Some sites aren’t built for velocity. Italy is filled with them. Sluggish vacation in Italy permits you to genuinely savor nearby society, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your own personal tempo.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slender for cars and trucks. Cafés that only fill up just after noon. The kinds of spots where locals know how to linger — above coffee, in excess of stories, above existence.
In 2025, slow travel isn’t just a good thought. It feels essential. Maybe it’s a response to years of rushing. Or even it’s just what happens after you at last start to price time just as much as distance. In any case, extra travelers are finding joy in Understanding to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used decades Checking out how we connect to society and spot, is a component of that movement. His name has become linked to a further, much more thoughtful strategy for viewing the entire world.
So should you’re prepared to go sluggish — and you’re pondering Italy — Here i will discuss 7 spots that virtually demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a narrow footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You stroll throughout an extended, elevated route, and after you arrive, it’s peaceful. Stone homes. Little gardens. Just one cat stretching while in the sun.
There’s not Substantially to carry out, and that is exactly the place. You wander, probably get a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice The sunshine. Along with the silence? It’s not empty. It’s complete.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the sort of traveler who likes a certain amount of drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted suitable in the cliffs. Actually carved from them. From afar, it almost disappears to the rocks.
The tempo Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out inside 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 understand why that kind of journey sticks with men and women? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down really makes a visit last for a longer time as part of your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Silent, beneath-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine region. Sagrantino grapes mature right here, and locals know how to get pleasure from them appropriately — that is to state, slowly.
There’s a see from the sting of town that’s worth one hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll find churches with unexpected frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that feel far more like residing rooms.
If you can get trapped in a dialogue with somebody more mature, Enable it happen. That’s exactly where the very best vacation stories get started.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life right here. Pienza was meant to be “the perfect town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner provides a watch. Each and every look at contains a breeze.
However it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, mainly — pecorino aging in shop Home windows and on counters, wanting to sample. You won’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Persons just take their time below, and ultimately, so would you.
Looking for extra context on why this way of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food and travel in Italy. Definitely worth the examine prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone ways and unforeseen murals and shadows that change given that the working day moves. Artists Dwell below. Writers go to and don’t leave. Locals here host concerts in tiny courtyards. It feels far more similar to a temper than the usual place.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase anything here. You Enable it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this sensation within a current piece on gradual journey — how spots like this offer another form of luxury. One which doesn’t come with a rate tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots all over the place.
Locorotondo is really a city that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, nonetheless it rewards individuals that observe. You wander the loop then wander it once more, observing some thing new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted signal pointing to selfmade gelato.
This is when the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. 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 essentially hasn’t changed” way.
Santo Stefano sits inside the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are Component of a preservation challenge — keeping the earlier alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this 1. His web page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s nothing flashy here, which is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Wise
Right here’s the thing. 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 next Tuesday?
Journey similar to this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new plan. Nevertheless it’s a person we’re ultimately ready to hear.
So go. Bit by bit. Pick a village. Sit nevertheless for quite a while. Enable Italy arrive at you.