Savoring the Journey: The Art of Slow Food and Slow Travel in Italy

They say that the memory of tastes and smells is the strongest and longest-lasting of them all. Well, if I had to describe what my childhood tasted and smelled like, I would say olive oil and warm bread.

As a Backroads Trip Leader, I’m used to being away from home most of the time, which makes every moment I spend with my loved ones even more meaningful. On Sundays, my whole family gets together to cook lunch: homemade bread and pasta, fresh organic veggies from our garden, a bottle of wine and my mum’s tiramisù. This is our standard menu. Then we all sit together and catch up on everything that happened while I was out hiking and biking with guests around the world. Hours fly by, and sometimes we get up from the table and start cooking again for dinner!

This is the essence of Slow Food: simple, local ingredients, prepared and eaten with love and patience. A concept deeply rooted in Italian culture with a profound connection to sustainability.

The Slow Food movement, born in the 1980s in Bra, a small town in the region of Piedmont in Italy, was a response to the growing fast-food culture that threatened Italy's rich culinary heritage. Carlo Petrini, the movement’s founder, envisioned a world where food was savored, traditions were honored and the connection between plate and planet was respected. Today, Slow Food promotes the idea that food should be "good, clean and fair:" good in taste and quality, clean for the environment and fair for those who produce it.

These principles are not just about food; they extend to how we travel and experience the world. 
This approach to travel encourages you to connect deeply with the places you visit, allowing every experience to unfold naturally. Just as you savor a thoughtfully prepared dish, you’re encouraged to slow down and truly immerse yourself in local cultures.

Picture yourself on our Tuscany Active Culinary Walking & Hiking Tour: walking along the peaceful trails of Chianti, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards, with the warm spring sun shining on you and your traveling companions.

You pause at a local agriturismo: a charming farmhouse where Marcella, a local nonna (grandmother), and her daughter Desiree have prepared a delightful homemade picnic, featuring fresh locally sourced vegetables, focaccia and cheese. Before sitting down, you’re invited to a balsamic vinegar tasting, where Francesco, a local food expert, shares the rich history of this time-honored tradition, as cherished as wine-making in the region. Then, you roll up your sleeves to learn how to prepare panzanella, a humble dish made with day-old bread, ripe tomatoes, red onions and, of course, extra virgin olive oil. This zero-waste recipe and tradition is the essence of Slow Food.

As you savor each bite of your meal, sharing laughter and stories with new friends and local hosts, you'll realize that slowing down and embracing the journey is what makes it truly unforgettable. It’s a reminder that life’s greatest pleasures are often the simplest, and the most memorable experiences are those where we take the time to fully appreciate each moment.