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Cultural, Culinary & Truffle Hunting Experience in Abruzzo
HIGHLIGHTS
Join us on a 7-day Italian cultural and culinary vacation in Abruzzo, one of the most stunning and culturally rich regions in Italy.
For anyone eager to live an immersive adventure in the Italian culture and traditions, where you really get to know the food, region and people, your host and local guide Fabrizio, together with his family & friends, has put together amazing experiences that combine passion, beautiful places and locals to show you the best of the region’s off-the-beaten-track secrets. This is a fully escorted tour that will give you the insights to daily life, food & wine, culture and production in Abruzzo and will let you discover the authentic Italy in a balanced mix of experiences, relax, adventure and learning.
The highlight of this tour is the chance to take part into a truffle-hunting session with an experienced truffle hunter and dogs, and to learn how to make the best risotto with truffle!
HIGHLIGHTS
Live like a local and sleep in a charming ancient Roman town on the Adriatic Sea
Experience truffle hunting with dogs
Enjoy amazing landscapes that spread out from the sea to the mountains
Prepare homemade pasta and pizza with local women
Discover the fascinating trabocchi fishing huts
Explore enchanted castles
Visit Abruzzo’s acclaimed wine makers
ITINERARY
ITINERARY
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
PM
- Rome Fiumicino airport pick up at 2:30 pm and transfer to the ancient Roman town of Vasto on the Adriatic Coast after crossing beautiful Abruzzo mountains looking at amazing landscapes, hilltop villages and castles
- Check in at the charming and family run Hotel dei 7 (or a similar accommodation) in the historical downtown
- Get to know your guide and learn more about the 7-day cultural and culinary vacation
Walk to a traditional restaurant to enjoy a welcome group dinner in the heart of Vasto
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
After a leisurely traditional breakfast made of freshly baked bread, whole fruit country-style preserves, cake, pastries, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice:
AM
- We’ll walk and visit Vasto’s colorful market to get seasonal products. Here you’ll have the possibility to practice a little bit of Italian even if you don’t speak any of it
- Next we’ll drive to the beautiful countryside of Vasto where we’ll meet Fabrizio’s family to have an exclusive cooking class with them and we’ll learn how easy it is to make fresh pasta and we’ll be introduced to Abruzzo sauces
- An example menu based on Fabrizio’s family recipes, includes Bread with meat sauce, Pasta alla chitarra with meat sauce and polpette (meatballs), Cavatelli with vegetables and Tarallucci (typical biscuits from Abruzzo) – of course this depends on seasonal availability
PM
- Lunch with the scrumptious dishes that we prepared in the morning, while enjoying the relaxing family atmosphere
- After a short break to relax, in the afternoon we’ll explore Vasto historic center: Loggia Amblingh, a promenade overlooking the fascinating crescent-shaped coastline, the old town with its medieval Castle, charming lanes, a tower, the Cathedral and Piazza Rossetti, dedicated to Gabriele Rossetti, a poet from the town and father of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
- Before free time, we’ll meet some local artisans or artists
- In the evening you may experience dinner on your own in one of the many restaurants of Vasto. After the big family lunch, based on our many years of experience, we know that nobody is looking for a rich dinner, so our travelers usually enjoy spending time like a local trying a simple aperitif, a gelato or a pizza. Obviously Fabrizio will suggest you his favorite places
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
AM
- After breakfast we’ll explore the famous Trabocchi coast. We’ll start with a short and easy walk inside Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, one of the 10 most beautiful Italian beaches according to the British daily The Telegraph, from where you can also admire snow-capped mountains
- Next we’ll visit a trabocco (the symbol of the area), mostly built with acacia wood and railway iron sleepers
- Weather permitting, Rinaldo our host will show us how to fish from it and the secrets and history behind Abruzzo’s unique fishing platforms that have been featured in the BBC TV show: Escape to the Continent
- His wife Maria will prepare fish from the Adriatic Sea for our exclusive lunch on the ocean
PM
- In the afternoon feel free to relax or take some great photos of the surrounding beautiful marinescape
