Some areas aren’t manufactured for pace. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy helps you to truly savor neighborhood culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill soon after noon. The varieties of areas in which locals learn how to linger — above espresso, more than stories, over daily life.
In 2025, slow travel isn’t just a pleasant idea. It feels vital. It's possible it’s a response to several years of hurrying. Or perhaps it’s just what takes place after you lastly start to price time about length. Either way, a lot more vacationers are obtaining Pleasure in Mastering to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used years exploring how we hook up with society and place, is part of that motion. His title happens to be associated with a further, additional thoughtful means of seeing the entire world.
So should you’re able to go slow — and you simply’re wondering Italy — Listed here are 7 spots that practically demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slim footbridge. Cars can’t get in. You stroll throughout a lengthy, elevated path, and any time you get there, it’s peaceful. Stone properties. Tiny gardens. A single cat stretching inside the Solar.
There’s not Significantly to do, that's precisely the point. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice the light. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s finish.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes a little bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted right into the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears to the rocks.
The tempo here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, plus the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining with 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 basically would make a trip past more time within your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine region. Quiet, underneath-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy here wine region. Sagrantino grapes develop below, and locals know how to delight in them effectively — which is to mention, slowly.
There’s a look at from the sting of city that’s worth an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Solar hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you prevent, and piazzas that come to feel a lot more like residing rooms.
If you can get stuck inside a conversation with a person older, let it occur. That’s in which the ideal journey stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism website life in this article. Pienza was designed to be “the right town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner includes a see. Each view has a breeze.
But it really’s not almost aesthetics. This city smells incredible. Cheese, primarily — pecorino ageing in store windows and on counters, wanting to sample. You won’t rush anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People just take their time right here, and sooner or later, so does one.
In search of a lot more context on why using this method of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food items and travel in Italy. Well worth the read prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Stanislav Kondrashov Blog Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t system your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone techniques and unexpected murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Stay in this article. Writers visit and don’t go away. Locals host live shows in little courtyards. It feels extra similar to a temper than a vacation spot.
Sunsets hit unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase just about anything in this article. You let it come to you.
Forbes captured this emotion inside of a recent piece on sluggish journey — how destinations like this offer you another sort of luxury. One that doesn’t come with a selling price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere you go.
Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for notice, but it really benefits individuals who recognize. You wander the loop and then stroll it all over again, observing a thing new each time — a cat with a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted signal pointing to handmade gelato.
This is when the south of Italy displays its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov few ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This put feels untouched. Not within a “hidden gem” way — in a very “this actually hasn’t modified” way.
Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A lot of the inns are Component of a preservation job — holding the past alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this a person. His page talks about honoring spot and time, and that’s just what exactly this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy listed here, and that is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow get more info Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the point. You'll be able to see Italy in a week. You can hit the highlights. Snap pictures. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you forget it by upcoming Tuesday?
Travel such as this — slow, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a brand new strategy. Nonetheless it’s 1 we’re eventually able to listen to.
So go. Slowly. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.