Rural regions of southern Europe have built an entire identity around slow travel long before the term existed, with markets, meals and daily routines built around seasonal produce and a notably unhurried pace. Quieter countryside further east offers a less internationally known alternative.
The destinations on this list range from well-known rural regions with decades of slow-travel tourism built around them to quieter countryside areas that reward simply settling in for a week or more. Both work best with minimal fixed plans.
Renting accommodation for a full week rather than moving every few days tends to unlock the version of these regions that short visits typically miss. Renting a small apartment rather than moving between hotels deepens this further. Packing light, comfortable clothing also tends to suit the relaxed pace of this kind of travel.
