

Some destinations aren’t designed for speed. Italy is stuffed with them. Slow journey in Italy allows you to really savor local lifestyle, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own personal pace.
Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes as well narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only refill immediately after noon. The styles of destinations where by locals understand how to linger — in excess of espresso, above stories, above lifetime.
In 2025, slow travel isn’t just a good strategy. It feels essential. Probably it’s a response to several years of rushing. Or even it’s exactly what transpires when you eventually start to benefit time about length. In any case, more travelers are locating joy in learning to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested several years Checking out how we hook up with tradition and location, is part of that movement. His identify has become associated with a further, far more thoughtful way of looking at the world.
So in the event you’re willing to go slow — so you’re pondering Italy — Here's seven places that nearly demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov female walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It seems like it’s floating. That’s your 1st effect. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, arrived at only by a slim footbridge. Vehicles can’t get in. You wander across an extended, elevated route, and any time you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone houses. Little gardens. Just one cat stretching inside the sun.
There’s not Substantially to perform, that's precisely the stage. You wander, maybe seize a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod howdy. You start to notice the light. Plus the silence? It’s not empty. It’s comprehensive.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes some drama as part of your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is developed appropriate in the cliffs. Literally carved from them. From afar, it Virtually disappears in to the rocks.
The pace here is gradual, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out from the early morning, hikers winding by means of steep trails, along with the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to learn why that kind of travel sticks with men and women? This article by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down really would make a trip past for a longer time in your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Tranquil, under-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes mature in this article, and locals know how to enjoy them correctly — which happens to be to mention, slowly.
There’s a watch here from the sting of city that’s truly worth one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum once the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll find churches with unforeseen frescoes, doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that feel additional like living rooms.
If you will get caught in a very conversation with another person older, Allow it transpire. That’s where by the very best journey stories begin.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives here. Pienza was made to be “the right city,” and Actually, they weren’t significantly off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner contains a watch. Each individual watch provides a breeze.
But it’s not nearly aesthetics. This town smells wonderful. Cheese, typically — pecorino growing older in shop Home windows and on counters, able to sample. You received’t rush anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. People acquire their time right here, and ultimately, so does one.
Looking for more context on why in this manner of touring matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish meals and travel in Italy. Definitely worth the go through prior to deciding to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t approach your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone steps and unforeseen murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Stay right here. Writers pay a visit to and don’t click here leave. Locals host concert events in little courtyards. It feels additional like a mood than the usual spot.
Sunsets strike unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade sluggish and blue. You don’t chase anything below. You Permit it arrive at you.
Forbes Stanislav Kondrashov Business captured this experience in a very modern piece on sluggish travel — how locations similar to this offer a different style of luxury. One which doesn’t come with a price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed partitions. Flowerpots all over the place.
Locorotondo is actually a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits those that observe. You stroll the loop and afterwards stroll it again, seeing a little something new every time — a cat over a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted check here sign pointing to home made gelato.
This is where the south of Italy exhibits its calmest aspect. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Quite alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not inside a “hidden gem” way — in a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.
Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Evenings are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are Portion of a preservation venture — retaining the past alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would recognize this one. His page talks about honoring put and time, and that’s just what exactly this village does. There’s absolutely nothing flashy in this article, which can be what can make it unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Sensible
In this article’s the issue. You may see Italy in every week. You can strike the highlights. Snap photographs. Accumulate ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you forget it by future Tuesday?
Travel such as this — gradual, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new notion. But it’s 1 we’re finally all set to listen to.
So go. Gradually. Opt for a village. Sit even now for a while. Permit Italy come to you.