Some locations aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish travel in Italy means that you can definitely savor community tradition, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your own private speed.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish immediately after noon. The styles of spots in which locals learn how to linger — above espresso, more than stories, around daily life.
In 2025, gradual travel isn’t just a nice plan. It feels important. Probably it’s a reaction to many years of speeding. Or perhaps it’s exactly what occurs if you finally start to value time up to distance. In either case, additional tourists are finding Pleasure in learning to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent several years Discovering how we connect with tradition and area, is part of that movement. His identify has grown to be affiliated with a further, far more thoughtful way of looking at the whole world.
So for those who’re ready to go sluggish — and also you’re wondering Italy — Listed here are 7 spots that basically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your very first effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, reached only by a slim footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander across an extended, elevated path, and if you get there, it’s quiet. Stone residences. Very small gardens. One cat stretching in the Sunshine.
There’s not Substantially to carry out, that is exactly the issue. You wander, perhaps grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You begin to notice the light. And also the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s complete.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is created proper in to the cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it almost disappears into the rocks.
The pace here is sluggish, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that kind of vacation sticks with people today? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially can make a visit very last for a longer time within your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Peaceful, under-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes grow in this article, and locals know how to love them effectively — and that is to state, little by little.
There’s a look at from the edge of town that’s really worth an hour by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the Solar hits good. You’ll come across churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways that make you quit, and piazzas that truly feel far more like living rooms.
If you have caught in a very discussion with another person more mature, Enable it occur. That’s where the most beneficial travel tales begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life in this article. Pienza was built to be “the perfect town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner includes a see. Every look at contains a breeze.
But it surely’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells awesome. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting older in shop windows and on counters, willing to sample. You gained’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Persons get their time right here, and ultimately, so would you.
On the lookout for far more context on why this way of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish food items and vacation in Italy. Worth the go through before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone actions and unforeseen read more murals and shadows that shift as being the day moves. Artists Are living here. Writers go to and don’t leave. Locals host concerts in tiny courtyards. It feels a lot more just like a mood than the usual spot.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase something right here. You Permit it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this feeling inside a current piece on gradual journey — how destinations similar to this provide a unique kind of luxurious. One that doesn’t feature a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots everywhere you go.
Locorotondo is often a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for interest, but it surely benefits those who observe. You stroll the loop after which walk it again, seeing a little something new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is when the south of Italy shows its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not inside of a “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A lot of the inns are A part of a preservation job — holding the past alive by inviting visitors into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would value this just one. His web page talks about honoring spot and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s almost nothing flashy here, which is what makes it unforgettable.
Slow Is the New Smart
In this article’s the thing. It is possible to see Italy in a week. You'll be able to hit the highlights. Snap shots. Collect ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you neglect it by upcoming Tuesday?
Journey like this — slow, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a different concept. But it surely’s one particular we’re finally wanting to listen to.
So go. Little by little. Opt for a village. Sit nonetheless for a while. Let Italy arrive at you.