- On the way home, we’ll visit the enchanting San Giovanni in Venere Abbey that sits on a hill dominating the coastline, surrounded by orange, olive, oak and pine trees
- Group dinner in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
AM
- After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll travel to Lentella, where we’ll have an exciting and hopefully successful black truffle hunt
- Accompanied by an “aperitivo” we’ll enjoy a truffle cookery demonstration using what we collected and eat our rewards for lunch, that could include tagliatelle pasta and frittata (Italian omelette) with truffle
PM
- We know that not every minute of your time must be packed with organised events, this way you will be able to explore on your own and actually live like an Italian
- So today you’ll have a free afternoon for your own activities, which could be: go to one of the many beaches, visit Vasto’s museums and art galleries, take part into some extra activities/excursions, or just do some shopping visiting artisans or have a walk in the “piazza” to enjoy the relaxing Vasto atmosphere
- In the evening you may experience dinner on your own in one of the many restaurants of Vasto
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
AM
- After breakfast we’ll make our way to a farmhouse where Pina and Berardino will reveal the secrets of farming letting you immerse in an authentic slow food experience. You could relax in the beautiful Abruzzo countryside or take part into some or all of these experiences
- We’ll milk a sheep or a cow
- We’ll learn how to make a special bread called “pizza scima – stupid pizza”, a pizza without yeast
- After collecting some organic wine from their winery, we’ll have an aperitif including a taste of their production: cheeses, salami and extra virgin olive oil
- Next we’ll learn how to prepare ricotta cheese
- Finally we’ll collect the fresh vegetables from their garden that will be used for our farm-to-table lunch
- A delicious traditional farm-to-table lunch will be prepared and served
- Almost everything we’ll eat is produced in the farm (wheat to produce the organic flour to make different kinds of breads, cookies and fresh pasta together with eggs from their hens, organic extra virgin olive oil, wines, liquors, juices, jams, cheeses, many varieties of salami, meats and vegetables)
PM
- In the afternoon, immersed in the nature and surrounded by amazing sceneries, we’ll drive in the inland to explore the enchanting Abruzzo’s castle in the sky in the charming village of Roccascalegna, ranked by Condé Naste Traveler as one of the 9 Most Beautiful Hilltop Towns in Italy
- After the big lunch at the farm, in the evening you may enjoy a dinner or aperitif on your own in one of the many restaurants and wine bars of Vasto
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
AM
- After breakfast we’ll visit an Olive Grove that has been farmed by Giovanni’s family for three generations to produce DOP olive oils. He will unfurl the secrets of what Homer described as “liquid gold” and we will finish with an olive oil tasting
- Next we’ll visit an award winning winery that sits between a marine park and the mountains. We’ll make a wine tasting and lunch with pairings from local cheeses and salami and a tour of the vineyard and cellars organized by the winemakers Emanuele and Nicola
PM
- After lunch and some free time to relax and pack or do a last minute shopping, we’ll have a farewell party with Fabrizio’s family. You will enjoy the Abruzzo wines and food in a very relaxed atmosphere or help Adele and Mamma Anna Maria to make tiramisù and many kinds of pizza including the world famous Margherita or local ones with typical toppings such as the renowned “ventricina” salami
- In the evening we’ll have the last dinner together as an Italian family immersed in the Abruzzo’s countryside
* B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson
After breakfast we will leave (usually at 09:00 am) for Rome Fiumicino airport or your next destination (Rome Fiumicino is about 3,5 hours driving from Vasto) so make sure to get an afternoon flight.
NOTE ABOUT YOUR ITINERARY
Your Itinerary is a guide to your activities during the week. However, sometimes we modify the final itinerary to take advantage of the season and the weather. Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a fabulous time, and that sometimes means tweaking the schedule even after your arrival. Your guide will provide suggestions during the week, and the group will decide if any modifications are desired. Be assured that only enhanced experiences are ever considered.
