The Art of Being a Flaneur

Great article ! , its one of my ways of spending time in places like Paris , Munich and Vienna , among others . David McCullough's fine book " The Greater Journey : Americans in Paris " goes into this quite a bit .

That’s a nice article—- thank you.

Thanks for this! I was a flaneur long before I knew the term. (Also a cycling Randonneur, but that's very different.)

The flaneur's journey is why I never plan more than two sights in a day, enjoying the time to, from, and between. I admit that sometimes I find it challenging to leave the hotel/AirBnB without a destination/purpose. In those moments I'll make up something to set off for, even if I never make it there. I'll now call that going to "buy Woolf's pencil."

Leaving for Vienna this week where this style of travel fits our slow travel style. We have nothing on our calendar for 2 1/2 weeks but a list of random ideas to be looked at and beyond on a day by day basis. Thanks for the article!

Thank you Frank! Wonderful article, supporting wanderlust for smells and sights and going off the beaten path-we try every day on each of our trips to at least have a couple of hours of being Flaneurs.

Mona , with your extended time in Vienna , this church designed by Otto Wagner and Koloman Moser is a must see . Only open weekends , and not hard to access , it lies on the western edge of The Wienerwald , part of a Psychiatric hospital complex ,and is a unique site that most visitors miss - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirche_am_Steinhof and https://www.wienmuseum.at/de/standorte/otto-wagner-kirche-am-steinhof

It's a lovely luxury for those that have already seen the great wonders of the world.

Thanks for posting. We tend to travel that way.

One of my most favorite days ever was spontaneously taking a train to Cardiff, getting off the train and wandering through the city. We had the most amazing experiences, stumbling onto great finds and then going back and reading about them to make the most of the experience.

"All those that wander, are not lost." :)

Lovely article, Frank. I don't always ramble but when I do, it usually makes for an unforgettable experience. I saw a lot of castles and beautiful scenery in Scotland on my recent trip, but what sticks out in my mind is the evening I spent strolling down George Street in Edinburgh. Sometimes you just have to wander...

Great article, thanks for posting it.

I first heard the term 'flaneur' when watching the DVD course on The Impressionists (one of the Great Courses) and the professor giving the course described it in detail when speaking of Baudelaire and Paris in the late 19th c.

When I went to Paris, I rented an apartment for a whole month with the intention of spending part of the time being a 'flaneur' and I did my best. Out of the month I think I spent at least 5 days, maybe more, just wandering around different neighborhoods, taking my time, observing the people and the architecture and the 'vibe' of the place. Since then, on subsequent trips to Europe I have tried to be a flaneur for part of the time in each new place. I have definitely become a slow traveler in my latest travels and enjoy just 'being' and absorbing whatever place I am in.