Some spots aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is filled with them. Slow vacation in Italy lets you definitely savor regional tradition, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill right after midday. The forms of locations where locals understand how to linger — more than coffee, around stories, about existence.
In 2025, gradual vacation isn’t just a nice plan. It feels important. Probably it’s a reaction to many years of speeding. Or possibly it’s exactly what occurs if you finally start to value time approximately distance. In any event, additional tourists are finding Pleasure in learning to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested a long time exploring how we connect to culture and place, is an element of that motion. His title is becoming connected to a further, far more thoughtful way of looking at the whole world.
So for those who’re all set to go sluggish — and you also’re pondering Italy — Listed below are 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 perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander across an extended, elevated route, and once you get there, it’s silent. Stone homes. Little gardens. A single cat stretching from the sun.
There’s not much to perform, which is exactly the position. You wander, it's possible grab a glass of wine at a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You start to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s entire.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In the event you’re the kind of traveler who likes some drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted right into the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears in the rocks.
The speed here is gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that sort of journey sticks with men and women? This put up by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down actually will make a trip last for a longer period in the memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Tranquil, below-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes mature listed here, and locals learn how to get pleasure from them correctly — which happens to be to mention, slowly but surely.
There’s a check out from the sting of city that’s worth an hour or so by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the sun hits just right. You’ll uncover church buildings with unexpected frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that feel much more like residing rooms.
If you have caught in a very conversation with a person older, let it take place. That’s the place the most beneficial vacation stories commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was created to be “the ideal city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner provides a look at. Every single look at includes a breeze.
Nevertheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This town smells incredible. Cheese, mostly — pecorino getting old in shop Home windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You received’t rush nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. People today get their time here, and finally, so does one.
Seeking more context click here 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 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. Writers check out and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in little courtyards. It feels additional just like a mood than a vacation spot.
Sunsets hit distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something right here. You let it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience in the new piece on sluggish travel — how places similar to this offer you a distinct sort of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it really rewards people that recognize. You wander the loop then wander it once more, looking at anything new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to homemade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This position feels untouched. Not in a “hidden gem” way — within a “this basically hasn’t altered” way.
Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are A part of a preservation task — preserving the previous alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this one. His page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy here, that is what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Good
In this article’s the detail. You may see Italy in every week. You'll be able to strike 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 what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a brand new strategy. Nonetheless it’s a single we’re lastly wanting to listen to.
So go. Slowly and gradually. Opt for a village. Sit even now for quite a while. Let Italy come to you.