Slow Travel and Why it’s so Important

We see it time, and time again: Our wonderful guests plan a jam-packed trip with guided tours, dinner reservations each night, and hotel hopping every 2-3 days only to realise, once they arrive at our Estate, they’re tired and perhaps are doing too much. Upon checking-in they discover that what they’d really like is to slow down and finally savour the Italian moment. 

Tourism is a wonderful thing for so many reasons, but major cities in Italy get bombarded during the peak season months and our guests arrive feeling overwhelmed by the crowds in cities like Florence and Rome (both 2 hours from our Estate). After spending a day wandering our local spots and lounging poolside looking out into the never-ending green landscape, they never want to leave and actually regret packing their schedule to the brim. Our guests book the minimum night’s stay at our Countryside Estate (3 nights) only to leave saying “Had we known what a gem this is, we would’ve booked more nights” or “We’ll be back, and next time for much longer”.

We nod our heads knowingly, because it’s all true and we hear it weekly. In fact, we’ve seen this scenario play out so many times that we felt it was time to share the inside scoop and hopefully inspire others to make slow travel decisions that your future self will thank you for. 

Warning: it’s best to approach these kinds of changes in your life with a sense of humour.  

Why is slow travel so important?

We’re the first to admit that a slow life, let alone slow travel is hard. No matter where you live in this world (even the green hills of Umbria), the pressure and expectations we put on ourselves still take over. 

So how do we change this? We recommend starting with slow travel.

You’re calmer on vacation, aren’t you? Introducing new practices (like slow travel/living) can be best tested while your everyday hustle and bustle feels like a distant memory.

Once you get a taste for the slow life, we promise you’ll do everything you can to hang onto that feeling. 

Wouldn’t it be luxurious to give yourself permission to truly slow down? Let yourself imagine for a moment how a slow day might feel; Your breath deepens, your brain quiets, your smile widens, your shoulders loosen. And that’s just the beginning. Slow living is certainly a ‘self-care’ state of mind, but for most of us it’s really difficult to allow ourselves time.

Time to be present, to reflect, to learn, love, and live. Life is too short to do it any other way.

How to slow travel? 

Insider tip: stay in one place for more than a few days (anywhere from 5-8 nights is a good start). 

Poggio Belvedere is the perfect place for a slow travel setting as its strategically positioned amidst all the hilltop towns of Umbria and Tuscany. You could even day trip (or overnight it) to Marche where you’ll sit seaside along the Adriatic eating fresh seafood and floating in the salty sea (Numana is our top pick). Or perhaps you’ll find yourself on a train from Perugia (25 mins from our Estate) to Florence and/or Rome for a day eating the infamous bistecca fiorentina (Florence) or delectable carbonara (Rome) then hop on the train (1.5-2 hour ride) back to Poggio Belvedere, where awaits your breathtakingly peaceful Italian home away from home. 

Our apartments are luxuriously designed with your comfort in mind.

Each one boasts incredibly high ceilings, stunning views, and a perfect blend of Italian farmhouse and modern minimalist styles. Our guests continuously mention in their reviews how the spaces offer immaculate kitchens, pristine bathrooms, dreamy bedrooms with soft linens, exquisite outdoor spaces, and plenty of peace and tranquility poolside to unwind and simply let it all go. 

Poggio Belvedere has been designed in the way that we enjoy travel: Feeling at home, yet like royalty.

Breakfast greets you quietly in the morning, delivered to your door (we don’t knock, so don’t worry if you sleep in). The kitchens are equipped with all your cooking basics and we’ve even curated a list of wines from our area available for enjoyment in-room or poolside.

Wake up surrounded by lush green olive groves and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Sip your coffee, take a swim, read a book.

Maybe hop in the car and get lost. Stumble upon a forgotten hilltop town, feel the history in the once buzzing streets, roam the winding roads alone. It’s peak tourist season, yet you feel like you’re the only one in the world. This is our Umbria - our slower side of things. 

If you’re craving a little buzz, head to towns like Assisi, Orvieto, Montepulciano, or Cortona for that tourist-y edge. There’s nothing wrong with wanting that and there’s room for both. Just make sure you carve out enough time to give yourself the ability to choose which you want without feeling like you’ve always got your eye on the clock. 

Visit a recommended organic winery, enjoy a farm-to-table lunch, sip wines that were made in that exact building, meet the winemaker, talk about life through broken English and Italian. Experience the people behind the label. 

Make your way back to Poggio Belvedere, take a swim or even a nap poolside. Meditate as you look out at endless green and rolling hills. Listen to the birds, grab a handful of figs from the tree nearby. 

Have an easy evening on the Estate or meander down the road to Pochini Paola where you can indulge in local wines, meats, and cheeses while conversing with the locals. Watch the sky turn purple, and eventually the stars take over. Make your way to bed, calmly, happily.

Wake up and do it all again, but tomorrow is a new hilltop discovery, maybe some Umbrian cashmere shopping and a little wander around Deruta (famous for their painted ceramics), then back to your Italian home for a lazy afternoon by the pool.

Imagine knowing you have time to explore and realising not everything has to be packed into a few short days. Slow travel like this can’t help but impact your life and the vision you have for yourself.

It clears the brain and makes way for potential. It inspires in more ways than you can imagine.

Plus, the beauty of Umbria is: the longer you stay, the more there is to uncover. 

Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, we urge you to take lessons from your slow travel experience back home with you where you can work to implement long term. 

Don’t worry if life takes over and the idea of slow travel is just a mere memory… that’s normal and totally expected, however it signifies only one thing for us: it’s time to book another trip!

If you’ve been craving this kind of living, get in touch and learn how we can curate your intimate Italian experience.

Long-term stays available upon request.