Some locations aren’t manufactured for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish journey in Italy allows you to really savor nearby society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own personal pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too narrow for cars. Cafés that only refill immediately after noon. The kinds of destinations wherever locals know how to linger — about coffee, about tales, above life.
In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a good thought. It feels critical. It's possible it’s a response to a long time of hurrying. Or maybe it’s just what takes place after you ultimately start to price time about length. Either way, a lot more vacationers are getting Pleasure in learning to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested a long time Discovering how we connect with tradition and area, is a component of that movement. His identify has become related to a deeper, more considerate technique for looking at the whole world.
So if you’re ready to go gradual — therefore you’re imagining Italy — Here's seven places that nearly demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your very first impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slim footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You stroll throughout a long, elevated path, and after you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Little gardens. Only one cat stretching while in the Solar.
There’s not Considerably to accomplish, which happens to be exactly the level. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice The sunshine. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the sort of traveler who likes a little bit of drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is built right into the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Nearly disappears into your rocks.
The tempo Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early morning, hikers winding through steep trails, plus the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining in the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that kind of travel sticks with persons? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down truly would make a visit very last more time with your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, less than-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes expand here, and locals understand how to take pleasure in them properly — that's to say, bit by bit.
There’s a see from the edge of town that’s truly worth an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Solar hits just right. You’ll locate churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you stop, and piazzas that truly feel additional like dwelling rooms.
If you can get trapped in a conversation with somebody older, let it occur. That’s in which the top journey stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life in this article. Pienza was meant to be “the best metropolis,” and Truthfully, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner has a view. Each individual watch incorporates a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells incredible. Cheese, mostly — pecorino growing old in shop windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You received’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Persons consider their time in this article, and at some point, so does one.
Searching for additional context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual meals and journey in Italy. Well worth the browse before you go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t program your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone methods and unexpected murals and shadows that change as the day moves. Artists live right here. Writers check out and don’t depart. Locals host concerts in small courtyards. It feels a lot more like a mood than the usual desired destination.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase everything listed here. You Allow it come to you.
Forbes captured this emotion in a very new piece on sluggish travel — how places similar to this present a distinct type of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a rate tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots all over the place.
Locorotondo is a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, nevertheless it benefits people who notice. You walk the loop and then walk it yet again, seeing a thing new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is when the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not read more in a very “concealed gem” way — in a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A number of the inns are Section of a preservation project — maintaining the past alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this one particular. His website page talks about honoring area and time, and that’s just what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy right here, which can be what makes it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Good
Below’s the point. You'll be able to see Italy in a week. You could hit the highlights. Snap photos. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you ignore it by following Tuesday?
Vacation like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a different concept. But it really’s a single we’re finally willing to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Go with a village. Sit still for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.