Itinerary
- Day 1
Rome to Vasto
You'll arrive at Rome Fiumicino airport and get picked up at 2:30 pm for the drive down to Vasto on the Adriatic Coast. The route takes you through the Abruzzo mountains, so you'll pass through some nice hilltop villages and see castles along the way. Once you reach Hotel dei 7 in the historical downtown area, you'll check in and meet your guide. Later that evening, there's a welcome group dinner at a traditional restaurant right in the heart of Vasto.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome group dinner at traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto)
Included Activities
- Welcome group dinner at traditional restaurant in Vasto
Landmarks Vasto 
- Day 2
Vasto
Start with a leisurely breakfast featuring freshly baked bread, preserves, pastries, and juice. In the morning, head to Vasto's colorful market to check out the seasonal products. From there, you'll drive out to the countryside for a cooking class with Fabrizio's family, where you'll learn to make fresh pasta and local Abruzzo sauces from scratch. Lunch is the food you prepared together in a family setting. Back in town, spend the afternoon walking through Vasto's historic center, including the medieval castle, cathedral, and Piazza Rossetti. You'll also have time to browse local artisan boutiques. Your evening is free to find dinner on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Leisurely traditional breakfast made of freshly baked bread, whole fruit country-style preserves, cake, pastries, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice), Lunch (Lunch with scrumptious dishes prepared during morning cooking class, including Bread with meat sauce, Pasta alla chitarra with meat sauce and polpette (meatballs), Cavatelli with vegetables and Tarallucci (typical biscuits from Abruzzo), enjoyed in family atmosphere)
Included Activities
- Visit Vasto's colorful market
- Exclusive cooking class with Fabrizio's family - learning to make fresh pasta and Abruzzo sauces
- Lunch with prepared dishes in family atmosphere
- Exploration of Vasto historic center including Loggia Amblingh, promenade overlooking crescent-shaped coastline, medieval Castle, Cathedral, and Piazza Rossetti
- Meet local artisans or artists
Optional Activities
- Dinner on your own at one of many Vasto restaurants
- Aperitif
- Gelato
- Pizza
Landmarks Vasto Market Loggia Amblingh Vasto Castle Vasto Cathedral Piazza Rossetti 
- Day 3
Vasto to Scanno
After breakfast, head into the Abruzzo mountains and national parks. You'll visit the 11th century Hermitage of San Domenico, which sits on the lake of San Domenico. An easy scenic walk along the Itinerary of the Heart takes you to an observatory point where you can see the famous heart-shaped lake of Scanno. Lunch is a traditional picnic with local products. Later, you'll explore Scanno village itself, walking through the alleys and visiting churches plus artisan boutiques, including a jewelry shop that makes the 'Presentosa,' a traditional 18th century Abruzzo jewel. The day ends with group dinner at a traditional restaurant in Vasto Marina or Vasto.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional picnic with local products), Dinner (Group dinner in traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto Marina, by the beach or in the heart of Vasto)
Included Activities
- Visit 11th century Hermitage of San Domenico on lake of San Domenico
- Easy and scenic walk along Itinerary of the Heart to admire heart-shaped lake of Scanno from observatory point
- Traditional picnic with local products
- Exploration of Scanno village with fabulous alleys, churches, landscapes and artisan boutiques
- Visit to artisanal jewelry shop for 'Presentosa' traditional jewel
- Group dinner in traditional restaurant in Vasto Marina or Vasto
Optional Activities
- Gelato break in Scanno
Landmarks Hermitage of San Domenico Lake of San Domenico Scanno Heart-shaped Lake of Scanno 
- Day 4
Vasto
After breakfast, head to the Abruzzo coastline and take a light scenic walk inside Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, ranked as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Italy. You'll see the trabocchi, which are unique traditional fishing platforms. Lunch is a special fish and seafood meal right on one of these platforms, and your host Rinaldo will show you how to fish and explain the history behind these structures. The afternoon is yours to spend how you'd like, whether that's relaxing on the beach, biking, or taking optional excursions. Dinner is on your own in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Special fish and seafood lunch on a trabocchi platform)
