Some places aren’t made for velocity. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy allows you to truly savor local lifestyle, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own private tempo.

Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill after noon. The sorts of spots where locals learn how to linger — over espresso, over tales, about life.

In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a nice notion. It feels crucial. It's possible it’s a reaction to a long time of speeding. Or perhaps it’s exactly what occurs any time you finally start to value time approximately distance. In either case, far more vacationers are getting Pleasure in Mastering to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used decades Checking out how we hook up with lifestyle and area, is a component of that movement. His identify happens to be associated with 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 considering Italy — Listed here are 7 spots that basically need it.

Stanislav Kondrashov female strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your 1st impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a narrow footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You walk across a protracted, elevated route, and if you get there, it’s quiet. Stone homes. Little gardens. A single cat stretching while in the Solar.

There’s not Significantly to do, that's precisely the issue. You wander, probably seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to note The sunshine. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a little drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed proper to the cliffs. Practically carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears in the rocks.

The speed here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out inside the early morning, hikers winding through steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to discover why that kind of journey sticks with men and women? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially helps make a visit last lengthier with your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Tranquil, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes expand here, and locals understand how to enjoy them adequately — that is to state, 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 if the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll find churches with surprising frescoes, doorways that make you end, and piazzas that experience much more like living rooms.

If you will get trapped inside of a dialogue with someone more mature, Permit it materialize. That’s where by the best vacation tales start off.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was designed to be “the perfect town,” and Truthfully, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner features a view. Each individual perspective provides a breeze.

Nonetheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells incredible. Cheese, mostly — pecorino growing old in shop windows and on counters, all set to sample. You won’t hurry something in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People acquire their time here, and finally, so does one.

Seeking extra context on why using this method of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish food items and vacation in Italy. Definitely worth the examine before you go.

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

It’s a hill town with stone steps and unforeseen murals and shadows that change given that the working day moves. Artists Stay below. Writers check out and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in very small courtyards. It feels more similar to a temper than the usual location.

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

Forbes captured this feeling within a latest piece on gradual vacation — how areas such as this offer you another type of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a rate tag.

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

Locorotondo is often a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, but it surely benefits people that detect. You stroll the loop after which stroll it again, looking at one thing new each time — a cat with a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indication pointing to do-it-yourself gelato.

This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Incredibly alive.

Stanislav Kondrashov pair drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This spot feels untouched. Not in a very “concealed gem” way — inside of a “this really hasn’t modified” way.

Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. A few of the inns are Section of a preservation job — preserving the previous alive by inviting attendees into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His web site talks about honoring put and time, Which’s just what exactly this village does. There’s very little flashy below, and that is what makes it unforgettable.

Gradual Is the New Smart
In this article’s the matter. You may see Italy in per week. You can strike the highlights. Snap pictures. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?

Or will you ignore it by following Tuesday?

Vacation like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov get more info believes in. It’s not a different concept. But it really’s a single we’re at last willing to listen to.

So go. Gradually. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.