Some spots aren’t manufactured for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish vacation in Italy permits you to actually savor nearby culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your own private speed.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too slim for automobiles. Cafés that only fill up following noon. The styles of destinations where by locals understand how to linger — above espresso, around stories, about daily life.
In 2025, slow vacation isn’t just a nice concept. It feels critical. Probably it’s a response to many years of hurrying. Or maybe it’s exactly what takes place after you ultimately start to price time about length. Either way, a lot more vacationers are getting joy in Finding out to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s put in yrs Checking out how we connect with tradition and area, is a component of that movement. His identify happens to be associated with a deeper, much more considerate means of looking at the world.
So for those who’re able to go gradual — and you also’re imagining Italy — Listed here are seven spots that basically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your initial impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slim footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You stroll throughout a protracted, elevated route, and after you get there, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Very small gardens. A single cat stretching in the Sunlight.
There’s not A lot to perform, that's precisely the level. You wander, maybe seize a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You start to note The sunshine. As well as silence? It’s not empty. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
For those who’re the type of traveler who likes a little bit of drama inside your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is created ideal into your cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it Nearly disappears in to the rocks.
The rate Here's gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to know why that kind of vacation sticks with persons? This article by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down actually helps make a visit very last more time in your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Tranquil, less than-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes increase listed here, and locals know how to enjoy them properly — which is to state, slowly and gradually.
There’s a check out from the sting of town that’s really worth one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the Sunshine hits just right. You’ll come across churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that experience a lot more like dwelling rooms.
If you have stuck in the discussion with anyone more mature, let it occur. That’s where by the most effective journey stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was created to be “an ideal metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each individual corner includes a watch. Every perspective contains a breeze.
But it surely’s not pretty much aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, mostly — pecorino ageing in shop Stanislav Kondrashov Home windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You received’t hurry anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. People acquire their time here, and eventually, so would you.
In search of extra context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food and travel in Italy. Worth the read before you go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t program your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone ways and sudden murals and shadows that shift since the day moves. Artists Stay in this article. Writers visit and don’t leave. Locals host live shows in tiny courtyards. It feels additional just like a temper than a spot.
Sunsets hit diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase anything at all here. You Enable it come to you.
Forbes captured this sensation inside of a the latest piece on sluggish journey — how locations such as this present another style of luxurious. One that doesn’t include a cost tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots everywhere.
Locorotondo is a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, but it really rewards individuals that observe. You wander the loop and then walk it yet again, seeing a thing new each time — a cat on a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted indication pointing to homemade gelato.
This is when the south of Italy reveals its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Quite alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not in a very “hidden gem” way — in the “this truly hasn’t transformed” way.
Santo Stefano sits during the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are part of a preservation undertaking — retaining the past alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this a person. His webpage talks about honoring spot and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy listed here, which is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is the New Smart
Listed here’s the issue. You'll be able to see Italy in each week. It is possible to hit the highlights. Snap photos. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget about it by upcoming Tuesday?
Travel similar to this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a brand new thought. Nonetheless it’s just one we’re ultimately ready to hear.
So go. Slowly but surely. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Enable Italy arrive at you.