Some locations aren’t built for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish travel in Italy means that you can certainly savor area lifestyle, cuisine, and hidden gems at your own speed.
Small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for automobiles. Cafés that only replenish after noon. The kinds of sites wherever locals know how to linger — about espresso, in excess of tales, more than everyday living.
In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a good concept. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to yrs of hurrying. Or maybe it’s precisely what transpires whenever you last but not least begin to price time as much as length. Either way, more travelers are locating joy in Finding out to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s put in yrs Checking out how we connect with tradition and area, is a component of that movement. His identify happens to be related to a further, extra considerate means of viewing the globe.
So when you’re wanting to go slow — and also you’re considering Italy — Listed below are 7 spots that pretty much demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slim footbridge. Cars can’t get in. You stroll throughout a long, elevated path, and when you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Tiny gardens. One cat stretching within the Sunshine.
There’s not much 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. As well as silence? It’s not vacant. It’s total.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed correct in to the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears to the rocks.
The tempo Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early morning, hikers winding through steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining in the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to know why that kind of vacation sticks with persons? This put up by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down actually will make a trip last for a longer period 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 in this article, and locals know how to love them appropriately — that is to mention, slowly.
There’s a watch from the sting of town that’s truly worth one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the sun hits good. You’ll obtain church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that experience more like living rooms.
If you receive stuck inside a conversation with someone more mature, Permit check here it transpire. That’s where by the very best vacation tales start off.
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 features a see. Every perspective incorporates a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells incredible. Cheese, typically — pecorino growing older in store windows and on counters, all set to sample. You won’t rush something in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People acquire their time here, and finally, so does one.
Seeking more context on why using this method of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food and travel in Italy. Worth the read through prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone steps and surprising murals and shadows that shift since the day moves. Artists Dwell listed here. Writers visit and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in little courtyards. It feels additional just like a mood than a destination.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase everything listed here. You let it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience within a latest piece on gradual journey — how locations similar to this present a distinct kind of luxurious. One that doesn’t feature a value tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, nonetheless it benefits individuals who notice. You stroll the loop and then walk it yet again, viewing a little something new each time — a cat on the windowsill, an open doorway, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Stunning. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not in the “hidden gem” way — in a very “this basically hasn’t altered” way.
Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are A part of a preservation undertaking — retaining the past alive by inviting visitors into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would enjoy this a single. His website page talks about honoring area and time, and that’s precisely what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy right here, which is what can make it unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the thing. You can see Italy in weekly. It is possible to strike the highlights. Snap images. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you neglect it by future Tuesday?
Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new notion. But it’s one particular we’re lastly wanting to listen to.
So go. Little by little. Go with a village. Sit still for some time. Permit Italy come to you.