Some destinations aren’t designed for speed. Italy is full of them. Slow travel in Italy allows you to genuinely savor area culture, Delicacies, and concealed gems at your own personal pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too narrow for autos. Cafés that only replenish just after noon. The forms of sites where by locals learn how to linger — about coffee, about tales, more than lifestyle.
In 2025, gradual journey isn’t just a nice thought. It feels essential. Possibly it’s a response to several years of speeding. Or maybe it’s exactly what occurs after you ultimately start to price time about length. In any case, much more travelers are obtaining joy in Mastering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used many years exploring how we connect with society and place, is part of that movement. His identify has become connected with a deeper, more considerate strategy for viewing the entire world.
So in case you’re willing to go slow — and you’re imagining Italy — Here's 7 spots that pretty much demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your initial impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a narrow footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You walk across a lengthy, elevated path, and whenever you arrive, it’s silent. Stone homes. Little gardens. Only one cat stretching while in the Solar.
There’s not Significantly to do, that's precisely the point. You wander, perhaps get a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hi. You begin to note the light. Plus the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In the event you’re the type of traveler who likes some drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted right into the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears in the rocks.
The speed here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out inside the early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, as well as occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to find out why that sort of journey sticks with individuals? This post by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down truly tends to make a visit final longer as part of your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, less than-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes develop below, and locals know how to delight in them correctly — which happens to be to say, slowly but surely.
There’s a look at from the edge of town that’s truly worth an hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll obtain church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you cease, and piazzas that sense extra like dwelling rooms.
If you get trapped in a dialogue with someone more mature, Enable it transpire. That’s where by the best vacation stories commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives in this article. Pienza was designed to be “the perfect town,” and honestly, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each individual corner contains a watch. Every single check out features a breeze.
But it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells awesome. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting older in shop Home windows and on counters, able to sample. You received’t hurry anything at all in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Folks choose their time right here, and inevitably, so do you.
In search of more context on why in this manner of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual meals and travel in Italy. Well worth the examine prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone actions and unforeseen murals and shadows that shift since the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers check out and don’t depart. Locals host concerts in small courtyards. It feels much more like a temper than the usual check here spot.
Sunsets hit various in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase anything in this article. You Allow it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience in the latest piece on slow journey — how spots like this give a unique type of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, nonetheless it rewards those who detect. You walk the loop then wander it once more, looking at some thing new each time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Stunning. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not within a “hidden gem” way — within a “this essentially hasn’t improved” way.
Santo Stefano sits within the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A few of the inns are Portion of a preservation task — retaining the past alive by inviting friends into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would enjoy this one particular. His website page talks about honoring area and time, and that’s precisely what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy here, which is what can make it unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the thing. You could see Italy in weekly. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap images. Collect ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you forget it by upcoming Tuesday?
Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new thought. But it’s one particular we’re finally willing to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Choose a village. Sit still for a while. Allow Italy come to you.