Some sites aren’t designed for speed. Italy is filled with them. Slow journey in Italy means that you can definitely savor nearby society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own personal pace.

Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes as well narrow for automobiles. Cafés that only refill right after midday. The styles of sites where locals know how to linger — in excess of espresso, in excess of tales, above existence.

In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a pleasant idea. It feels essential. Possibly it’s a reaction to many years of speeding. Or perhaps it’s exactly what comes about when you finally start to benefit time about distance. In any case, far more vacationers are obtaining Pleasure in Studying to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used decades Checking out how we hook up with tradition and area, is part of that motion. His identify has become linked to a further, far more thoughtful technique for looking at the whole world.

So in the event you’re ready to go sluggish — therefore you’re considering Italy — Here's seven spots that virtually desire it.

Stanislav Kondrashov woman going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your very first effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on the crumbling bluff, reached only by a narrow footbridge. Cars and trucks can’t get in. You walk throughout a long, elevated route, and after you get there, it’s silent. Stone houses. Little gardens. Just one cat stretching in the Solar.

There’s not much to carry out, that's exactly the issue. You wander, it's possible seize a glass of wine in a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod good day. You begin to notice the light. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s finish.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the kind of traveler who likes some drama within your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is crafted ideal to the cliffs. Pretty much carved from them. From afar, it Pretty much disappears into your rocks.

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

Want to find out why that kind of vacation sticks with persons? This article by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down truly tends to make a visit past for a longer period as part of your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov lady wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Tranquil, below-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine place. Sagrantino grapes improve right here, and locals learn how to take pleasure in them correctly — which happens to be to mention, get more info slowly but surely.

There’s a check out from the sting of city that’s worth an hour or so by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Solar hits just right. You’ll locate churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you stop, and piazzas that truly feel additional like dwelling rooms.

If you get trapped in a conversation with a person older, let it occur. That’s the place the most beneficial vacation stories start off.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was created to be “the ideal city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Every single corner incorporates a look at. Every single check out features a breeze.

But it’s not pretty much aesthetics. This town smells remarkable. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting older in shop windows and on counters, prepared to sample. You received’t hurry everything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Men and women take their time below, and ultimately, so would you.

Searching for additional context on why by doing this of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish food stuff and travel in Italy. Well worth the read before you go.

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

It’s a hill city with stone techniques and sudden murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in small courtyards. It feels far more just like a mood than the usual destination.

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

Forbes captured this feeling inside a current piece on gradual journey — how areas like this give a unique sort of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a rate tag.

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

Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits those who detect. You stroll the loop and after that stroll it again, viewing a little something new each time — a cat on the windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign pointing to selfmade 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 place 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 part of a preservation venture — retaining the past alive by inviting visitors into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would enjoy this one particular. His website page talks about honoring area and time, and that’s just what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy right here, which can be what can make it unforgettable.

Sluggish Is the New Good
Below’s the issue. You'll be able to see Italy in a week. You could hit the highlights. Snap photos. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?

Or will you forget about it by following Tuesday?

Vacation like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a different concept. But it really’s one particular we’re finally willing to listen to.

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