Some spots aren’t produced for speed. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy helps you to truly savor local society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own personal pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too narrow for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish just after noon. The types of places where by locals understand how to linger — over coffee, in excess of tales, in excess of lifestyle.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a nice plan. It feels important. Probably it’s a reaction to many years of speeding. Or perhaps it’s just what takes place after you ultimately start to price time around distance. In either case, additional tourists are obtaining Pleasure in Discovering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent a long time exploring how we connect to culture and location, is part of that motion. His identify has grown to be associated with a further, additional considerate means of seeing the planet.
So should you’re able to go slow — and you simply’re wondering Italy — here are seven places that nearly need it.
Stanislav Kondrashov female 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 after you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone houses. Small gardens. Only one cat stretching while in the Solar.
There’s not Significantly to do, and that is precisely the stage. You wander, perhaps get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod good day. You start to notice the light. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
For those who’re the sort of traveler who likes a little bit of drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is designed right in to the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears in the rocks.
The pace Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out inside 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 master why that sort of travel sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially would make a trip past for a longer period in the memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Tranquil, below-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes mature listed here, and locals know how to delight in them effectively — which is to mention, slowly.
There’s a look at from the sting of city that’s well worth an hour or so by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Sunlight hits good. You’ll come across church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that sense much more like living rooms.
If you have caught in a very dialogue with someone more mature, Enable it happen. That’s exactly where the top journey stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life here. Pienza was made to be “the right city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner provides a watch. Every single look at includes a breeze.
Nevertheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This town smells remarkable. Cheese, mainly — pecorino getting older in store windows and on counters, wanting to sample. You won’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. Persons take their time below, and ultimately, so would you.
Searching for additional context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foods and check here journey in Italy. Definitely worth the study before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t approach your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone actions and unforeseen murals and shadows that change given that the working day moves. Artists live right here. Writers check out and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in small courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than a check here location.
Sunsets strike different in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase everything below. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this feeling inside a current piece on gradual journey — how spots like this provide a different style of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a value tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo can be a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for interest, but it really rewards those who detect. You walk the loop after which you can walk it yet again, seeing a thing new each time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is when the south of Italy shows its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Attractive. Extremely alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov few consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This put feels untouched. Not inside a “hidden gem” way — within a “this basically hasn’t improved” way.
Santo Stefano sits inside the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is more info thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are part of a preservation undertaking read more — trying to keep the previous alive by inviting friends into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His page talks about honoring place and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s nothing flashy here, which is what makes it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Smart
In this article’s the matter. You may see Italy in every week. It is possible to hit the highlights. Snap shots. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget about it by up coming Tuesday?
Vacation such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new plan. Nevertheless it’s one we’re last but not least prepared to hear.
So go. Slowly. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.