Some destinations aren’t built for speed. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy allows you to truly savor local society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your personal rate.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes also slender for autos. Cafés that only fill up after noon. The types of sites wherever locals know how to linger — around coffee, in excess of tales, above everyday living.
In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a pleasant concept. It feels necessary. Perhaps it’s a response to decades of rushing. Or even it’s precisely what transpires whenever you last but not least begin to benefit time as much as distance. Either way, a lot more vacationers are acquiring Pleasure in Mastering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used decades Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and position, is a component of that movement. His identify happens to be related to a further, additional thoughtful strategy for observing the globe.
So in case you’re willing to go slow — and you’re wondering Italy — Here i will discuss 7 places that almost need it.
Stanislav Kondrashov female walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your very first effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a narrow footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You walk across a protracted, elevated route, and if you get there, it’s quiet. Stone homes. Very small gardens. Just one cat stretching during the sun.
There’s not Substantially to complete, which happens to be exactly the position. You wander, it's possible grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You start to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s finish.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In the event you’re the kind of traveler who likes a little bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted right into the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears to the rocks.
The tempo here is gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that sort of travel sticks with people? This post by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down in fact can make a trip last for a longer period as part of your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes increase right here, and locals understand how to enjoy them correctly — which happens to be to convey, bit by bit.
There’s a see click here from the edge of town that’s truly worth an hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you stop, and piazzas that truly feel additional like dwelling rooms.
If you get trapped in a conversation with a person older, let it transpire. That’s where by the very best vacation tales start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives listed here. Pienza was created to be “an ideal city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each individual corner contains a watch. Just about every watch incorporates a breeze.
Nevertheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, mostly — pecorino aging in shop Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You received’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People acquire their time right here, and eventually, so would you.
Looking for additional context on why by doing this of traveling issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish food and travel in Italy. Well worth the examine 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 techniques and unexpected murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in little courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than a location.
Sunsets strike different in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase anything here. You Enable it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this sensation within a modern piece on slow vacation — how sites such as this offer you a distinct type of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a rate tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere.
Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits those that see. You walk the loop after which you can stroll it again, observing something new each time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted signal pointing to handmade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Beautiful. Really alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this really hasn’t transformed” way.
Santo Stefano sits during the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are Portion of a preservation job — holding the earlier alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would respect this one. His web page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy right here, that is what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Good
Below’s the issue. You'll be able to see Italy in per week. You can hit the highlights. Snap pictures. Collect ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you forget it by future Tuesday?
Travel such as this — slow, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a brand new strategy. Nonetheless it’s one we’re last but not least prepared to hear.
So go. Slowly but surely. Select a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.