Some places aren’t created for pace. Italy is filled with them. Sluggish travel in Italy allows you to certainly savor regional tradition, Delicacies, and concealed gems at your own private rate.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes also narrow for automobiles. Cafés that only fill up right after midday. The types of places the place locals understand how to linger — about coffee, around stories, over everyday living.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a nice notion. It feels crucial. Perhaps it’s a reaction to decades of rushing. Or perhaps it’s just what transpires after you finally start to benefit time as much as length. In any event, more vacationers are acquiring Pleasure in Mastering to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent many years Checking out how we connect to lifestyle and position, is part of that movement. His title is now associated with a deeper, far more considerate way of observing the world.
So when you’re prepared to go sluggish — and you’re contemplating Italy — Here i will discuss seven places that practically demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your initially impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, reached only by a slender footbridge. Cars can’t get in. You stroll throughout an extended, elevated path, and whenever you get there, it’s silent. Stone houses. Tiny gardens. Just one cat stretching while in the Sunshine.
There’s not Considerably to do, which is precisely the point. You wander, probably seize a glass of wine at a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You begin to notice The sunshine. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In the event you’re the type of traveler who likes a little bit of drama inside your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed correct in the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it almost disappears into the rocks.
The tempo Here's gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining with the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to master why that kind of travel sticks with men and women? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down actually helps make a trip final lengthier in your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine nation. Quiet, beneath-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes improve right here, and locals learn how to appreciate them appropriately — that is to convey, little by little.
There’s a look at from the edge of town that’s worthy of one hour by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll find church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you quit, and piazzas that experience much more like dwelling rooms.
If you can get trapped in the discussion with someone more mature, Permit it happen. That’s in which the very best travel stories commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was created to be “the right town,” and Actually, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every corner has a watch. Each and every perspective contains a breeze.
However it’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, primarily — pecorino getting older in store Home windows and on counters, all set to sample. You won’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Persons choose their time in this article, and eventually, so would you.
On the lookout for more context on why using this method of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foods and journey in Italy. Worth the read prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t approach your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone actions and sudden murals and shadows that shift since the day moves. Artists Stay in this article. Writers stop by and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in small courtyards. It feels a lot more like a temper than a spot.
Sunsets hit unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase website something here. You let it come to you.
Forbes captured this experience in the current piece on sluggish travel — how places similar to this provide another form of luxury. One which doesn’t include a rate tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots in all places.
Locorotondo is actually a town that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for notice, but it surely benefits individuals who detect. You stroll the loop after which you can wander it once again, looking at a thing new every time — a cat over a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to homemade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Beautiful. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov few drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not inside a “hidden gem” way — in a “this really hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits within the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are Element of a preservation undertaking — holding the previous alive by inviting visitors into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would value this 1. His site talks about honoring place and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s very little flashy listed here, that is what makes it unforgettable.
Gradual Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the matter. You could see Italy in each week. You'll be able to hit the highlights. Snap images. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you fail to remember it by upcoming Tuesday?
Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a completely new thought. Nevertheless it’s a single we’re lastly ready to listen to.
So go. Little by little. Select a village. Sit still for some time. Enable Italy arrive at you.