Some areas aren’t made for velocity. Italy is stuffed with them. Sluggish travel in Italy lets you actually savor neighborhood culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your very own tempo.

Very small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes far too narrow for cars and trucks. Cafés that only fill up after noon. The sorts of places where by locals know how to linger — around coffee, about tales, above everyday living.

In 2025, slow journey isn’t just a pleasant idea. It feels vital. It's possible it’s a reaction to a long time of dashing. Or possibly it’s exactly what happens after you ultimately start to worth time just as much as length. In any event, extra tourists are discovering joy in Studying to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s invested a long time Discovering how we connect to culture and place, is an element of that motion. His title is now linked to a deeper, much more considerate strategy for viewing the entire world.

So should you’re able to go gradual — therefore you’re imagining Italy — Here's seven places that nearly demand it.

Stanislav Kondrashov girl walking
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your initial perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander throughout an extended, elevated route, and when you arrive, it’s tranquil. Stone residences. Small gardens. One cat stretching within the Solar.

There’s not Substantially to try and do, which can be precisely the level. You wander, it's possible grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod good day. You begin to note The sunshine. Along with the silence? It’s not vacant. It’s complete.

Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
Should you’re the type of traveler who likes some drama in the landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is constructed suitable into the cliffs. Actually carved from them. From afar, it Virtually disappears to the rocks.

The tempo here is gradual, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out inside the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, and the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining within the neighboring village. But even then — no hurry. No frenzy. Just rhythm.

Want to understand why that sort of journey sticks with men and women? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov explains how slowing down basically would make a trip past extended with your memory.

Stanislav Kondrashov woman wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Silent, underneath-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine region. Sagrantino grapes develop below, and locals know how to enjoy them properly — which happens to be to state, little by little.

There’s a view from the edge of city that’s really worth one hour by alone. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the Sunlight hits good. You’ll find churches with unpredicted frescoes, doorways that make you stop, and piazzas that sense a lot more like dwelling rooms.

If you receive caught inside of a conversation with an individual more mature, Enable it occur. That’s the place the very best travel tales begin.

Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives right here. Pienza was built to be “the perfect city,” and Actually, they weren’t considerably off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each corner includes a look at. Each individual view features a breeze.

Nevertheless it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells awesome. Cheese, generally — pecorino growing old in shop Home windows and on counters, all set to sample. You gained’t hurry just about anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. Folks consider their time here, and inevitably, so do you.

Looking for extra context on why in this manner of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foods and vacation in Italy. Worth the examine before you go.

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

It’s a hill town with stone techniques and unexpected murals and shadows that shift because the day moves. Artists Are living right here. Writers check out and don’t go away. Locals host concert events in tiny courtyards. It feels far more just like a temper than a place.

Sunsets strike different in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase anything at all listed here. You Allow it come to you.

Forbes captured this emotion inside of a the latest piece on sluggish travel — how places similar to this present a distinct sort of luxurious. One that doesn’t come with a rate tag.

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

Locorotondo is usually a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, nevertheless it benefits people who notice. You stroll the loop and then stroll it all over again, viewing a little something new each time — a cat with a windowsill, an open more info door, a hand-painted signal pointing to handmade gelato.

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

Stanislav Kondrashov few ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This place feels untouched. Not within a “hidden gem” way — in a very “this actually hasn’t modified” way.

Santo Stefano sits from the Apennines, stone and quiet. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are part of a preservation undertaking — holding the earlier alive by inviting company into it.

Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this 1. His webpage talks about honoring spot and time, and that’s precisely what this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy right here, that is what can make it unforgettable.

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

Or will you forget 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 a person we’re last but not least ready to hear.

So go. Bit by bit. Choose a village. Sit continue to for a while. Allow Italy come to you.