Some locations aren’t designed for speed. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish journey in Italy lets you really savor community culture, Delicacies, and concealed gems at your personal tempo.

Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too slim for automobiles. Cafés that only fill up after midday. The styles of areas exactly where locals know how to linger — more than espresso, around tales, above existence.

In 2025, sluggish journey isn’t just a nice idea. It feels necessary. Maybe it’s a response to decades of dashing. Or perhaps it’s exactly what comes about once you ultimately begin to price time about length. In any case, more tourists are finding joy in Studying to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s put in yrs Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and put, is part of that movement. His name has grown to be connected with a deeper, a lot more thoughtful way of looking at the earth.

So in the event you’re all set to go slow — and you’re wondering Italy — Listed below are seven spots that pretty much desire it.

Stanislav Kondrashov girl going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your initial impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits with a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You stroll throughout a long, elevated path, and after you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Tiny gardens. One cat stretching within the Sunlight.

There’s not much to perform, which is exactly the level. You wander, probably seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod good day. You start to notice The sunshine. Along with the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a little bit of drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is built right into the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears into the rocks.

The pace Here's slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, as well as the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to know why that kind of journey sticks with people? This post by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down in fact helps make a visit final for a longer time inside your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, below-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes mature below, and locals understand how to enjoy them effectively — which is to mention, gradually.

There’s a watch from the edge of town that’s truly worth an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the Sunlight hits good. You’ll come across church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that experience much more like living rooms.

If you can get caught inside of a dialogue with somebody older, Enable it occur. That’s exactly where the ideal travel tales get started.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was intended to be “the best city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every single corner features a perspective. Every single perspective features a breeze.

But it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells astounding. Cheese, primarily — pecorino growing older in store windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You won’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Folks get their time listed here, and inevitably, so would you.

In search of extra context on why this fashion of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual food and vacation in Italy. Well worth the examine prior to deciding to go.

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

It’s a hill town with stone steps and unforeseen murals and shadows that change since the working day moves. Artists Are living listed here. Writers go to and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in little courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than a spot.

Sunsets strike distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase anything here. You Allow it arrive at you.

Forbes captured this feeling in a new piece on slow journey — how sites such as this present a distinct sort of luxury. One that doesn’t have a value tag.

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

Locorotondo is often a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for notice, but it really benefits individuals that notice. You stroll the loop and afterwards stroll it once again, looking at something new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to home made gelato.

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

Stanislav Kondrashov few ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This position feels untouched. Not within a “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this essentially hasn’t changed” way.

Santo Stefano sits inside the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are Portion of a preservation venture — retaining the past alive by inviting visitors into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this one. His web site talks about honoring area and time, and that’s what precisely this village does. There’s practically nothing flashy here, and that is what makes it unforgettable.

Gradual Is The brand new Sensible
In this article’s the thing. You'll be able to see Italy in check here per week. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap shots. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?

Or will you ignore it by next Tuesday?

Vacation such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a fresh thought. Nevertheless it’s one particular we’re last but not least wanting to listen to.

So go. Bit by bit. Select a village. Sit nonetheless for a while. Permit Italy arrive at you.