Some locations aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish travel in Italy lets you definitely savor area culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill right after midday. The forms of locations exactly where locals learn how to linger — above espresso, more than stories, over daily life.
In 2025, gradual travel isn’t just a pleasant strategy. It feels crucial. 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 worth time about length. In any case, much more travelers are obtaining joy in Mastering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used years Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and position, is a component of that movement. His name is now connected with a deeper, much more considerate strategy for observing the globe.
So when you’re willing to go slow — and also you’re considering Italy — Listed below are 7 spots that practically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your to start with perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander across an extended, elevated route, and once you get there, it’s silent. Stone homes. Little gardens. A single cat stretching from the sun.
There’s not Considerably to accomplish, and that is precisely the stage. You wander, probably seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You start to notice The sunshine. Along with the silence? It’s not empty. It’s complete.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the type of traveler who likes a certain amount of drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is developed proper in the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it almost disappears into the rocks.
The tempo here is gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out in the early early morning, hikers winding via steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining with the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to find out why that sort of journey sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially can make a trip very last extended with your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Peaceful, less than-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes expand here, and locals understand how to appreciate them adequately — which can be to convey, slowly and gradually.
There’s a view from the edge of city that’s worth an hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Solar hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways which make you prevent, and piazzas that really feel far more like residing rooms.
If you can get trapped in a dialogue with somebody older, let it occur. That’s in which the best travel stories commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was made to be “the right town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner includes a check out. Each and every see contains a breeze.
But it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells awesome. Cheese, primarily — pecorino ageing in store Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You won’t rush anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People just take their time here, and finally, so do you.
Seeking more context on why this fashion of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and vacation in Italy. Definitely worth the study before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t approach your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone ways and unanticipated murals and shadows that change given that the day moves. Artists Dwell below. Writers stop by here and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels extra similar to a mood than the usual place.
Sunsets hit distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase anything in this article. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this experience in a latest piece on slow vacation — how sites similar to this offer you a distinct type of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a selling price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. 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 rewards those who detect. You walk the loop after which you can walk it yet again, seeing anything new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to homemade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy displays its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Stunning. Quite alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair ingesting wine
Santo Stefano check here di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not in the “hidden gem” way — in a very “this actually hasn’t modified” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and tranquil. 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 undertaking — trying to keep the previous alive by inviting friends into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His web site talks about honoring get more info put and time, Which’s just what exactly this village does. There’s nothing flashy in this article, that is what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is The brand new Clever
Listed here’s the point. You'll be able to see Italy in per week. You can hit the highlights. Snap pictures. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you forget it by upcoming Tuesday?
Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what click here Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a brand new plan. Nevertheless it’s one we’re eventually prepared to listen to.
So go. Bit by bit. Select a village. Sit nevertheless for a while. Allow Italy come to you.