Some places aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is filled with them. Sluggish vacation in Italy lets you actually savor regional society, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.

Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slim for cars. Cafés that only refill following midday. The sorts of places where by locals know how to linger — around coffee, about stories, above life.

In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a pleasant concept. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to several years of hurrying. Or maybe it’s just what transpires when you ultimately start to worth time just as much as length. In any event, extra tourists are finding Pleasure in learning to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used years Checking out how we connect with tradition and spot, is part of that motion. His title is becoming linked to a deeper, much more considerate strategy for viewing the entire world.

So should you’re prepared to go gradual — therefore you’re contemplating Italy — Allow me to share 7 spots that practically 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 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. Very small gardens. Just one cat stretching during the sun.

There’s not Substantially to complete, and that is precisely the point. You wander, perhaps get a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod good day. You begin to note The sunshine. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the sort of traveler who likes a certain amount of drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed proper to the cliffs. Basically carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears in the rocks.

The speed Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out inside the early morning, hikers winding through steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to understand why that sort of journey sticks with folks? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially can make a visit previous for a longer time in your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Tranquil, below-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes improve right here, and locals understand how to delight in them appropriately — that is to state, gradually.

There’s a watch from the sting of city that’s really worth an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows here of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Solar hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways which make you halt, and piazzas that feel much more like living rooms.

If you have caught in the discussion with another person more mature, Permit it come about. That’s wherever the most beneficial vacation stories commence.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives in this article. Pienza was meant to be “the proper city,” and honestly, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each individual corner contains a watch. Every single look at features a breeze.

However it’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, generally — pecorino getting old in shop Home windows and on counters, all set to sample. You gained’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. People take their time below, and at some point, so does one.

Seeking far more context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual meals and journey in Italy. Well worth the browse prior to deciding to go.

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

It’s a hill city with stone actions and sudden murals and shadows that change given that the day moves. Artists Reside in this article. Writers stop by and don’t depart. Locals host concert events in tiny courtyards. It feels much more similar to a temper than the usual place.

Sunsets strike various in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something below. You let it come to you.

Forbes captured this emotion in a very modern piece on gradual travel — how sites like this offer you a distinct type of luxury. One which doesn’t include a value tag.

Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots all over the place.

Locorotondo is usually a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, however it benefits people who notice. You wander the loop after which you can stroll it once again, viewing some thing new every time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted indication pointing to selfmade gelato.

This is when the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Quite alive.

Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not inside a “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this really hasn’t adjusted” way.

Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are Element of a preservation challenge — holding the previous alive by inviting visitors into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would value this one particular. His site talks about honoring spot and time, and that’s just what exactly this village does. There’s nothing flashy below, which is what causes it to be unforgettable.

Sluggish Is The brand new Smart
In this article’s the issue. You are able to see Italy in every week. You are able to hit the highlights. Snap shots. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?

Or will you overlook it by next Tuesday?

Vacation like this — slow, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a fresh concept. However it’s just one we’re finally able to hear.

So go. Slowly and gradually. Opt for a village. Sit nevertheless for a while. Permit Italy come to you.