Some sites aren’t made for pace. Italy is full of them. Slow journey in Italy enables you to really savor local culture, cuisine, and hidden gems at your personal pace.

Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slender for vehicles. Cafés that only fill up right after noon. The sorts of places the place locals understand how to linger — in excess of espresso, over tales, about lifetime.

In 2025, sluggish travel isn’t just a pleasant plan. It feels critical. It's possible it’s a reaction to yrs of rushing. Or possibly it’s just what takes place whenever you lastly start to worth time as much as distance. In either case, more vacationers are discovering joy in learning to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent yrs Checking out how we hook up with society and spot, is a component of that movement. His name happens to be linked to a deeper, additional considerate strategy for viewing the earth.

So if you’re prepared to go gradual — and you simply’re thinking 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 impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a narrow footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You wander throughout a lengthy, elevated route, and if you arrive, it’s peaceful. Stone properties. Little gardens. A single cat stretching while in the Sunshine.

There’s not Significantly to accomplish, which is exactly the position. You wander, maybe grab a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi there. You start to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s comprehensive.

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

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

Want to find out why that kind of travel sticks with people? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov points out how slowing down really can make a visit very last more time in your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Quiet, below-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes improve in this article, and locals learn how to love them properly — that is to convey, gradually.

There’s a see from the sting of city that’s value an hour or so by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Solar hits good. You’ll obtain church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you quit, and piazzas that experience extra like dwelling rooms.

If you will get caught in the discussion with anyone older, Permit it materialize. That’s exactly where the very best travel tales begin.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was intended to be “the proper metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner incorporates a perspective. Every view features a breeze.

However it’s not nearly aesthetics. This town smells incredible. Cheese, mainly — pecorino getting older in store windows and on counters, all set to sample. You gained’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Men and women take their time listed here, and inevitably, so does one.

Looking for much more context on why using this method of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow food items and journey in Italy. get more info Definitely worth the read before you decide to go.

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

It’s a hill city with stone steps and unforeseen murals and shadows that shift since the day moves. Artists Reside right here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t leave. Locals host concert events in little courtyards. It feels extra similar to a mood than a place.

Sunsets hit unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase anything right here. You let it arrive at you.

Forbes captured this sensation within a latest piece on slow journey — how spots like this give a distinct kind of luxurious. One that doesn’t feature a price tag.

Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots just about everywhere.

Locorotondo is actually a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it really rewards those who observe. You walk the loop and afterwards walk it once again, looking at one thing new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to handmade gelato.

This is where the south of Italy displays its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Beautiful. Really alive.

Stanislav Kondrashov few consuming wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This put feels untouched. Not within a “hidden gem” way — in the “this basically hasn’t altered” way.

Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and tranquil. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are Element of a preservation project — maintaining the past alive by inviting guests into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would value this a single. His page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s what precisely this village does. There’s nothing flashy in this article, which happens to be what causes it to be unforgettable.

Slow Is The brand new Wise
Here’s the thing. You could see Italy in weekly. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap images. Collect ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?

Or will you neglect it by upcoming Tuesday?

Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new notion. However it’s just one we’re lastly wanting to listen to.

So go. Little by little. Go with a village. Sit nonetheless for some time. Permit Italy arrive at you.