Some spots aren’t produced for pace. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish journey in Italy lets you truly savor nearby culture, Delicacies, and concealed gems at your own rate.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish after noon. The types of spots where locals learn how to linger — around coffee, more than stories, over daily life.
In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a good idea. It feels important. Probably it’s a reaction to yrs of hurrying. Or even it’s exactly what transpires once you eventually begin to worth time just as much as length. In any case, far more travelers are finding joy in Studying to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested many years Discovering how we hook up with tradition and place, is a component of that motion. His identify has grown to be connected to a further, a lot more thoughtful means of observing the planet.
So for those who’re willing to go sluggish — and you simply’re considering Italy — Here i will discuss 7 places that practically demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your to start with impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, attained only by a slender footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You stroll throughout an extended, elevated route, and once you get there, it’s quiet. Stone properties. Small gardens. One cat stretching within the sun.
There’s not A great deal to perform, that is exactly the place. You wander, maybe seize a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You start to notice the light. As well as the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes some drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is built proper to the cliffs. Basically carved from them. From afar, it Pretty much disappears into your rocks.
The rate here is slow, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to find out why that sort of journey sticks with folks? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down actually will make a trip very last extended inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Peaceful, beneath-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes develop in this article, and locals understand how to get pleasure from them thoroughly — that's to mention, bit by bit.
There’s a check out from the sting of city that’s worth an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll find churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways which make you cease, and piazzas that truly feel extra like dwelling rooms.
If you will get caught in a very dialogue with anyone older, let it transpire. That’s where by the best vacation tales start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives listed here. Pienza was intended to be “the right city,” and Actually, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each individual corner has a see. Each see has a breeze.
Nevertheless it’s not almost aesthetics. This city smells awesome. Cheese, largely — pecorino growing older read more in shop windows and on counters, all set to sample. You gained’t hurry anything at all in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Persons get their time in this article, and sooner or later, so do you.
Searching for much more context on why this way of traveling issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow check here foods and journey in Italy. Definitely worth the study prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t program your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone measures and unpredicted murals and shadows that shift as being the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in little courtyards. It feels extra similar to a mood than the usual destination.
Sunsets strike different in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase anything in this article. You Allow it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this sensation within a latest piece on gradual vacation — how destinations such as this provide a different style of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere.
Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits individuals that notice. You walk the loop and then stroll it all over again, viewing one thing new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open doorway, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is when the south of Italy displays its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Really alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov few ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this truly hasn’t improved” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are Component of a preservation undertaking — holding the previous alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would respect this one. His web page talks about honoring put and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s almost nothing flashy below, that is what can make it unforgettable.
Gradual Is the New Wise
Listed here’s the thing. website It is possible to see website Italy in per week. You can strike the highlights. Snap images. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget it by next Tuesday?
Journey similar to this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a fresh strategy. Nonetheless it’s 1 we’re ultimately all set to hear.
So go. Gradually. Choose a village. Sit however for a while. Permit Italy arrive at you.