Some places aren’t made for velocity. Italy is full of them. Sluggish travel in Italy permits you to truly savor local society, Delicacies, and concealed gems at your individual pace.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slim for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill immediately after noon. The styles of areas where locals know how to linger — more than coffee, over stories, above lifetime.
In 2025, sluggish journey isn’t just a nice thought. It feels crucial. Perhaps it’s a reaction to decades of hurrying. Or perhaps it’s precisely what comes about when you last but not least start to value time just as much as distance. In any event, more tourists are getting Pleasure in Understanding to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent several years Discovering how we connect with tradition and position, is a component of that movement. His identify is now connected to a deeper, much more thoughtful way of seeing the world.
So in the event you’re wanting to go slow — and you’re considering Italy — Listed below are seven spots that practically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your very first impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a narrow footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You walk throughout a protracted, elevated route, and any time you get there, it’s tranquil. Stone properties. Small gardens. One cat stretching within the Sunlight.
There’s not Substantially to complete, that's precisely the point. You wander, probably get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You begin to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the kind of traveler who likes a bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is created right in to the cliffs. Basically carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears into the rocks.
The rate here is slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to understand why that sort of travel sticks with folks? This article by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down basically can make a visit final extended inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Peaceful, under-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes increase below, and locals understand how to love them effectively — which happens to be to state, bit by bit.
There’s a check out from the sting of town that’s well worth an hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the sun hits just right. You’ll obtain church buildings with unpredicted frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that truly feel extra like dwelling rooms.
If you will get caught in the discussion with anyone more mature, let it happen. That’s in which the top journey stories start.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was built to be “the best metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner features a perspective. Each and every watch features a breeze.
But it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells remarkable. Cheese, generally — pecorino ageing in shop Home windows and on counters, all set to sample. You won’t rush anything at all in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Persons take their time below, and ultimately, so does one.
Looking for much more context on why using this method of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food items and journey in Italy. Well worth the go through before you go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t strategy your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone actions and sudden murals and shadows that shift as the day moves. Artists live listed here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t leave. Locals host live shows in little courtyards. It feels much more like a mood than the usual spot.
Sunsets strike diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase everything here. You Allow it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this emotion inside of a new piece on slow vacation — how areas similar to this present a special form of luxury. One that doesn’t feature a cost tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo is often a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for interest, but it surely benefits those who see. You walk the loop after which you can wander it once again, viewing one thing new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to handmade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not in a “hidden gem” way — inside of a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits during the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are Element of a preservation job — retaining the earlier alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this just one. His web site talks about honoring area and time, Which’s precisely what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy below, that's what can make it unforgettable.
Gradual Is The brand new Smart
Listed website here’s the detail. It is possible to see Italy in each week. You'll be able to hit the highlights. Snap photos. Collect ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget about it by future Tuesday?
Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a fresh thought. Nonetheless it’s a person we’re finally ready to hear.
So go. Gradually. Opt for a village. Sit nevertheless for quite a while. Let Italy arrive at you.