Some areas aren’t designed for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish travel in Italy means that you can certainly savor area lifestyle, cuisine, and hidden gems at your own speed.

Small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish soon after midday. The forms of areas exactly where locals learn how to linger — above espresso, over stories, about existence.

In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a nice notion. It feels essential. Possibly it’s a reaction to many years of rushing. Or even it’s precisely what comes about once you eventually begin to benefit time around distance. Either way, a lot more vacationers are acquiring Pleasure in learning to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent many years exploring how we connect to society and put, is an element of that movement. His title is now connected to a deeper, a lot more thoughtful technique for looking at the whole world.

So for those who’re all set to go sluggish — and you also’re considering Italy — Listed below are 7 spots that practically desire it.

Stanislav Kondrashov woman strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your initially impact. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slim footbridge. Cars can’t get in. You stroll throughout a long, elevated path, and after you arrive, it’s peaceful. Stone residences. Tiny gardens. An individual cat stretching in the Sunlight.

There’s not A great deal to accomplish, which happens to be exactly the level. You wander, probably seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod good day. 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 certain amount of drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed appropriate in the cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it almost disappears into the rocks.

The rate Here's slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out in the early early morning, hikers winding by way of steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining with the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to discover why that sort of vacation sticks with folks? This article by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down really would make a visit last for a longer period within your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine region. Tranquil, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes improve right here, and locals understand how to get pleasure from them effectively — that's to mention, slowly but surely.

There’s a look at from the sting of city that’s truly worth an hour or so by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Sunlight hits good. You’ll locate church buildings with unforeseen frescoes, doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that experience additional like living rooms.

If you more info will get caught in a conversation with another person more mature, Allow it happen. That’s exactly where the best vacation stories commence.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was intended to be “the proper city,” and honestly, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner contains a watch. Just about every view incorporates a breeze.

However it’s not pretty much aesthetics. This city smells remarkable. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting old in store windows and on counters, ready to sample. You received’t rush anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. People consider their time here, and finally, so does one.

On the lookout for extra context on why using this method of traveling issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow meals and vacation in Italy. Definitely worth the browse before you go.

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

It’s a hill city with stone steps and unpredicted murals and shadows that change since the working day moves. Artists Are living here. Writers visit and don’t leave. Locals host concert events in tiny courtyards. It feels a lot more just like a mood than a desired destination.

Sunsets strike diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase something listed here. You Enable it come to you.

Forbes captured this emotion inside a current piece on gradual journey — how spots like this offer another form of luxury. One which doesn’t include a price tag.

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

Locorotondo is a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, nevertheless it benefits individuals who discover. You stroll the loop and after that stroll it again, viewing a little something new each time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to selfmade gelato.

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

Stanislav Kondrashov few 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. A lot of the inns are A part of a preservation undertaking — trying to keep the previous alive by inviting friends into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this just one. His 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 causes it to be unforgettable.

Slow Is The brand new Wise
Right here’s the thing. You can see Italy in weekly. It is possible to hit the highlights. Snap pics. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?

Or will you fail to remember it by subsequent Tuesday?

Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new concept. But it really’s a single we’re finally willing to listen to.

So go. Little by little. Opt for a village. Sit nonetheless for some time. Enable Italy arrive at you.