COOK + TREK IN ABRUZZO SAMPLE ITINERARY

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1 COOK + TREK IN ABRUZZO Sunday, April 28 th Saturday, May 4 th 2019 SAMPLE ITINERARY DAY 1 We'll pick you up in Rome's Piazza Bologna at 10 am and whisk you through the mountains to Abruzzo. First stop Valle Scannese, home to Abruzzo s most influential cheesemaker. We ll tour the property and enjoy a leisurely farm-to-table lunch after which we ll explore the town of Scanno, known as the pearl of Abruzzo. We ll visit its heart-shaped lake, tour the charming town and sample some of the town s famous mostaccioli cookies at a local bakery. We ll then visit the tranquil Eremo di San Domenico in Villalago before heading to our home for the week, Agruturismo Pietrantica in the picturesque mountain hamlet of Decontra. Unpack and unwind with a glass of wine and share in a communal farm-to-table welcome dinner featuring local organic specialties.

2 DAY 2 We ll start the day with a cooking class with our hostess with the mostest, the larger-than-life Marisa, who will teach us about ancient grains indigenous to the Majella such as Solina wheat and farro. Marisa will teach us techniques and recipes incorporating grains produced by her farm such as polenta di farro and pane di Solina using a natural starter. After lunch, we ll hike through the Valle di Giumentina to visit medieval hermitages carved into the mountains by Pope Celestino V and his followers. These "Celestiani" monks chose isolated locations in the Majella to build these sacred refuges as a way to be closer to God in Nature. That evening, we'll visit Agriturismo Tholos, part of a network of custodian farmers created by the Majella National Park to protect the territory s agricultural biodiversity and known for its use of foraged wild herbs and prized legumes. We'll dine on unique dishes served inside a "tholos", a stone hut built by shepherds to protect their flock from the elements, an emblem of the territory's pastoral tradition.

3 DAY 3 We ll explore the singlular Costa dei Trabocchi, a unique segment of the Adriatic coast dotted with mysterious spider-like stationary wooden fishing platforms. We ll spend the morning on a trabocco where we ll learn how to cast the nets and then cook a number of seafood specialties such as cozze ripiene (stuffed mussels) and brodetto vastese (a seafood stew in which fishermen would barter their catch of the day with one another to amass the necessary ingredients). After lunch, we ll walk along the stunning coastline and visit the impressive Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere. We ll then have an olive oil tasting and sunset cocktails on our friend Claudio s trabocco before heading home to Marisa s for supper.

4 DAY 4 May 1 st is Labor Day in Italy, and in Abruzzo s Teramo province, that means one thing: le virtù. This 50- ingredient soup was traditionally prepared only once a year by peasants and farmers to welcome spring. They combined all the remains in their larders dried beans, pasta, cured and dried meats and bones - with the first vegetables and herbs to emerge in their gardens in the springtime. Today, we ll visit the lovely town of Atri with its stunning cathedral and elegant corso and dine on le virtù at a local trattoria. And for dessert, let s not forget Atri s traditional sfogliatelle from a local bakery! After lunch, we ll take a leisurely hike through the fascinating calanchi Badlands - outside of Atri. We ll stop at a local winery for an afternoon wine tasting before heading home for some evening R&R. And how does pizza for dinner sound?

5 DAY 5 Today we'll explore the ancient villages, wild landscapes and robust flavors of the Gran Sasso mountain range. We ll explore the origins of and have a cooking featuring, Navelli s precious saffron, which is painstakingly harvested by hand in the autumn, at our friend Francesca s dimora storica. After lunch, we ll head to Campo Imperatore, an alpine plateau at 1900m above sea level and hike along the meadows of spring wildflowers to the town of Castel del Monte, known for its pecorino cheese. For dinner, dine on the prized tiny lentils from charming Santo Stefano di Sessanio.

6 DAY 6 Today, we ll head to the countryside for a cooking class with the wonderful Giulia who will teach us to prepare Abruzzese specialties such as fiadoni (baked ravioli filled with cheese); pallotte cac e ove (egg and cheese croquettes simmered in tomato sauce); and other traditional dishes. After lunch, we ll take a late afternoon passeggiata in the lovely town of Caramanico Terme where you can stock up on some local honey and other tasty gifts to take home with you. That evening, we ll enjoy one last farewell dinner at Marisa s.

7 DAY 7 We ll get an early start this morning and head to lovely Sulmona. We ll visit the lively market set in a stunning piazza flanked by the mountains on one side and an ancient aqueduct on the other. You ll have some free time to explore the city and its colorful confetti shops. Around Noon, we ll start to make our way back to Piazza Bologna in Rome, but not before picking up some porchetta sandwiches for the ride. Arriverderci! **We are committed to creating an enjoyable tour itinerary. If improvements can be made prior to the commencement of or even during the tour, or if unforeseen conditions make changes necessary, we reserve the right to vary the itinerary and/or substitute hotels or accommodations of a reasonably equivalent quality and will not be held responsible for any of these types of changes or occurrences.**