Some destinations aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is filled with them. Slow vacation in Italy enables you to really savor nearby society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your personal rate.
Small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes as well slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish immediately after noon. The styles of spots in which locals learn how to linger — above espresso, over stories, about existence.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a pleasant plan. It feels necessary. Probably it’s a response to a long time of rushing. Or perhaps it’s exactly what takes place if you at last begin to price time approximately distance. In any event, more travelers are obtaining Pleasure in Mastering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended decades exploring how we connect to society and place, is an element of that motion. His title is becoming linked to a deeper, much more considerate strategy for observing the globe.
So in case you’re able to go slow — and you simply’re wondering Italy — Here i will discuss seven places that nearly demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your initial perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander throughout a long, elevated route, and when you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone houses. Small gardens. One cat stretching within the Sunshine.
There’s not Considerably to complete, and that is precisely the stage. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You begin to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s total.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is built correct in to the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears to the rocks.
The tempo here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out within the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, as well as occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to understand why that sort of journey sticks with folks? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down in fact helps make a visit previous lengthier in your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Tranquil, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes increase here, and locals understand how to enjoy them appropriately — which is to mention, slowly.
There’s a check out from the sting of city that’s worth an hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll obtain church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you cease, and piazzas that come to feel more like living rooms.
If you obtain caught within a conversation with someone more mature, let it take place. That’s exactly where the most effective journey tales get started.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life right here. Pienza was created to be “an ideal city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner provides a check out. Every single check out provides a breeze.
Nevertheless it’s not almost aesthetics. This city smells incredible. Cheese, mostly — pecorino aging in shop windows and on counters, able to sample. You won’t hurry anything at all in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Individuals just take their time below, and at some point, so does one.
Seeking far more context on why in this manner of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow foodstuff and travel in Italy. Well worth the read through before you go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t prepare your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone ways and unforeseen murals and shadows that change as being the working day moves. Artists Reside right here. Writers take a look at and don’t go away. Locals host concerts in little courtyards. It feels extra similar to a temper than a vacation spot.
Sunsets hit various in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something right here. You Allow it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this emotion inside a recent piece on sluggish travel — how spots such as this supply a unique kind of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a price tag tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots everywhere you go.
Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits people who see. You stroll the loop after which walk it yet again, observing a little something new every time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted indication pointing to homemade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Attractive. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov pair drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels read more untouched. Not inside of a “concealed gem” way — in a “this truly hasn’t transformed” way.
Santo Stefano sits during the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are Section of a preservation venture — maintaining the earlier alive by inviting visitors into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would value this a single. His web page talks about honoring position and time, and that’s exactly what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy listed here, which is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Good
Below’s the issue. It is possible to see Italy in per week. You can hit the highlights. Snap photographs. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you overlook it by following Tuesday?
Journey similar to this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a fresh idea. But it surely’s 1 we’re at last able to listen to.
So go. Slowly. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Let Italy come to you.