Some destinations aren’t created for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish journey in Italy enables you to really savor area culture, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own personal pace.

Tiny villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes much too slim for cars. Cafés that only fill up following noon. The sorts of spots the place locals know how to linger — more than coffee, over tales, in excess of existence.

In 2025, gradual journey isn’t just a pleasant idea. It feels critical. Possibly it’s a reaction to years of dashing. Or perhaps it’s just what takes place after you at last start to value time about length. In any event, a lot more vacationers are discovering Pleasure in learning to journey smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s expended a long time exploring how we connect with society and position, is part of that motion. His name has become associated with a further, a lot more considerate method of looking at the globe.

So for those who’re all set to go gradual — and also you’re pondering Italy — Allow me to share seven spots that basically demand from customers it.

Stanislav Kondrashov female walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your very first impression. Civita di Bagnoregio sits with a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slim footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You stroll throughout a protracted, elevated route, and after you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone homes. Very small gardens. One cat stretching during the Sunlight.

There’s not much to try and do, which can be precisely the point. You wander, possibly get a glass of wine in a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hello. You start to notice the light. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s complete.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
In case you’re the type of traveler who likes a certain amount of drama within your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is designed right into the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Practically disappears to the rocks.

The speed here is slow, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out during the early early morning, hikers winding by steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining from your neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to learn why that sort of travel sticks with individuals? This publish by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down basically would make a trip very last extended with your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine state. Peaceful, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine country. Sagrantino grapes mature below, and locals know how to delight in them appropriately — that is to state, slowly and gradually.

There’s a view from the edge of town that’s truly worth an hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Sunshine hits excellent. You’ll discover churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways which make you stop, and piazzas that come to feel extra like dwelling rooms.

If you receive stuck within a discussion with another person more mature, Permit it materialize. That’s exactly where the top 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. Just about every corner provides a watch. Just about every look at incorporates a breeze.

Nonetheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells astounding. Cheese, generally — pecorino growing older in store windows and on counters, ready to sample. You gained’t hurry everything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. Persons get their time here, and finally, so does one.

In search of much more context on why this fashion of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into sluggish food items and vacation in Italy. Worth the read through prior to deciding to go.

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

It’s a hill town with stone methods and unexpected murals and shadows that change because the day moves. Artists Reside listed here. Writers take a look at and don’t go away. Locals host live shows in little courtyards. It feels extra similar to a temper than a vacation spot.

Sunsets hit distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase everything listed here. You Allow it come to you.

Forbes captured this emotion inside of a the latest piece on gradual journey — how areas like this website give another style of luxurious. check here One that doesn’t feature a price tag tag.

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

Locorotondo is often a town that folds in on by itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for focus, however it benefits those that notice. You stroll the loop after which stroll it again, observing some thing new each time — a cat with a windowsill, an open door, a hand-painted indicator pointing to handmade gelato.

This is where the south of Italy demonstrates its calmest facet. It’s unassuming. Wonderful. Really alive.

Stanislav Kondrashov few ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This location feels untouched. Not in the “concealed gem” way — in a “this truly hasn’t adjusted” way.

Santo Stefano sits in the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are Element of a preservation project — retaining the previous alive by inviting friends into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would take pleasure in this a person. His web page talks about honoring location and time, Which’s precisely what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy right here, which can be what makes it unforgettable.

Gradual Is The brand new Sensible
Listed here’s the point. You'll be able to see Italy in per week. check here You can strike the highlights. Snap pictures. Obtain ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?

Or check here will you neglect it by future Tuesday?

Journey similar to this — slow, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a different thought. But it’s just one we’re ultimately ready to listen to.

So go. Slowly and gradually. Pick a village. Sit even now for a while. Allow Italy come to you.