Broad River Travel Gems

Relaxed Escapes & Hidden Stays — unhurried notes on city breaks, quiet coasts and slow island days.

From the journal

A relaxed travel diary for people who would rather see one place slowly than five in a hurry. Come for the coastal hideaways and easygoing villa stays; stay for the long lunches.

The view from a train window looking out over green countryside
Slow Travel

The Art of Slow Travel

Fewer places, more time. A quiet argument for travelling slowly and seeing more by doing less.

By Sarah Mitchell · March 28, 2026
A classic yellow tram climbing a narrow Lisbon street
City Breaks

A Slow Weekend in Lisbon

Two days in Lisbon done the gentle way — one hill, one long lunch, and no rush to tick anything off.

By Sarah Mitchell · April 20, 2026
Pastel houses stacked on the cliffs of a village on the Amalfi Coast
Coastal Hideaways

Finding Quiet on the Amalfi Coast

The famous coast has calm corners if you know when to look. Here is how I find them.

By Sarah Mitchell · April 12, 2026
The colourful riverfront houses of Porto's Ribeira district on the Douro
City Breaks

A Long Weekend in Porto

Porto is made for a long weekend: steep, soulful and never in a hurry.

By Sarah Mitchell · May 3, 2026
A quiet tropical villa pool fringed by palms and loungers
Villa Stays

Why a Private Villa Beats a Hotel in Seminyak

For a slow Bali stay, a villa of your own beats any hotel room. Here is why.

By Sarah Mitchell · April 5, 2026
Rugged green cliffs meeting the Atlantic on the coast of northern Spain
Coastal Hideaways

Coastal Hideaways in Northern Spain

Forget the busy south. Northern Spain's green, blustery coast is where I go to disappear.

By Sarah Mitchell · March 15, 2026
An open suitcase with a few neatly folded clothes and sunglasses
Slow Travel

Packing Light for a Slow Trip

The slower the trip, the lighter I pack. Here is the one-bag approach I swear by.

By Sarah Mitchell · May 18, 2026
A wooden gazebo on a calm Bali beach at golden hour
Villa Stays

A Gentle Guide to Seminyak

Seminyak at a gentle pace — beaches, long lunches and sunsets, minus the FOMO.

By Sarah Mitchell · April 27, 2026
A rainy city street seen through a café window on a grey day
City Breaks

The Case for Off-Season City Breaks

Grey skies, empty squares, cheaper everything. The off-season city break is quietly the best kind.

By Sarah Mitchell · February 22, 2026
A cup of coffee held against a calm sea at sunrise
Coastal Hideaways

Mornings by the Sea

The best hour of any seaside trip is the first one. A small case for getting up early by the water.

By Sarah Mitchell · May 26, 2026
A hammock strung between trees with a book, in a green garden
Slow Travel

Building a Trip Around Nothing

The best holiday I ever planned had nothing in it at all. A guide to the itinerary of empty days.

By Sarah Mitchell · March 8, 2026