For most of us, dark clouds and rain are vacation-spoilers, but a growing number of intrepid travelers make a point of seeking out a soaking. What do they know that we don’t?
Barcelona, where I live, is in the midst of a drought. It hadn’t rained for weeks until one recent afternoon when the storm clouds rolled in and the sky opened up, finally cleansing the city of its thick political tension and soaking me to the bone as I happily marched through puddles to the local market.
The capital of Catalonia is hardly a rain-prone destination, but the downpour continued for two more days and the city revealed itself to me in new ways. I started thinking about the merits of a purposefully wet vacation.
It’s not something most travelers do—seek out stormy weather on holiday—but “rain tourism” is becoming an actual thing, and its appeal is undeniable: Wet weather has the magical effect of allowing a tourist to feel like a local.
The trend has parallels in the global adoption of the Danish concept of hygge
—that snug sensation that comes from sitting by the fire as the elements go wild outside. Travelers are purposefully placing themselves in chillier climates as a setup for the warming sensation that comes later in the day.
Full story at Afar.
By Samantha Shankman.
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