INCLUSIONS
INCLUSIONS
Available on request: from € 1,545.00*
* Prices are per person and land only, with accommodation in a twin/double room with ensuite bathroom. Airfare and travel insurance are not included. There are no single supplements for solo travellers.
Click here for exchange rate
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- 6 Nights accommodation at Hotel dei 7 in the historic centre of Vasto or similar accommodation
- Daily breakfast buffet
- 8 meals (food, water, house wine) in selected restaurants, a farmhouse, a private home, a winery and a trabocco fishing hut based on traditional regional dishes. Some evenings are free for you to explore the town by yourself
- 2 hands-on authentic Abruzzo cooking classes and associated food costs
- Authentic truffle huntig with a truffle hunter and dogs
- Daily trips, experiences and excursions
- Pick up and drop-off at Rome Fiumicino airport or city center on request
- Personalized cooking booklet and apron
- All transports for daily trips and excursions
- All entry fees for excursions, tours and wine, olive oil and cheese tastings
- English-speaking tour manager throughout the vacation
- All taxes
- Airfares. We recommend using www.skyscanner.com to check the flights
- Money spent for personal interests
- Snacks/Drinks between meals, or any meals not listed on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like phone calls, visa costs, laundry or tips
- Travel insurance (not obligatory, but recommended)
- Drinks not listed in the itinerary (an extra bottle of wine, for example)
- The cost of additional excursions or activities
During this tour you will stay at the centrally located 3* Hotel dei 7. Recently renovated, this simple but comfortable hotel provides 18 rooms with updated ensuite bathrooms, tiled floors, air conditioning, safe rooms, elevator, and WiFi (sometimes a comparable accommodation may be proposed).
You can also choose to upgrade to a lovely boutique residence located in the heart of Vasto. Originally an 18th-century mansion, it has been renovated into an upscale B&B with 5 bedrooms, located on the Amblingh promenade. Discover more here and inquire for a quote.
WHY US?
WHY US?
WE ARE PROUD TO BE LOCAL
- Only 100% authentic experiences
- Deep connections with the people who live here
- We have a passion for our culture and our communities
ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TRIP
- We know how to let you feel that at home
- We keep our groups small to take care of all the details
- Discover our guest reviews on Tripadvisor
SUSTAINABILITY AND PASSION
- We promote the local culture as a sign of responsible travel
- We are focused on preserving our way of life
- We involve small, family-run and passion-driven businesses
FAQ
FAQ
Who are you and what do you do?
Italia Sweet Italia (ISI) is a small incoming tour operator specialised in organizing vacations around Abruzzo Italy, our home. ISI is a fully licensed company covered by insurance policy no. 402485101 by Axa Assicurazione S.p.A. and authorised by the local government to create and sell tour packages from 2011.
Our mission is to show people from all over the world the beauty of Abruzzo and other Italian regions so they can experience our homeland, traditions, arts and folklore in a unique way, also demonstrating the benefits of sustainable tourism to everyone. In order to help you discover everything Abruzzo has to offer, we organise small groups (up to 16 people) escorted tours including cultural, culinary, active, pottery, Italian language and ancestry experiences. We are happy to create a tailored vacation around your wishes. Our tours provide you with the rare opportunity to be invited into homes and farms, as well as into the daily lives of locals.
How do you organize your group pick up and drop off services?
Pick up
For all the small group tours listed in our calendar, the pick up at Rome Fiumicino airport is planned at 2:30 pm on day 1. Normally it takes 3-3,5 hours to drive to Vasto, our base on the Adriatic Coast for all the tours (except for The Abruzzo, Puglia & Matera experience tour in which we’ll drive for around 2 hours to Sulmona). The duration of the trip depends on traffic (on Sunday, when most of our tours start, usually there is no traffic) and if you need to stop at the motor service along the way for a snack or to go to the toilette. It is a beautiful and relaxing driving crossing three National parks,from where you can see many hilltop villages and the Apennines. A few weeks before the tour starts, we’ll send you a pdf with exact pick-up location and times. Please consider also this information:
- If you want you can be picked up at an Hotel in Rome, but this service has an extra cost of € 50 that you can pay at your arrival. We’ll come earlier to pick you up at your accommodation (it depends on the exact location, but it is usually 1 hour before the pick-up at Rome F. Airport). Sometimes it could be also after the airport pick-up.
