Some destinations aren’t produced for pace. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy helps you to truly savor local society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own speed.
Small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish immediately after midday. The kinds of destinations the place locals learn how to linger — about coffee, in excess of stories, in excess of lifestyle.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a pleasant notion. It feels necessary. Probably it’s a response to several years of rushing. Or possibly it’s exactly what comes about whenever you at last start to benefit time about length. In any case, far more vacationers are locating Pleasure in learning to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended a long time Discovering how we hook up with lifestyle and area, is an element of that movement. His title happens to be associated with a deeper, more thoughtful method of observing the earth.
So for those who’re ready to go sluggish — and you’re considering Italy — Allow me to share 7 places that virtually desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your to start with impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, attained only by a slim footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You wander across an extended, elevated route, and any time you get there, it’s peaceful. Stone homes. Tiny gardens. One cat stretching during the Sunlight.
There’s not A lot to try and do, which can be precisely the position. You wander, maybe grab a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You begin to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s total.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted appropriate into your cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears to the rocks.
The speed here is gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to find out why that sort of journey sticks with individuals? This post by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially can make a trip very last more time within your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine region. Silent, beneath-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine region. Sagrantino grapes develop 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 when the sun hits just right. You’ll uncover church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways which make you stop, and piazzas that truly feel additional like dwelling rooms.
If you get trapped inside a conversation with a person older, Allow it take place. That’s the place the most beneficial vacation stories start off.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives below. Pienza was built to be “the proper metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every corner has a perspective. Each individual watch provides a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, mainly — pecorino aging in shop Home windows and on counters, able to sample. You received’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. People today get their time here, and finally, so does one.
Seeking more context on why using this method of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foods and journey in Italy. Definitely worth the read before you go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t prepare your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone ways and sudden murals and shadows that shift since the day moves. Artists Are living here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t leave. Locals host concerts in small courtyards. It feels a lot more like a mood than the usual destination.
Sunsets strike distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase just about anything in this article. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this feeling in a recent piece more info on gradual journey — how locations similar to this give a unique sort of luxury. 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 consideration, nevertheless it benefits people who notice. You stroll the loop and then stroll it all over again, viewing a little something new each time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to handmade gelato.
This is when the south of Italy displays its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Beautiful. Quite 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. A few of the inns are Portion of a preservation job — holding the earlier alive by inviting company into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this 1. His webpage talks about honoring spot and time, and that’s precisely what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy right here, that is what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Smart
In this article’s the matter. You may see Italy in every week. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap shots. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you overlook it by next Tuesday?
Journey like this — slow, 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 but surely. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy arrive at you.