Sawday’s responsible travel

Slow down, see more, feel more. That’s what we mean by traveling responsibly – seeking out not just an environmental benefit, but a personal one as well, a state of mind in which you’re open to opportunity and exploration, while giving yourself the potential to enjoy both.     

Whether it’s zipping down through France on a smart TGV, stepping out of Waverley station straight into historic Edinburgh or arriving in Bilbao off the ferry, going slow means making the travel part of the adventure. Slashing your emissions by up to 90% compared to flying is almost a bonus.  

Here, in our responsible travel hub, you’ll find ideas and inspiration to get you moving, at a gentle pace, to some fabulous destinations and who knows where on the way.  

 Stories from the slow road 

Jo Keeling takes Spain’s slow train

Hopping on and off the narrow gauge FEVE railway, Jo Keeling explores Spain’s unspoilt northern coast – an astonishingly green region of untamed mountains, hearty regional dishes and warm, authentic people. 

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Paris and the Riviera, by rail with Byway

Join Sarah Baxter for long, golden evenings, coastal breezes and cafés with tables spilling onto sunny streets on a summer rail adventure in France.  

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Tim Moore travels Portugal’s coastal trains 

Writer and adventurist Tim Moore travels from Porto to Lisbon by train, relinquishing the itinerary and taking advice from strangers to find the spirit of travel is alive and well in Portugal.  

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Responsible travel quick tips

 

  • Avoid peak season: See popular spots at their calm and quiet best, while also helping a year-round economy flourish. 
  • Avoid the hotspots: Staying outside the big tourist centers gives you a more personal experience and helps smaller places thrive. 
  • Start small: You might not leap straight to interrailing around Italy for a month, so maybe start by making your main journey more sustainable and working from there. 
  • Ditch the car: Save yourself hours of parking and hair-raising junction navigation, while not adding to the general thong of traffic. 
  • If you must fly-drive, go electric: We know you can’t take trains and buses to every destination, but try and hire electric where you can. 
  • Pack light: Rather than bulldozing locals off pavements and buses with a noisy wardrobe on wheels, take something you can sling over your shoulder. Florentine residents say the soundtrack of the city is now suitcase wheels on cobbles – a warning to us all. 
  • Fewer stops, more time: Spending more time in fewer destinations means feeling less rushed and getting to know the area so well that the cafe round the corner has your order waiting as you arrive.  
  • Trust locals, not your phone: Apps will offer you (and everyone else) the top 10 things to do, but locals, like the owners of our places to stay, will give you the best insight. 

 

Travel inspiration from our flight-free experts