SPRINGTIME IN ITALY TOUR SAMPLE ITINERARY

Transcription

1 SPRINGTIME IN ITALY TOUR Saturday, May 4 th Saturday, May 11 th 2019 SAMPLE ITINERARY DAY 1 We'll pick you up in Rome's Piazza Bologna at 3 PM and whisk you through the mountains to Abruzzo. For the first four nights, we stay at a complex of renovated historic dimore" in the medieval village of Navelli. Unpack and unwind with a glass of wine before we settle in for a traditional Abruzzese dinner prepared by a local cook.

2 DAY 2 Today we'll explore the ancient villages and wild landscapes of the Gran Sasso mountain range. We ll follow the footsteps of the Medici family in the jewelbox village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio where we ll visit AquiLana, an artisanal producer of wool derived from local sheep that is hand-dyed with natural dyes made from Montepulciano grapes, Navelli saffron and other local products. We ll dine on Santo Stefano s prized tiny lentils and other locally sourced ingredients. We ll marvel at the sunset at Rocca Calascio, a medieval military fortress dramatically positioned at 1460m above sea level, the highest in all of Italy.

3 DAY 3 Today, we ll spend the day in the town of Scanno, known as the pearl of Abruzzo. We ll visit its heart-shaped lake and tour the picturesque town, including a 100-year old jewelry shop known for unique pieces that evoke old traditions. You ll have free time for lunch and to explore Scanno s countless nooks and crannies and then meet back up to 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 stopping at a famous cheese producer in the nearby village of Anversa degli Abruzzi. A day filled with some of Abruzzo s prettiest towns and most talented artisans!

4 DAY 4 Today, we ll visit the magnificently frescoed oratory in Bominaco, called the Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo and also visit a local castle or two! We ll explore the origins of, and have an opportunity to shop for, Navelli s prized saffron, which is painstakingly harvested by hand in the autumn. 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. We ll return to Navelli for a farewell dinner at a local agriturismo.

5 DAY 5 Today, we ll bid farewell to the mountains and head to the rolling hills of the countryside. First stop is my friend Giulia s country house for a hands-on, farm-to-table cooking class after which we ll enjoy the fruits of our labor for lunch! We ll then head to our second home for the week, the Castello di Semivicoli owned by the lauded Masciarelli winemaking family. Settle in and explore the beautiful property and then join us in the cantina for a guided tasting of Masciarelli wines and dinner.

6 DAY 6 Today, we ll visit some of the lovely villages and artisans in the countryside. We ll drive to the picturesque town of Guardiagrele and sample the delicious (if not slight naughty!) pastry, le sise delle monache (nun s breasts!) and visit a shop specializing in ferro battuto (iron and copper works). We ll then head to the town of Rapino and visit a bottega specializing in handpainted ceramics. And how does pizza for dinner sound?

7 DAY 7 Sleep in this morning and then get ready to head to the coast! 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 enjoy an al fresco seafood feast on a trabocco and visit the impressive Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere. We ll then have sunset cocktails on our friend Claudio s trabocco before dinner at one of the area s most respected agriturismi. We ll get an early start the next morning and our driver will accompany us back to Piazza Bologna in Rome. 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.**