In an age of fast-paced itineraries and digital overload, a growing travel movement is encouraging people to reconnect with nature in a more elemental way: by swimming slowly.
The trend, known as “slow swimming,” re-imagines swimming not as a sport to be won but as a mindful practice.
Part of the broader “slow movement” that began with food, it emphasizes the sensory experience of being in natural water—a sea, a lake, or a river—without focusing on speed, distance, or performance.
“Much of the world developed around water, but we’ve lost that connection,” Ella Foote, editor of Outdoor Swimmer Magazine, told the BBC. “Rediscovering it by approaching a place from the water is exciting.”
While recreational swimming has a long history, its modern incarnation as a travel niche was inspired in part by the poet Lord Byron’s legendary 1810 swim across the Hellespont. Simon Murie, who founded SwimTrek, the world’s first swimming holiday company, was inspired by that feat. His company has since grown from guiding 100 swimmers in its first year to more than 3,000 in 2024, offering trips in 40 destinations, including the Greek Cyclades.
The popularity of open-water swimming surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people sought outdoor activities as an antidote to lockdowns and digital fatigue.
Now, it has evolved into a travel philosophy.
In Northern Europe, slow swimming retreats in lakes are often combined with yoga and meditation. In the Mediterranean, Italy’s Lake Como, Slovenia, and Croatia have become popular destinations.
For a country like Greece, with its thousands of kilometers of coastline, the trend presents a significant opportunity to attract mindful travelers and promote a more sustainable form of tourism beyond the peak summer months.
The key, advocates say, is to ensure the experience remains authentic. As Mr. Murie of SwimTrek noted, the goal is not just to swim, but to slow down, be present, and respect both the environment and oneself.
By Constantine Tsavalos