Some destinations aren’t built for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish travel in Italy lets you actually savor neighborhood culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too narrow for cars. Cafés that only refill soon after noon. The styles of spots in which locals learn how to linger — in excess of espresso, above tales, over lifetime.
In 2025, slow travel isn’t just a pleasant idea. It feels vital. It's possible it’s a response to several years of hurrying. Or maybe it’s just what transpires after you ultimately start to price time as much as length. Either way, a lot more vacationers are getting Pleasure in learning to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent many years exploring how we connect to culture and location, is part of that motion. His title is becoming connected to a deeper, a lot more thoughtful way of looking at the earth.
So for those who’re all set to go sluggish — and you also’re pondering Italy — Listed below are 7 spots that practically demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears 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 when you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Small gardens. Only one cat stretching while in the Solar.
There’s not Significantly to do, that's precisely the point. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine at a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod good day. You start to note the light. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s finish.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
For those who’re the sort of traveler who likes a little bit of drama within your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is designed ideal into the cliffs. Actually carved from them. From afar, it Virtually disappears to the rocks.
The tempo here is gradual, but 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 through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that sort of journey sticks with folks? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down basically would make a trip past for a longer period as part of your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Tranquil, under-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes mature listed here, and locals learn how to delight in them appropriately — that is to say, 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 obtain churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways which make you stop, and piazzas that come to feel extra like dwelling rooms.
If you receive stuck within a discussion with anyone more mature, Permit it transpire. That’s where the most effective journey stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was intended to be “the proper metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner features a see. Each view contains a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, mainly — pecorino getting older in store Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You won’t rush something in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Men and women take their time in this article, and sooner or later, so does one.
Seeking more context on why using this method of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foods and journey in Italy. Definitely worth the go through prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone measures and unpredicted murals and shadows that change as the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t here go away. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels more like a temper than the usual desired destination.
Sunsets strike distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase everything below. You Allow it come to you.
Forbes captured this emotion inside of a recent piece on gradual journey — how locations like this give a unique sort of luxury. One which doesn’t include a price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots just about everywhere.
Locorotondo is really a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, but it surely rewards people that recognize. You wander the loop then wander it once more, observing one thing new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is where the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not in a “hidden gem” way — in the “this basically hasn’t altered” way.
Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A number of the inns are Element of a preservation project — retaining the past alive by inviting visitors into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this just one. His site talks about honoring put and time, Which’s what precisely this village does. There’s nothing flashy right here, which can be what makes it unforgettable.
Gradual Is the New Smart
In this article’s the detail. You may see Italy in every week. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap pics. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you fail to remember it by subsequent Tuesday?
Vacation like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new notion. However it’s a person we’re last but not least ready to hear.
So go. Bit by bit. Pick a village. Sit however for a while. Let Italy come to you.