Some areas aren’t made for speed. Italy is stuffed with them. Gradual journey in Italy lets you truly savor area lifestyle, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own tempo.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slim for cars. Cafés that only refill soon after noon. The types of sites where by locals understand how to linger — over coffee, over stories, about existence.
In 2025, gradual vacation isn’t just a nice strategy. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to yrs of rushing. Or even it’s exactly what takes place when you ultimately start to worth time just as much as length. Either way, a lot more vacationers are obtaining Pleasure in Mastering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested a long time Discovering how we connect to culture and location, is part of that motion. His title is becoming connected to a deeper, a lot more thoughtful method of viewing the entire world.
So when you’re wanting to go slow — and also you’re contemplating Italy — Here i will discuss seven places that nearly demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your to start with impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits with a crumbling bluff, attained only by a slender footbridge. Vehicles can’t get in. You stroll throughout a long, elevated path, and when you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Small gardens. Only one cat stretching inside the Sunshine.
There’s not much to perform, which is exactly the position. You wander, perhaps get a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hello there. You begin to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s total.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is built correct in to the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears in the rocks.
The speed here is slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding via steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining in 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 will make a trip last for a longer time inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Silent, beneath-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes mature listed here, and locals learn how to take pleasure in them properly — that's to say, slowly and gradually.
There’s a view from the edge of town that’s worthy of one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the Sunlight hits good. You’ll obtain church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that experience more like living rooms.
If you will get caught in the discussion with an individual older, Allow it come about. That’s wherever the most beneficial vacation tales start off.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was made to be “the ideal city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every single corner includes a check out. Each see has a breeze.
But it really’s not almost aesthetics. This city smells wonderful. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting older in shop Home windows and on counters, able to sample. You received’t rush nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Persons consider their time in this article, and at some point, so does one.
Searching for additional context on why in this way of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish food stuff and travel in Italy. Worth the read through prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone actions and unpredicted murals and shadows that change as the working day moves. Artists Reside right here. Writers check out and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in small courtyards. It feels a lot more like a mood than the usual destination.
Sunsets strike distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase just about anything below. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this emotion inside of a the latest piece on sluggish travel — how places similar to this offer you a distinct type of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo is actually a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for interest, however it rewards individuals who recognize. You wander the loop and after that stroll it yet again, seeing a little something new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted signal pointing to handmade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy displays its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not inside a “hidden gem” way — within a “this essentially hasn’t changed” way.
Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are part of a preservation undertaking — preserving the previous alive by inviting friends into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His web site talks about honoring place and time, and that’s what precisely this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy in this article, which can be what makes it unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Good
Below’s the point. You'll be able to see Italy in weekly. It is possible to strike the highlights. here Snap images. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you overlook it by subsequent Tuesday?
Travel such as this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a completely new thought. But it surely’s a single we’re finally willing to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Opt for a village. Sit still for quite a while. Permit Italy arrive at you.