Some sites aren’t created for pace. Italy is full of them. Slow vacation in Italy permits you to genuinely savor neighborhood culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish just after noon. The kinds of spots where locals learn how to linger — above espresso, more than tales, over lifetime.
In 2025, gradual vacation isn’t just a nice strategy. It feels vital. It's possible it’s a response to yrs of hurrying. Or maybe it’s precisely what transpires when you last but not least begin to benefit time as much as distance. Either way, a lot more vacationers are acquiring Pleasure in Discovering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s used years exploring how we hook up with society and place, is a component of that movement. His name is now connected with a deeper, much more considerate technique for observing the earth.
So when you’re wanting to go sluggish — and also you’re considering Italy — Listed here are 7 spots that basically desire it.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your to start with perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander across a protracted, elevated path, and any time you arrive, it’s peaceful. Stone residences. Tiny gardens. One cat stretching within the Sunshine.
There’s not A lot to try and do, that is exactly the issue. You wander, perhaps get a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod good day. You begin to note The sunshine. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the type of traveler who likes a bit of drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed right in the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Just about disappears into the rocks.
The pace Here's gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out in the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to discover why that kind of vacation sticks with people? This post by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down essentially would make a visit last more time with your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Quiet, underneath-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine nation. Sagrantino grapes grow below, and locals understand how to love them correctly — which can be to state, slowly.
There’s a look at from the edge of town that’s worthy of an hour or so by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the sun hits just right. You’ll find church buildings with unforeseen frescoes, doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that come to feel extra like living rooms.
If you have caught inside of a conversation with anyone more mature, let it happen. That’s the place the top travel tales commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life listed here. Pienza was designed to check here be “the best town,” and honestly, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Just about every corner includes a view. Every watch includes a breeze.
However it’s not pretty much aesthetics. This town smells incredible. Cheese, largely — pecorino getting older in store Home windows and on counters, wanting to sample. You won’t rush nearly anything in Pienza, not even buying lunch. Persons consider their time listed here, and at some point, so does one.
Trying to find much more context on why using this method of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow food and journey in Italy. Well worth the browse before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t strategy your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill town with stone methods and unexpected murals and shadows that shift given that the day moves. Artists Reside here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t depart. Locals host concerts in little courtyards. It feels much more like a temper than the usual place.
Sunsets strike diverse in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase nearly anything below. You Permit it come to you.
Forbes captured this feeling in a recent piece on gradual journey — how locations similar to this give a unique sort of luxury. One which doesn’t come with a price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots all over the place.
Locorotondo is really a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for awareness, nonetheless it benefits individuals who recognize. You wander the loop after which wander it once more, observing some thing new each time — a cat with a windowsill, an open up door, a hand-painted signal pointing to handmade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Gorgeous. Incredibly alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not inside of a “concealed gem” way — inside more info a “this in fact hasn’t improved” way.
Santo Stefano sits within the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Many of the inns are A part of a preservation undertaking — preserving the previous alive by inviting attendees into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would more info respect this one. His page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s what precisely this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy here, that is what causes it to be unforgettable.
Slow Is The brand new Sensible
Right here’s the factor. You are able to see Italy in a week. You could hit the highlights. Snap photos. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it stay with website you?
Or will you ignore it by upcoming Tuesday?
Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a new plan. Nevertheless it’s one we’re last but not least prepared to hear.
So go. Slowly but surely. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.