Included Activities
- Light and scenic walk inside Punta Aderci Nature Reserve
- Discovery of trabocchi landmarks
- Special fish and seafood lunch on a trabocchi platform
- Demonstration of fishing techniques and history of Abruzzo fishing platforms by host Rinaldo
Optional Activities
- Visit one of many beaches
- Biking
- Additional excursions or activities
- Dinner on your own at Vasto restaurants
Landmarks Punta Aderci Nature Reserve Trabocchi Coast - Day 5
Vasto
After breakfast, head to a farmhouse where Pina and Berardino will walk you through authentic slow food farming. You'll participate in farm activities like milking sheep or cows, learning to make 'pizza scima,' a yeast-free pizza. You'll collect organic wine for an aperitif paired with farm-produced cheeses, salami, and olive oil, and learn how to prepare ricotta cheese. Grab fresh vegetables directly from the garden, which become part of a farm-to-table lunch featuring all farm-made items. Later in the afternoon, you'll drive inland to see Roccascalegna, a charming hilltop village that's ranked as one of Italy's 9 most beautiful towns. Dinner or an aperitif is on your own that evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious traditional farm-to-table lunch with farm-produced items including organic flour breads, cookies, fresh pasta, eggs from hens, organic extra virgin olive oil, wines, liquors, juices, jams, cheeses, salami varieties and vegetables)
Included Activities
- Farm experience with Pina and Berardino including farming secrets in slow food experience
- Milking sheep or cows
- Learning to make 'pizza scima' (yeast-free pizza)
- Collecting organic wine and aperitif with farm-produced cheeses, salami and extra virgin olive oil
- Learning to prepare ricotta cheese
- Collecting fresh vegetables from farm garden
- Farm-to-table lunch with farm-produced items
- Exploration of Roccascalegna village and castle
Optional Activities
- Relaxation in Abruzzo countryside during farm activities
- Dinner or aperitif on your own at Vasto restaurants and wine bars
Landmarks Roccascalegna Roccascalegna Castle 
- Day 6
Vasto
After breakfast, visit an olive grove managed by Giovanni's family for three generations, where they produce DOP olive oils. You'll learn about olive production and taste their oils. Next, head to an award-winning winery located between a marine park and mountains for wine tasting and lunch featuring local cheese and salami pairings, plus a tour of the vineyard and cellar led by winemakers Emanuele and Nicola. The afternoon is free to relax, pack, or do some shopping. Your evening features a farewell party with Fabrizio's family, enjoying Abruzzo wines and food or helping prepare tiramisu and various pizzas like Margherita and local ventricina salami versions. After that, you'll have a final group dinner together as an Italian family in the Abruzzo countryside.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at award-winning winery with wine pairings from local cheeses and salami), Dinner (Last dinner together as an Italian family immersed in the Abruzzo's countryside with Abruzzo wines and food)
Included Activities
- Visit Olive Grove farmed by Giovanni's family for three generations
- Learning secrets of DOP olive oil production
- Olive oil tasting
- Visit award-winning winery with marine park and mountain views
- Wine tasting with local cheese and salami pairings
- Vineyard and cellar tour with winemakers Emanuele and Nicola
- Farewell party with Fabrizio's family with Abruzzo wines and food
- Optional participation in preparing tiramisu and various pizzas including Margherita and ventricina salami versions
- Final group dinner together as an Italian family in Abruzzo countryside
Landmarks Giovanni's Olive Grove Award-winning Winery - Day 7
Vasto to Rome
After breakfast, you'll depart around 9:00 am heading back to Rome Fiumicino airport or to your next destination. The drive from Vasto to Rome takes approximately 3.5 hours.
- Meals
- Breakfast
