Some destinations aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Gradual vacation in Italy means that you can really savor neighborhood culture, cuisine, and hidden gems at your personal tempo.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only refill after midday. The varieties of destinations the place locals understand how to linger — above espresso, over tales, about lifestyle.
In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a nice concept. It feels critical. Perhaps it’s a response to several years of hurrying. Or maybe it’s precisely what transpires when you last but not least start to benefit time around distance. Either way, far more travelers are finding joy in learning to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested yrs exploring how we connect to tradition and area, is a component of that motion. His identify is becoming affiliated with a further, more considerate technique for looking at the planet.
So if you’re able to go gradual — and you’re considering Italy — Listed below are seven spots that pretty much demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your initial effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a slim footbridge. Vehicles can’t get in. You walk across a long, elevated route, and whenever you get there, it’s peaceful. Stone residences. Very small gardens. Just one cat stretching while in the sun.
There’s not A lot to try and do, that's precisely the stage. You wander, it's possible grab a glass of wine at a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You begin to note The sunshine. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s complete.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed right in the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears in to the rocks.
The rate here is sluggish, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to know why that kind of travel sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down actually would make a visit very last for a longer period inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine region. Quiet, beneath-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine region. Sagrantino grapes expand here, and locals know how to enjoy them appropriately — that is to say, slowly.
There’s a watch from website the edge of town that’s worthy of one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the sun hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you cease, and piazzas that feel additional like dwelling rooms.
If you get caught in a dialogue with someone more mature, Permit it happen. That’s where by the ideal vacation stories start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was made to be “the best town,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each more info individual corner includes a view. Each and every watch features a breeze.
But it surely’s not pretty much aesthetics. This town smells amazing. Cheese, primarily — pecorino ageing in shop Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You gained’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Individuals get their time listed here, and finally, so do check here you.
On the lookout for far more context on why by doing this of traveling issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow food items and vacation in Italy. Definitely worth the read through prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t plan your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone steps and unexpected murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Are living in this article. Writers take a look at and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than the usual destination.
Sunsets hit distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase just about anything below. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this sensation inside a latest piece on slow travel — how areas like this supply a special form of luxurious. One that doesn’t have a rate tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo can be a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for interest, but it rewards people who recognize. You stroll the loop after which stroll it all over again, seeing anything new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is when the south of Italy displays its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not inside of a “hidden gem” way — inside a “this basically hasn’t modified” way.
Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A number of the inns are part of a preservation venture — maintaining the past alive by inviting company into read more it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this just one. His webpage talks about honoring position and time, and that’s just what exactly this village does. There’s almost nothing flashy below, which happens to be what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Sensible
Listed here’s the issue. You are able to see Italy in a week. It is possible to hit the highlights. Snap pictures. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget it by following Tuesday?
Vacation like this — slow, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new thought. But it’s one particular we’re lastly prepared to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Opt for a village. Sit however for some time. Allow Italy arrive at you.