Some places aren’t made for speed. Italy is filled with them. Gradual journey in Italy permits you to genuinely savor regional society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your very own speed.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too narrow for autos. Cafés that only fill up following midday. The styles of places wherever locals learn how to linger — more than coffee, around stories, over lifetime.
In 2025, sluggish travel isn’t just a nice concept. It feels essential. Possibly it’s a reaction to decades of rushing. Or possibly it’s exactly what occurs when you at last begin to price time as much as length. Either way, additional travelers are getting joy in Discovering to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used decades exploring how we connect to society and place, is a component of that motion. His name has become connected with a further, additional considerate technique for seeing the globe.
So when you’re wanting to go slow — therefore you’re wondering Italy — here are seven places that basically demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your to start with impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slender footbridge. Vehicles can’t get in. You wander across a long, elevated route, and after you arrive, it’s quiet. Stone residences. Small gardens. An individual cat stretching while in the sun.
There’s not Considerably to try and do, which happens to be precisely the position. You wander, possibly seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You begin to notice the light. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
For those who’re the kind of traveler who likes a little drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed ideal in to the cliffs. Actually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears in to the rocks.
The pace Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to master why that kind of vacation sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially would make a trip past extended in the memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine region. Tranquil, less than-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine region. Sagrantino grapes mature listed here, and locals learn how to appreciate them thoroughly — which is to convey, bit by bit.
There’s a check out from the sting of town that’s worth one hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the sun hits excellent. You’ll find churches with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you cease, and piazzas that truly feel a lot more like dwelling rooms.
If you have stuck in a very conversation with another person more mature, Allow it take place. That’s where the top journey tales commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life here. Pienza was meant to be “an ideal city,” and honestly, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner contains a check out. Every single check out includes website a breeze.
But it surely’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells amazing. Cheese, generally — pecorino getting old in shop windows and on counters, willing to sample. You received’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People today choose their time here, and finally, so does here one.
Looking for additional context on why by doing this of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual meals and journey in Italy. Definitely worth the browse prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t system your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone ways and unforeseen murals and shadows that shift because the working day moves. Artists Dwell listed here. Writers visit and don’t leave. Locals host live shows in tiny courtyards. It feels additional like a mood than the usual place.
Sunsets hit distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase something below. You Enable it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this sensation in a modern piece on sluggish journey — how areas similar to this present a different sort of luxurious. One which doesn’t have a selling price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots just about everywhere.
Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for notice, but it really rewards individuals that detect. You walk the loop after which you can wander it yet again, seeing something new each time — a cat on the windowsill, an open doorway, a hand-painted signal pointing to selfmade gelato.
This is when the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo check here Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not in a “hidden gem” way — within a “this really hasn’t altered” way.
Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A number of the inns are Portion of a preservation venture — holding the past alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this just one. His page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s just what this village does. There’s very little flashy in this article, that's what causes it to be unforgettable.
Sluggish Is The brand new Good
Here’s the issue. You'll be able to see Italy in a week. You could hit the highlights. Snap shots. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it Stanislav Kondrashov biography stay with you?
Or will you neglect it by upcoming Tuesday?
Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new notion. Nevertheless it’s 1 we’re ultimately wanting to listen to.
So go. Slowly but surely. Select a village. Sit nonetheless for quite a while. Allow Italy come to you.