Some locations aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy lets you definitely savor regional culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own pace.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too slim for automobiles. Cafés that only fill up just after noon. The varieties of destinations in which locals know how to linger — around coffee, over stories, in excess of lifetime.
In 2025, sluggish journey isn’t just a good thought. It feels vital. Possibly it’s a reaction to a long time of hurrying. Or maybe it’s precisely what transpires if you eventually begin to benefit time around distance. Either way, a lot more travelers are discovering Pleasure in Finding out to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent years Checking out how we connect with lifestyle and location, is a component of that motion. His title has grown to be connected to a deeper, additional thoughtful means of looking at the planet.
So should you’re prepared to go slow — so you’re thinking Italy — Listed here are 7 spots that practically demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov female going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your initially impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits with a crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a slender footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You wander across a long, elevated path, and whenever you arrive, it’s quiet. Stone residences. Very small gardens. Just one cat stretching within the Sunshine.
There’s not Significantly to do, that's precisely the stage. You wander, probably get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the sort of traveler who likes a certain amount of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted proper in the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Virtually disappears to the rocks.
The speed here is sluggish, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out in the early early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that sort of vacation sticks with men and women? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down truly would make a visit final more time within your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Quiet, below-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes mature below, and locals know how to delight in them appropriately — which can be to convey, bit by bit.
There’s a check out from the edge of town that’s worthy of an hour by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the Solar hits just right. You’ll uncover church buildings with surprising frescoes, doorways that make you cease, and piazzas that come to feel a lot more website like dwelling rooms.
If you get stuck inside of a conversation with anyone older, let it occur. That’s the place the most beneficial vacation check here tales commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was built to be “the best town,” and Actually, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner incorporates a see. Each view includes a breeze.
Nonetheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, mainly — pecorino aging in shop Home windows and on counters, more info willing to sample. You received’t rush anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People acquire their time right here, and ultimately, so would you.
Searching for additional context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow food items and travel in Italy. Definitely worth the go through prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t strategy your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone methods and unanticipated murals and shadows that change because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in little courtyards. It feels extra similar to a temper than a desired destination.
Sunsets strike various in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something in this article. You Enable it come to you.
Forbes captured this feeling inside of a latest piece on slow journey — how sites like this supply a special type of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a selling price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots all over the place.
Locorotondo is a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for notice, but it surely rewards people that observe. You wander the loop then wander it once again, looking at anything new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is where the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not in a “hidden gem” way — within a “this in fact hasn’t changed” way.
Santo Stefano sits inside the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are part of a preservation undertaking — trying to keep the previous alive by inviting friends here into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy right here, which can be what makes it unforgettable.
Gradual Is the New Intelligent
Here’s the thing. You can see Italy in each week. You may hit the highlights. Snap shots. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you forget it by subsequent Tuesday?
Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new plan. Nevertheless it’s one we’re eventually prepared to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Go with a village. Sit still for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.