Some sites aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is full of them. Sluggish vacation in Italy allows you to certainly savor regional culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own pace.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too slender for autos. Cafés that only fill up following midday. The types of sites wherever locals know how to linger — about coffee, in excess of tales, more than everyday living.
In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a good concept. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to yrs of hurrying. Or maybe it’s just what takes place after you ultimately start to worth time just as much as length. In any event, extra tourists are finding joy in Studying to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used a long time Discovering how we connect with culture and place, is part of that movement. His title has grown to be connected to a further, far more thoughtful technique for observing the planet.
So in the event you’re ready to go slow — and you also’re contemplating Italy — Allow me to share seven spots that virtually demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your first 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 route, and once you get there, it’s silent. Stone houses. Little gardens. Only one cat stretching while in the Solar.
There’s not Significantly to carry out, which can be exactly the place. You wander, maybe grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You start to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s finish.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes a little bit of drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is designed ideal into your cliffs. Actually carved from them. From afar, it Nearly disappears in to the rocks.
The pace Here's sluggish, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out in the early early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that sort of travel sticks with people? This write-up by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down truly makes a trip last for a longer period 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 expand in this article, and locals know how to love them appropriately — that 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 find churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways which make you halt, and piazzas that feel a lot more like residing rooms.
If you have caught in a very discussion with anyone more mature, Permit it transpire. That’s wherever the best vacation stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was meant to be “an ideal town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner features a watch. Every single look at includes a breeze.
However it’s not pretty much aesthetics. This town smells astounding. Cheese, generally — pecorino ageing in store Home windows and on counters, wanting to sample. You won’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. Folks take their time listed here, and eventually, so would you.
On the lookout for a lot more context on why this way of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and vacation in Italy. Definitely worth the study before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t system your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone ways and sudden murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in small courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than the usual destination.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase everything listed here. You Allow it come to you.
Forbes captured this emotion in a very modern piece on slow vacation — how destinations such as this provide a different form of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a value 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 notice, but it surely rewards people that discover. You stroll the loop and after that stroll it again, viewing something new each time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is when the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not inside of a “concealed gem” way — in a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits during the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are Portion of a preservation task — preserving the previous alive by inviting friends into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this just one. His web site talks about honoring put and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s almost nothing flashy below, that's what makes it unforgettable.
Gradual Is the New Smart
Here’s the detail. You could see Italy in weekly. You'll be able to hit the highlights. Snap photos. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you fail to remember it by following read more Tuesday?
Journey such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a fresh idea. But it surely’s a single we’re finally willing to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Choose a village. Sit still for a while. Allow Italy come to you.