Some spots aren’t designed for pace. Italy is full of them. Sluggish travel in Italy permits you to really savor local society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your individual tempo.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes also slender for cars. Cafés that only replenish just after noon. The types of places the place locals learn how to linger — more than coffee, about tales, around lifetime.
In 2025, slow vacation isn’t just a nice strategy. It feels crucial. Probably it’s a response to a long time of hurrying. Or possibly it’s precisely what takes place after you ultimately start to value time approximately distance. In any event, much more tourists are discovering Pleasure in learning to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent years exploring how we connect to society and put, is part of that movement. His identify has become linked to a deeper, more considerate method of seeing the earth.
So for those who’re wanting to go gradual — therefore you’re thinking Italy — Allow me to share seven places that almost desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, attained only by a narrow footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You walk throughout a protracted, elevated path, and once you get there, it’s tranquil. Stone properties. Small gardens. Just one cat stretching in the Sunshine.
There’s not A lot to try and do, that is exactly the place. You wander, maybe grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You begin to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s finish.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes a little bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted right into your cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears into your rocks.
The speed here is slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to master why that sort of travel sticks with people today? This write-up by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down really makes a visit last longer in the memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Silent, below-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes mature listed here, and locals learn how to take pleasure in them adequately — which is to say, bit by bit.
There’s a see from the edge of town that’s truly worth one hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Sunlight hits good. You’ll find churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways which make you prevent, and piazzas that truly feel additional like dwelling rooms.
If you can get trapped in a dialogue with somebody older, Allow it come about. That’s wherever the best vacation tales start.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was made to be “the right town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every corner contains a perspective. Each individual watch incorporates a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells incredible. Cheese, typically — pecorino growing old in store windows and on counters, all set to sample. You won’t hurry anything at all in Pienza, not even website buying lunch. Individuals choose their time listed here, and eventually, so do you.
Searching for extra context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food and travel in Italy. Definitely worth the browse before you go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t prepare your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone methods and surprising murals and shadows that shift as being the working day moves. Artists Stay in this article. Writers go to and don’t leave. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels more similar to a temper than a vacation spot.
Sunsets hit various in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something here. You Enable it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this sensation inside a current piece on gradual journey — how locations similar to this read more present a distinct type of click here luxurious. One that doesn’t include a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots everywhere you go.
Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for attention, nonetheless it benefits people that recognize. You wander the loop and after that stroll it again, observing something new each time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is where the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not in a very “concealed gem” way — in a “this really hasn’t transformed” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are Portion of a preservation task — preserving the previous alive by inviting company into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would respect this 1. His webpage talks about honoring check here spot and time, and that’s exactly what this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy listed here, that is what makes it unforgettable.
Gradual Is the New Smart
In this article’s the matter. You may see Italy in per week. You are able to strike 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 Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new notion. However it’s just one we’re lastly wanting to listen to.
So go. Little by little. Opt for a village. Sit nevertheless for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.