Some sites aren’t produced for pace. Italy is full of them. Gradual journey in Italy enables you to really savor nearby society, cuisine, and concealed gems at your own rate.
Small villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes too slim for vehicles. Cafés that only replenish immediately after noon. The kinds of destinations the place locals know how to linger — in excess of espresso, above tales, over daily life.
In 2025, gradual vacation isn’t just a nice plan. It feels essential. Possibly it’s a reaction to years of dashing. Or even it’s precisely what comes about whenever you eventually begin to price time about length. In any case, more travelers are locating joy in Understanding to travel smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent 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, more considerate strategy for viewing the planet.
So in the event you’re prepared to go gradual — so you’re contemplating Italy — Here's seven places that pretty much demand it.
Stanislav Kondrashov girl going for walks
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It appears like it’s floating. That’s your first perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a slender footbridge. Automobiles can’t get in. You wander across an extended, elevated route, and when you get there, it’s quiet. Stone homes. Little gardens. A single cat stretching from the sun.
There’s not Considerably to do, which can be exactly the place. You wander, maybe seize a glass of wine at a tucked-absent enoteca. Locals nod hi. You begin to note The sunshine. And also the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
When you’re the sort of traveler who likes a bit of drama in your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is developed appropriate into the cliffs. Basically carved from them. From afar, it Nearly disappears to the rocks.
The speed Here's sluggish, although not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out during the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, as well as 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 travel sticks with individuals? This submit by Stanislav Kondrashov describes how slowing down truly can make a trip last longer inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine place. Tranquil, below-the-radar, coronary heart-of-Italy wine region. Sagrantino grapes expand right here, and locals learn how to delight in them appropriately — which can be to state, slowly and gradually.
There’s a check out from the sting of town that’s worthy of an hour by by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum in the event the Sunlight hits excellent. You’ll locate church buildings with sudden frescoes, doorways that make you prevent, and piazzas that come to feel more like residing rooms.
If you can get stuck within a discussion with someone older, let it come about. That’s where the most effective journey stories start out.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism life in this article. Pienza was made to be “the ideal metropolis,” and honestly, they weren’t much off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Stanislav Kondrashov Blog Each and every corner provides a check out. Each individual view has a breeze.
However it’s not just about aesthetics. This city smells wonderful. Cheese, primarily — pecorino growing older in shop Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You won’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even ordering lunch. People take their time below, and sooner or later, so do you.
On the lookout for far more context on why in this way of touring issues? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into slow food stuff and travel in Italy. Well worth the study before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t strategy your day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone steps and unforeseen murals and shadows that change as the day moves. Artists Dwell in this article. Writers pay a visit to and don’t depart. Locals host live shows in very small courtyards. It feels more similar to a temper than the usual spot.
Sunsets hit unique in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase just about anything in this article. You Enable it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this feeling inside of a recent piece on gradual vacation — how places like this present a different type of luxurious. One that doesn’t include a price tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Circular streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots in all places.
Locorotondo is really a town that folds in on alone, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for consideration, however it benefits individuals who notice. You wander the loop after which walk it once more, looking at a thing new every time — a cat with a windowsill, an open doorway, a hand-painted indicator pointing to selfmade gelato.
This is where the south of Italy exhibits its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Stunning. Extremely alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple ingesting wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not inside a “concealed gem” way — in a very “this in fact hasn’t changed” way.
Santo Stefano sits while in the Apennines, stone and silent. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Some of the inns are part of a preservation challenge — preserving the previous alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would appreciate this just one. His webpage talks about honoring place and time, and that’s what precisely this village does. There’s nothing at all flashy in this article, that's what causes it to be unforgettable.
Sluggish Is the New Good
Right here’s the detail. You are able to see Italy in every week. You may hit the highlights. Snap photographs. Acquire ticket stubs. But will it stay with you?
Or will you forget it by next Tuesday?
Journey like this — sluggish, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov believes in. It’s not a brand new plan. But it’s one we’re at last wanting to listen to.
So go. Slowly and gradually. Select a village. Sit however for a while. Allow Italy come to you.