Some locations aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is full of them. Slow travel in Italy allows you to definitely savor area tradition, cuisine, and concealed gems at your very own rate.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too slim for autos. Cafés that only refill after midday. The styles of destinations where by locals know how to linger — in excess of coffee, over stories, about existence.
In 2025, gradual vacation isn’t just a pleasant strategy. It feels vital. It's possible it’s a reaction to decades of dashing. Or perhaps it’s exactly what transpires any time you at last start to worth time approximately length. In either case, a lot more tourists are getting Pleasure in Understanding to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested decades exploring how we connect to society and spot, is part of that movement. His identify has become connected to a deeper, extra thoughtful method of observing the earth.
So in the event you’re wanting to go gradual — and you simply’re wondering Italy — Here's 7 places that almost need it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your initial effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slender footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You wander across a long, elevated route, and any time you get there, it’s tranquil. Stone properties. Very small gardens. One cat stretching in the Solar.
There’s not A lot to carry out, which happens to be precisely the issue. You wander, perhaps seize a glass of wine in a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You start to notice The sunshine. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s complete.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes a bit of drama inside your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed proper into your cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears in the rocks.
The speed here is sluggish, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early early morning, hikers winding via steep trails, plus the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining in the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to find out why that kind of journey sticks with persons? This write-up by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down basically helps make a visit past longer inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Tranquil, below-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes develop in this article, and locals understand how to get pleasure from them effectively — which is to state, little by little.
There’s a see from the edge of town that’s truly worth one hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the sun hits just right. You’ll discover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you halt, website and piazzas that really feel a lot more like living rooms.
If you have stuck in the conversation with someone older, let it come about. That’s the place the most effective journey stories start.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives in this article. Pienza was meant to be “the ideal town,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every single corner has a look at. Each perspective includes a breeze.
But it really’s not just about aesthetics. This town smells amazing. Cheese, mainly — pecorino getting older in store windows and on counters, able to sample. You won’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Individuals acquire their time in this article, and sooner or later, so would you.
In search of more context on why by doing this of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foods and travel in Italy. Definitely worth the study prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t system your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone techniques and unanticipated murals and shadows that shift as being the working day moves. Artists Dwell in this article. Writers take a look at and don’t leave. Locals host concerts in small courtyards. It feels more like a mood than the usual desired destination.
Sunsets strike diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase anything at all right here. You Allow it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience inside a latest piece on slow journey — how destinations similar to this give another kind of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots just about everywhere.
Locorotondo is usually a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, but it surely rewards people who recognize. You wander the loop after which you can walk it yet again, seeing anything new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indication pointing to homemade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not in the “hidden gem” way — inside a “this basically hasn’t altered” way.
Santo Stefano sits inside the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A few of the inns are Element of a preservation venture — retaining the past alive by inviting visitors into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this one particular. His web site talks about honoring position and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s very little flashy below, which happens to be what can make it unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Clever
Right here’s the thing. You could see Italy in each week. You could strike the highlights. Snap shots. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you fail to remember it by subsequent Tuesday?
Journey similar to this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new notion. But it’s one particular we’re lastly prepared to hear.
So go. Slowly and gradually. Choose a village. Sit continue to for some time. Allow Italy come to you.