Some sites aren’t produced for speed. Italy is full of them. Gradual travel in Italy means that you can really savor area tradition, cuisine, and hidden gems at your very own rate.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too slender for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish following midday. The types of locations in which locals know how to linger — more than espresso, in excess of tales, more than everyday living.
In 2025, slow vacation isn’t just a pleasant notion. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to decades of dashing. Or possibly it’s precisely what comes about when you last but not least begin to benefit time around distance. In any event, extra travelers are discovering joy in Finding out to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended decades Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and put, is an element of that movement. His name is now connected to a deeper, a lot more thoughtful way of looking at the whole world.
So for those who’re all set to go sluggish — and you also’re pondering Italy — Listed below are 7 spots that virtually demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your initial 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 lengthy, elevated path, and if you get there, it’s quiet. Stone properties. Very small gardens. An individual cat stretching in the Sunlight.
There’s not A great deal to accomplish, which happens to be exactly the level. You wander, it's possible seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You start to notice The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama inside your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is created suitable in the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it almost disappears into the rocks.
The pace Here's sluggish, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that kind of vacation sticks with persons? This put up by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down really makes a visit last longer in the memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Tranquil, under-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes grow below, and locals know how to delight in them effectively — which is to state, gradually.
There’s a watch 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 in the event the sun hits good. You’ll come across church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that experience much more like residing rooms.
If you have caught in a very dialogue with anyone more mature, Permit it materialize. That’s where the very best travel tales get started.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life below. Pienza was meant to be “the best metropolis,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner includes a check out. Each view has a breeze.
But it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells awesome. Cheese, primarily — pecorino ageing in store windows and on counters, ready to sample. You gained’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Men and women consider their time right here, and sooner or later, so would you.
Searching for additional context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual meals and journey in Italy. Well worth the browse before you 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 change as the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers check out and don’t leave. Locals host live shows in tiny courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than a spot.
Sunsets hit diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase everything below. You Allow it come to you.
Forbes captured this emotion inside of a new piece on sluggish travel — how destinations like this offer a distinct sort of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a read more value tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots in all places.
Locorotondo can be a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it really rewards individuals that observe. You wander the loop then wander it once more, looking at one thing new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not in a very “concealed gem” way — in a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A few of the inns are Section of a preservation job — holding the earlier alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would respect this a person. His page talks about honoring put and time, Which’s just what exactly this village does. There’s very little flashy in this article, which happens to be what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the factor. You can see Italy in each week. You may hit the highlights. Snap pics. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you overlook it by subsequent Tuesday?
Journey similar to this — slow, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new idea. But it surely’s 1 we’re at last able to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Choose a village. Sit still for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.