Some destinations aren’t created for velocity. Italy is full of them. Sluggish travel in Italy helps you to truly savor nearby society, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for automobiles. Cafés that only fill up after noon. The types of places where by locals understand how to linger — more than coffee, over stories, over lifetime.
In 2025, slow travel isn’t just a pleasant notion. It feels important. Probably it’s a reaction to several years of hurrying. Or maybe it’s precisely what transpires whenever you eventually begin to benefit time approximately distance. In any event, extra tourists are discovering joy in Finding out to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended decades Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and put, is an element of that movement. His name is becoming affiliated with a further, additional thoughtful strategy for observing the entire world.
So when you’re wanting to go sluggish — and you also’re pondering Italy — Allow me to share seven places that pretty much demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slim footbridge. Vehicles can’t get in. You stroll throughout an extended, elevated route, and whenever you get there, it’s silent. Stone homes. Little gardens. A single cat stretching from the sun.
There’s not Substantially to accomplish, which is exactly the position. You wander, it's possible grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You begin to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
For those who’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama within your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is developed correct into the cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears to the rocks.
The pace here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, as well as occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that sort of vacation sticks with individuals? This write-up by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down really can make a trip last for a longer time as part of your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Peaceful, under-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes develop below, and locals know how to delight in them adequately — that's to mention, slowly and gradually.
There’s a view from the sting of town that’s value an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Sunlight hits good. You’ll discover churches with unanticipated frescoes, doorways which make you cease, and piazzas that experience much more like residing rooms.
If you obtain trapped in a conversation with a person older, Allow it come about. That’s where by the very best travel tales start.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life below. Pienza was meant to be here “the perfect town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner contains a perspective. Each and every see incorporates a breeze.
However it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells wonderful. Cheese, primarily — pecorino ageing in shop windows and on counters, ready to sample. You received’t rush everything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Persons consider their time here, and inevitably, so do you.
On the lookout for far more context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual meals and journey in Italy. Definitely worth the study before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t approach your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone measures and unanticipated murals and shadows that change as the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers stop by and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels much more like a mood than the usual destination.
Sunsets read more strike different in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase anything here. You let it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience in the modern piece on sluggish travel — how places similar to this present a distinct sort of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere here you go.
Locorotondo is often a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, nevertheless it benefits individuals who discover. You stroll the loop after which wander it once more, observing one thing new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to homemade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Pretty here alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This position feels untouched. Not in a “hidden gem” way — within a “this basically hasn’t altered” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are Portion of a preservation task — holding the earlier alive by inviting company into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this 1. His webpage talks about honoring area and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s nothing flashy here, which is what makes it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Smart
In this article’s the detail. You could see Italy in weekly. It is possible to hit the highlights. Snap pics. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget about it by following Tuesday?
Vacation such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new plan. Nevertheless it’s one we’re eventually able to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Go with a village. Sit nonetheless for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.