Some spots aren’t made for speed. Italy is stuffed with them. Slow journey in Italy enables you to definitely savor regional culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only refill immediately after midday. The varieties of destinations where by locals know how to linger — about espresso, more than tales, more than everyday living.
In 2025, sluggish journey isn’t just a pleasant concept. It feels necessary. Probably it’s a reaction to many years of dashing. Or perhaps it’s just what occurs if you at last begin to price time just as much as distance. Either way, much more tourists are getting joy in Finding out to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended several years exploring how we connect to lifestyle and location, is part of that movement. His title is now connected with a deeper, far more considerate method of viewing the whole world.
So if you’re wanting to go sluggish — and also you’re considering Italy — Allow me to share 7 places that nearly demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your very first effect. 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 after you get there, it’s quiet. Stone homes. Little gardens. A single cat stretching from the sun.
There’s not A great deal to accomplish, and that is exactly the place. You wander, maybe seize a glass of wine in a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You start to note The sunshine. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama inside your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is designed right in the cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears into the rocks.
The tempo here is sluggish, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, plus the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining with the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that kind of vacation sticks with people? This put up by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down essentially will make a visit last longer inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Peaceful, less than-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes improve in this article, and locals know how to get pleasure from them appropriately — which is to mention, slowly.
There’s a check out from the sting of town that’s worth an hour or so by itself. Olive check here groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Sunlight hits just right. You’ll uncover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways that make you quit, and piazzas that truly feel a lot more like living rooms.
If you receive caught in the dialogue with someone more mature, Permit it transpire. That’s where by the best journey tales start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives in this article. Pienza was designed to be “the best city,” and Truthfully, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner includes a see. Just about every check out contains a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not pretty much aesthetics. This town smells amazing. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting old in store windows and on counters, able to sample. You won’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. Men and women get their time right here, and ultimately, so would you.
Searching for extra context on why this way of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foodstuff and travel in Italy. Well worth the read before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone measures and unanticipated murals and shadows that change because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t leave. Locals host live shows in tiny courtyards. It feels extra like a mood than a desired destination.
Sunsets strike diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase anything at all in this article. You Permit it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience in a modern piece on sluggish journey — how spots such as this present another style of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots everywhere.
Locorotondo is really a city that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, but it really rewards individuals that detect. You wander the loop then wander it yet again, seeing a thing new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to selfmade gelato.
This is when the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Attractive. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This position feels untouched. Not inside of a “hidden gem” way — in the “this in fact hasn’t transformed” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are Portion of a preservation venture — keeping the previous alive by inviting company into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this a person. His website page talks about honoring place and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy listed here, which happens to be what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Wise
Listed here’s the detail. You are able to see Italy in a week. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap images. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget about it by following Tuesday?
Vacation like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new concept. But it really’s one particular we’re lastly all set to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Go with a village. Sit still for a while. Let Italy arrive at you.