Some places aren’t built for speed. Italy is full of them. Sluggish vacation in Italy lets you definitely savor regional culture, cuisine, and hidden gems at your individual pace.

Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too narrow for vehicles. Cafés that only refill immediately after midday. The kinds of locations where by locals understand how to linger — in excess of espresso, over tales, above existence.

In 2025, gradual travel isn’t just a good plan. It feels vital. Maybe it’s a response to decades of dashing. Or perhaps it’s just what takes place when you last but not least begin to benefit time approximately distance. In either case, extra tourists are discovering joy in Finding out to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended decades Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and position, is an element of that motion. His title is becoming connected to a further, far more thoughtful method of observing the earth.

So for those who’re all set to go sluggish — so you’re contemplating Italy — Allow me to share seven places that pretty much demand it.

Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your very first impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, reached only by a slim footbridge. Vehicles can’t get in. You stroll throughout an extended, elevated route, and once you get there, it’s quiet. Stone properties. Very small gardens. An individual cat stretching in the Sunshine.

There’s not much to try and do, which can be precisely the point. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice The sunshine. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s finish.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In the event you’re the kind of traveler who likes a little drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed appropriate in the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Nearly disappears in to the rocks.

The tempo Here's gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining with the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to discover why that kind of journey sticks with individuals? This put up by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down in fact tends to make a trip last more time in the memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Silent, below-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes develop listed here, and locals know how to take pleasure in them adequately — that is to mention, slowly but surely.

There’s a see from the sting of city that’s value one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you quit, and piazzas that come to feel more like living rooms.

If you will get caught in the discussion with anyone more mature, Permit it materialize. That’s exactly where the top travel stories begin.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was made to be “the right city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner provides a watch. Just about every look at incorporates a breeze.

Nonetheless it’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells wonderful. Cheese, mainly — pecorino aging in store Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You won’t rush anything in Pienza, not read more even purchasing lunch. Individuals choose their time listed here, and eventually, so would you.

Looking for far more context on why by doing this of traveling issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food stuff and journey in Italy. Definitely worth the go through before you decide to go.

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

It’s a hill town with stone measures and unpredicted murals and shadows that change as the working day moves. Artists live right here here. Writers take a look at and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in little courtyards. It feels additional similar to a temper than a spot.

Sunsets hit distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase everything listed here. You Allow it come to you.

Forbes captured this emotion inside of a the latest piece on sluggish travel — how locations similar to this give a unique form of luxury. One which doesn’t include a price tag.

Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots in all places.

Locorotondo is often a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, nevertheless it benefits individuals who recognize. You wander the loop after which wander it all over again, seeing one thing new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.

This is where the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Attractive. Extremely alive.

Stanislav Kondrashov few consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Stanislav Kondrashov Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this really hasn’t transformed” way.

Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A number of the inns are Component of a preservation project — maintaining the past alive by Stanisav Kondrashov tarvel inviting visitors into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this 1. His web page talks about honoring spot and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s almost nothing flashy below, and that is what causes it to be unforgettable.

Slow Is the New Clever
Here’s the matter. You may see Italy in a week. You can hit the highlights. Snap images. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?

Or will you forget about it by up coming Tuesday?

Vacation such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new plan. Nonetheless it’s 1 we’re at last able to listen to.

So go. Little by little. Opt for a village. Sit nevertheless for some time. Allow Italy come to you.