- When we’ll have all flights and arrival information from all the travelers, if everybody that is joining the tour is supposed to arrive before 2:30 pm, we could anticipate the pick-up time.
- You can also reach Vasto or other destinations in Italy by bus or train. Please take a look at this page. We’ll organize the taxi transfer from/to Vasto train station (10 minutes driving) or Vasto coach station to/from the hotel in Vasto (3 minutes driving).
Drop-off
For the drop-off to Rome we usually leave the hotel in Vasto after breakfast, at around 09:00 am so that we arrive at Rome Fiumicino airport at maximum 01:30 pm (if there is traffic, but it normally takes 3-3,5 hours). If anybody in the group has an earlier flight, we could leave 1-2 hours before (so at 07:00-08:00) but we make our evaluations from time to time. If there is any specific need, there are also public buses that shuttle from Vasto to Rome Fiumicino (or the city center) earlier in the morning and by night (take a look here). In this case we organize the taxi transfer from the hotel to Vasto coach station (3 minutes driving).
For the drop off to Bari for The Abruzzo, Puglia & Matera experience tour, we have this program: after breakfast, we will leave (usually at 09:00) for Bari airport or your next destination (45 minutes driving from Hotel to Bari airport and 40 minutes to Bari train station). When we’ll have information from all the people who will join the tour (about their programs on that day) we’ll finalize this. If there is any specific need, we can organize a private transfer (before or after the planned one) from the hotel to Bari airport or train station that costs € 90.
Private pick-up and drop-off for group tours
Of course, we are always happy to support you to organize a private pick up/drop off only for you to let you join our small group tours listed in our calendar. Please keep in mind that a private transfer (before or after the planned one) from Vasto to Rome airport or city center costs around € 300.
Connecting to or from another part of Italy
If you are connecting to or from another part of Italy we are happy to assist you in planning your pre and post trip connections. If your planned arrival or departure does not coincide with the specified meeting time we can assist you in booking a private transfer at an additional cost or some extra nights in Vasto or Puglia. .
Once a complete booking is made you may also contact us directly for further details and assistance. We are always here to help and have the insider knowledge and on the ground support to ensure you find the best option available to arrive or depart from your tour.
Make sure to arrive at the meeting point on time but don’t get stressed
Please note that all guests joining our tours are responsible for ensuring they make it to the meeting point by 2:30 pm at Rome’s Fiumicino airport. Those who are unable to be on time will not be guaranteed a transfer from Rome to Vasto and will have to seek other arrangements to participate in the remainder of the tour. Anyway, don’t worry, there are many daily public buses that with less than € 30 connect Rome Fiumicino airport or Roma Termini coach station with Vasto as you can see here.
Who are your tours suitable for?
- Our tours are suitable for everybody that travelled enough to know that touristy vacations are just not them and long for more authentic travel, ways to truly experience the culture and people they’re visiting
- Our travellers appreciate la dolce vita and the pleasures of exquisite food, wine, and fellowship with others who share their passions
- Our guests are not afraid to take bold steps…to learn something new…to explore something completely out of the ordinary
- The minimum age for pre-arranged tours is 14 (14-18 accompanied by an adult) with no upper age limit. For tailor-made and private tours any age is fine
- Our tours are perfect for solo travellers (we don’t charge single room supplements for our 7-day tours in Abruzzo), couples, groups of friends and even families are welcomed
- Our guests don’t need to have any experience in cooking or painting or do pottery or speaking Italian to join our tours. Our experienced course tutors will soon discover your level of knowledge and will adapt their approach accordingly
All classes are taught in both Italian and English so you’ll have the opportunity to learn and practice a little bit of Italian
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