Discover Abruzzo

Your Abruzzo journey begins with a private transfer from Rome into the highlands. First stop is L’Aquila, Italy’s 2026 Capital of Culture. Years of careful restoration following an earthquake have brought treasured landmarks back to life, and a guided walk through the historic center gives a real sense of a place rediscovering itself with pride. After lunch, continue to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a hilltop village so perfectly preserved it feels frozen in time. Settle in for a welcome dinner together as the evening light fades over the mountains.

Today you’ll explore Campo Imperatore. Known as “piccolo Tibet”, this vast plateau opens up like a scene from another world. Visit Rocca Calascio, an unforgettable medieval castle perched dramatically above the mountains. The afternoon brings a more intimate discovery — an introduction to Navelli saffron, grown in one small corner of this region and considered among the finest in the world. Sample it yourself alongside a tasting of fresh local cheeses. Return to the village for an evening at your leisure.

Spend the morning exploring the village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio on a guided tour, where you’ll fully take in its stone lanes, its views, and the pleasure of a place this quiet. In the afternoon, a group cooking class introduces you to the flavors of traditional Abruzzo cooking, followed by dinner together featuring the dishes you’ve made. Buon appetito!

Depart the mountains this morning and head to Castelli, where hand-painted ceramics have been produced in the same tradition for generations. After a group lunch in town, continue to the Trabocchi Coast, the star attraction of your tour. Here the Adriatic laps against secluded beaches set amongst dozens of trabocchi — traditional wooden fishing platforms built out over the water. Tonight you’ll feast on fresh seafood during a dinner in one of these historic structures.

Today is devoted to regional flavors. Head to the town of Loreto Aprutino for a tour and tasting at a local winery. Abruzzo’s signature red is fruity and easygoing, the perfect “picnic wine” — which you may have already enjoyed without ever knowing it came from here. In the afternoon, an olive oil tasting set amid a scenic grove, before returning to the coast for the evening.

Start with a free morning to enjoy the coast at your own pace. In the afternoon, your tour leaders take you through some of the most scenic parts of the region, including the wine estates and castles near Semivicoli and the sweeping Adriatic views of Ortona. During one of the fiercest battles of the Second World War, Ortona’s priests risked everything to hide its most treasured relic. Learn the dramatic history and explore the historic center and waterfront before gathering for a farewell group dinner.

As you depart the Trabocchi Coast, a visit to the Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, a Benedictine monastery above the Adriatic with views that make a perfect send-off to the coast. Then on to Lanciano, one of Abruzzo’s finest medieval towns, for a guided tour and lunch. Then return to Rome, where we wish you arrivederci e buon viaggio!