Abruzzo Travel Package

Arrival at Rome/ Fiumicino Airport. You will be met by your tour leader and board your private motor coach for your transfer to your hotel in Sulmona, the Hotel Ovidio. This afternoon, join your tour leader for a welcome cocktail, which will be followed by dinner at Hotel Ovidio Restaurant.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the 13th-century Saint Spirito al Morrone Abbey, also known as the Morronese or Celestiniana Abbey, is in the hamlet of Badia, about 5 kilometers from Sulmona. The complex was the most important and largest congregation of Celestiani. The abby consists of monumental 18th century church with imposing monastery arranged around 5 courtyards, totally enclosed by ancient walls. The abbey also has an impressive double flight staircase, the crypt of the abbey and many beautiful works of art.

After the visit we will board our motor coach for a trip to Prezza, a beautiful village of 950 residents with roots to ancient times. Its cobblestone streets are full of history and beckons back to a long past. Tracing its history to Roman times, Prezza served as a fortress of defense for this region.
Lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon our tour continues with a visit to one of the most famous confectionary houses in Abruzzo, “PELINO”. Pelino has been producing among the best “confetti” (sugared Sicilian almonds) since 1783. Confetti are used in wedding favors, as well as a variety of events. We will have the opportunity to try these wonderful confetti, as well as visit their museum.

We then continue to explore Sulmona on a guided walking tour with your Tour Leader. We will visit the historical city center and the birthplace of Ovid, the Roman poet. We will admire beautiful churches and historical buildings dating back to Medieval times, including the Roman Aqueduct from the 12th century.

After breakfast we’ll board our motorcoach and ride to Scanno considered one of the most beautiful Borghi in Abruzzo”. This picturesque hamlet is surrounded by green mountains filled with pine trees and a famed lake at its feet. It is both an architectural jewel and a natural wonder. 

Legend has it that the lake was formed when a feud broke out by a white witch and a sorcerer, the lake springing up at the place where the witch finally fell. 

Scanno is nicknamed Photographer’s Village, due to the work of famous photographers and illustrators such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Mario Giacomelli. As you stroll through the village, you will encounter ladies wearing the ancient costume, a landmark of Scanno culture and tradition the village has experienced for centuries. We will Stop at Pasticceria Di Masso to taste the typical Scanno sweets, “pan dell’orso”.

A short ride and we arrive at a local farmhouse near to Introdacqua, a small medieval village in Valle Peligna. We will enjoy a cooking demonstration of typical food and be entertained by folk songs and dance. After your visit to the local farmhouse, board your motor coach to visit Introdacqua, another medieval village in the Aquila region of Abruzzo, renowned for its scenic charm, and particularly its Lombard tower.

After breakfast, we’ll depart by motor coach with our Tour Leader to Pescocostanzo, considered a striking example of an alpine village. Among the main attractions of this town is the splendid Church of Santa Maria del Colle, the small church of Santa Maria del Carmine and the Museum of Tombolo (lace tatting), the beautiful works dating back to the 15h century, and still produced in this area today. We will visit the Santa Maria del Colle Basilica, home to numerous examples of wooden furniture, marble, precious canvases, and ancient iron works. Afterwards with our Tour Leader, we’ll visit the lace museum and view a lace tatting demonstration. 

Continue to Pacentro, one of the most fascinating villages of Conca Peligna, beautifully situated between Morrone Mountain and Maiella Mountain. This medieval small village around Majella National Park is another “borgo” considered as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times; red-ocher cave paintings found in the area date back to prehistoric times. The village is perched in a beautiful natural setting, including its historic center, defensive walls, and palaces. You will have the opportunity to visit a paper mâché laboratory and have a demonstration.

After breakfast, we’ll depart by motor coach with your Group Leader to L’Aquila, known for its stunning medieval architecture, beautiful landscapes, and rich cultural heritage.

We start our walking tour at the Fontana Luminosa, continuing along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, the city’s main commercial and historic artery. Along the way, we will visit the Chiesa delle Anime Sante, a baroque masterpiece, and the Basilica di San Bernardino, with its Renaissance facade and impressive interior. 

During the tour, we will also explore fascinating underground sites that are part of L’Aquila Underground. As we walk through the historic center, we will discover galleries and tunnels that reveal hidden stories and ancient city defenses.

Lunch at a local restaurant, and in the afternoon, we will continue the tour by bus from Piazza Duomo to visit the famous Fontana delle 99 Cannelle, a historic symbol of the city.

After breakfast, board your motorcoach with a local expert for an excursion to Capestrano, a tiny hamlet offering visitors a unique insight into Abruzzo’s rich history, culture, and exquisite natural beauty. Although not often visited by the average tourist to Abruzzo, we are sure that once there you will be impressed and will have an experience like no other.

As you walk along the town, you will discover the replica of the famous Warrior of Capestrano statue, a symbol of Abruzzo dating back to the 6th century BCE, the original, now preserved at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale d’Abruzzo in Chieti. You will visit the castle, overlooking the beautiful Tirino Valley, with its magnificent vistas.

We will board our motor coach for an interesting excursion to Vallevò, in “Costa dei Trabocchi”. A real trabocco is an ancient fishing mechanism, typical of the Abruzzo coast. It is built on poles driven directly into the sea or between rocks, anchored to the shore by a multitude of cables and wooden boards. This ancient fishing technique will be explained and, weather permitting, there will be a net fishing demonstration. Lunch at local restaurant, “Punta Tufano”, after which we will return to your hotel, with free time.

Breakfast at hotel and check out. 

Board your private motorcoach and transfer to Rome and check in at your overnight hotel. We will stop on the way Anversa degli Abruzzi, a jewel of the Sagittario Valley.

Join your Tour Leader on a fascinating tour to a bio agriturismo, a local and organic farmhouse. You will learn about the daily agricultural experience of a bio agritusimo in a scenic, pastoral setting. Watch as fresh milk is processed into cheese, with the chance to experience hands-on, the feel the fresh cheese process. You will then taste and sample some of the delicious local cheese and other products that the bio agriturismo has to offer.

Finish off the visit with a cooking demonstration and learn how to make gnocchi, followed by a delicious lunch at the farmhouse to enjoy your gnocchi! We will complete our transfer to Rome and check in at our final hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.