”
― Alain de Botton, The Art of Travel

Find beauty and magic in unexpected places and spaces. Cultivate a sense of gratitude and rediscover the joy of traveling. Become a part of the experience. There is a word in the Dictionary of Unexpected Sorrows that explains this well. That word is ‘Midding' - 'the tranquil pleasure of being near a gathering but not quite in it— hovering on the perimeter of a campfire, talking quietly outside a party, resting your eyes in the back seat of a car listening to friends chatting up front—feeling blissfully invisible yet still fully included, safe in the knowledge that everyone is together and everyone is okay, with all the thrill of being there without the burden of having to be’ – John Koenig.

Give yourself permission to enjoy a meaningful life.

We look forward to hosting you soon.

The Icon Villas Team.