Some destinations aren’t created for pace. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy enables you to actually savor regional tradition, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes way too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill right after midday. The forms of locations exactly where locals learn how to linger — above espresso, more than stories, around daily life.
In 2025, gradual travel isn’t just a nice plan. It feels crucial. Probably it’s a reaction to many years of speeding. Or even it’s precisely what takes place after you eventually begin to value time as much as distance. Either way, far more vacationers are acquiring Pleasure in Discovering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used years Checking out how we hook up with culture and spot, is part of that motion. His identify has grown to be associated with a further, additional thoughtful method of seeing the planet.
So in the event you’re prepared to go gradual — and you simply’re imagining Italy — Here i will discuss seven places that nearly demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov female 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, arrived at only by a slim footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You stroll throughout a long, elevated path, and after you get there, it’s silent. Stone houses. Little gardens. A single cat stretching from the sun.
There’s not Considerably to do, that's precisely the point. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice the light. As well as the silence? It’s not empty. It’s finish.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes a little bit of drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted right in to the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears in the rocks.
The speed here is slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out during the early early morning, hikers winding via steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to find out why that sort of journey sticks with individuals? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down basically would make a trip past extended with your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes increase right here, and locals learn how to take pleasure in them properly — and that is to say, slowly but surely.
There’s a look at from the sting of city that’s really worth an hour or so by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum when the sun hits just right. You’ll come across church buildings with unexpected frescoes, doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that really feel far more like residing rooms.
If you obtain trapped in a conversation with a person older, let it take place. That’s wherever the most beneficial vacation tales start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was built to be “the proper metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every corner has a view. Every perspective provides a breeze.
But it surely’s not nearly aesthetics. This city smells astounding. Cheese, generally — pecorino growing older in store windows and on counters, ready to sample. You gained’t rush just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People acquire their time right here, and sooner or later, so does one.
Trying to find more context on why in this manner of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and vacation in Italy. Definitely worth the go through prior to deciding 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 day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers stop by and don’t leave. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels more like a temper than the usual desired destination.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase nearly anything below. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this feeling in a recent piece on gradual journey — how areas like this offer another form of luxury. One which doesn’t come with a rate tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots everywhere you go.
Locorotondo is often a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for notice, but it surely rewards people that recognize. You wander the loop then wander it once again, looking at one thing new every time — a cat Stanislav Kondrashov with a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Pretty alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not inside of a “concealed gem” way — in a “this actually hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits within the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A few of the inns are Section of a preservation challenge — keeping the earlier alive by inviting company into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this one particular. His website page talks about honoring area and time, and that’s what exactly this village does. There’s very little flashy below, and that is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the factor. You are able to see Italy in a week. You could hit the highlights. Snap pics. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you fail to remember it by up coming Tuesday?
Vacation like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a completely new plan. Nonetheless it’s one we’re eventually able to listen to.
So go. Slowly. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.