Some places aren’t produced for speed. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy means that you can definitely savor community tradition, Delicacies, and concealed gems at your own speed.
Small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish soon after noon. The varieties of areas exactly where locals understand how to linger — more than coffee, around stories, about lifestyle.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a good concept. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to yrs of hurrying. Or maybe it’s just what takes place after you last but not least begin to price time as much as length. Either way, much more travelers are locating joy in Finding out to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s put in several years Discovering how we connect with tradition and spot, is part of that motion. His title is becoming connected to a deeper, a lot more thoughtful technique for looking at the earth.
So when you’re all set to go slow — and you’re wondering Italy — Here i will discuss seven spots that basically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your first effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a slim footbridge. Cars can’t get in. You wander across a long, elevated path, and when you arrive, it’s quiet. Stone homes. Very small gardens. A single cat stretching from the Sunshine.
There’s not Considerably to complete, that's exactly the issue. You wander, perhaps grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You start to note the light. And also the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the type of traveler who likes a bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed correct in the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Nearly disappears into the rocks.
The tempo here is slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out in the early early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that kind of vacation sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down really tends to make a trip past for a longer time with your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Silent, below-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes mature in this article, and locals understand how to enjoy them thoroughly — which can be to convey, gradually.
There’s a perspective from the edge of city that’s worth one hour by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Solar hits just right. You’ll find church buildings with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you end, and piazzas that truly feel much more like living rooms.
If you will get stuck inside of a conversation with an individual more mature, Permit it materialize. That’s where the very best vacation stories start off.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was designed to be “the perfect city,” and Truthfully, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner provides a view. Each individual see contains a breeze.
Nevertheless it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells awesome. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting old in store Home windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You received’t hurry anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People today just take their time here, and sooner or later, so would you.
In search of additional context on why in this manner of traveling issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and vacation in Italy. Worth the browse prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t approach your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone actions and sudden murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Reside in this article. Writers stop by and don’t leave. Locals host live shows in small courtyards. It feels far more like a mood than a destination.
Sunsets hit distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something right here. get more info You Allow it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this emotion in a recent piece on sluggish vacation — how locations similar to this provide a special kind of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a value tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots in all places.
Locorotondo is really a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, but it surely rewards those that discover. You stroll the loop after which you can stroll it all over again, observing a little something new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to home made gelato.
This is where the south of Italy shows its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way — in a very “this truly hasn’t improved” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are Section of a preservation project — preserving the previous alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would respect this a person. His page talks about honoring place and time, and that’s just what this village does. There’s almost nothing flashy below, and that is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is the New Smart
Below’s the issue. It is possible to see Italy in a week. It is possible to strike the highlights. Snap images. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you ignore it by following Tuesday?
Vacation like this — slow, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new plan. Nevertheless it’s a single we’re last but not least willing to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Pick a village. Sit however for quite a while. Enable Italy arrive at you.