Some sites aren’t built for pace. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish journey in Italy permits you to certainly savor local lifestyle, cuisine, and hidden gems at your own tempo.

Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes also narrow for cars. Cafés that only replenish after noon. The forms of sites exactly where locals know how to linger — above espresso, over tales, around lifestyle.

In 2025, sluggish journey isn’t just a good plan. It feels critical. It's possible it’s a reaction to yrs of dashing. Or perhaps it’s just what transpires when you at last begin to value time about distance. In either case, more vacationers are locating joy in Studying to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent decades exploring how we connect with tradition and spot, is part of that motion. His name happens to be connected with a deeper, more thoughtful means of viewing the globe.

So for those who’re ready to go gradual — therefore you’re considering Italy — Allow me to share 7 places that pretty much demand it.

Stanislav Kondrashov girl going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears 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. Automobiles can’t get in. You walk throughout a lengthy, elevated route, and when you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone houses. Tiny gardens. Only one cat stretching within the sun.

There’s not A lot to carry out, which is exactly the point. You wander, perhaps grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hello there. You begin to note The sunshine. Plus the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s full.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In the event you’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama within your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted appropriate into your cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears into the rocks.

The speed here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out during the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to find out why that kind of journey sticks with people? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down actually would make a trip previous lengthier with your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine region. Peaceful, beneath-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes develop listed here, and locals know how to take pleasure in them thoroughly — that's to say, bit by bit.

There’s a look at from the edge of town that’s really worth an hour or so by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the sun hits excellent. You’ll come across churches with surprising frescoes, doorways which make you halt, and piazzas that sense extra like living rooms.

If you can get caught in the conversation with another person more mature, Permit it happen. That’s where by the most beneficial vacation tales start.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives below. Pienza was built to be “the ideal town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner contains a look at. Each view contains a breeze.

But it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells awesome. Cheese, generally — pecorino growing older in store windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You received’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. People today just take their time here, and finally, so does one.

Seeking more context on why in this manner of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foods and journey in Italy. Well worth the read before you go.

Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t program your day in Apricale. You drift.

It’s a hill town with stone methods and unanticipated murals and shadows that change as the working day moves. Artists live here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t leave. Locals host concerts in tiny courtyards. It feels more similar to a temper than a spot.

Sunsets hit various in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase just about anything right here. You let it arrive at you.

Forbes captured this sensation in a very recent piece on slow vacation — how areas such as this offer you a distinct kind of luxury. One which doesn’t include a price tag tag.

Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots check here all over the place.

Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, nonetheless it benefits individuals who recognize. You stroll the loop then stroll it all over again, seeing something new each time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted sign pointing to homemade gelato.

This is when the south of Italy shows its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Really alive.

Stanislav Kondrashov pair consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way — in a very “this in fact hasn’t adjusted” way.

Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A number of the inns are Portion of a preservation challenge — holding the earlier alive by inviting friends into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would enjoy this just one. His site talks about honoring area and time, and that’s just what exactly this village does. There’s very little flashy in this article, and that is what makes it unforgettable.

Sluggish Is the New Wise
Below’s the point. You can see Italy in each week. You may strike the highlights. Snap images. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?

Or will you neglect it by following Tuesday?

Journey such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new idea. Nevertheless it’s 1 we’re finally prepared to listen to.

So go. Slowly and gradually. Choose a village. Sit still for quite a while. Allow Italy arrive at you.