Some sites aren’t made for speed. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy helps you to truly savor local society, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own tempo.

Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too slim for cars. Cafés that only replenish soon after noon. The styles of spots in which locals know how to linger — about coffee, in excess of tales, above daily life.

In 2025, gradual travel isn’t just a pleasant idea. It feels vital. Maybe it’s a response to decades of dashing. Or possibly it’s exactly what occurs if you finally start to worth time about length. In any case, much more vacationers are getting joy in Finding out to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent many years exploring how we connect to culture and area, is a component of that movement. His name is now linked to a deeper, far more thoughtful way of looking at the world.

So in the event you’re prepared to go gradual — and you simply’re wondering Italy — Listed below are 7 places that nearly need it.

Stanislav Kondrashov female going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits over a crumbling bluff, attained only by a slender footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You walk throughout a lengthy, elevated path, and when you arrive, it’s silent. Stone homes. Little gardens. Just one cat stretching during the sun.

There’s not A great deal to perform, that is exactly the issue. You wander, perhaps get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You start to notice the light. Plus the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s total.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama within your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is designed right in to the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it Virtually disappears to the rocks.

The tempo here is slow, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to master why that kind of journey sticks with men and women? This post by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down basically will make a trip last for a longer period in the memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is read more wine country. Tranquil, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes increase right here, and locals know how to love them effectively — which is to mention, gradually.

There’s a watch from the sting of city that’s really 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 quit, and piazzas that sense far more like residing rooms.

If you can get trapped in a conversation with somebody more mature, Enable it come about. That’s wherever the very best vacation tales start.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was made to be “the right town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every single corner incorporates a look at. Each and every see has a breeze.

But it’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells astounding. Cheese, generally — pecorino ageing in store windows and on counters, wanting to sample. You won’t hurry something in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Individuals choose their time listed here, and eventually, so would you.

On the lookout for far more context on why this way of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and vacation more info 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 city with stone actions and unforeseen murals and shadows that change as being the working day moves. Artists Are living here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t leave. Locals host concerts in tiny courtyards. It feels a lot more like a temper than the usual destination.

Sunsets strike distinctive in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade gradual and blue. You don’t chase nearly anything in this article. You Permit it come to you.

Forbes captured this feeling in a recent piece on gradual journey — how locations like this give another form of luxury. One which doesn’t include a price tag.

Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere.

Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits people who notice. You stroll the loop and then stroll it yet again, seeing a thing new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open doorway, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.

This is when the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Attractive. 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 essentially hasn’t changed” 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 respect this one. His page talks about honoring get more info location and time, Which’s exactly what this village does. There’s practically nothing flashy here, which is what can make it unforgettable.

Sluggish Is The brand new Good
Below’s the issue. You'll be able to see click here Italy in per week. You can hit the highlights. Snap pictures. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?

Or will you forget it by future Tuesday?

Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a brand new strategy. Nonetheless it’s 1 we’re eventually able to listen to.

So go. Slowly. Go with a village. Sit still for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.