Transport

All transports for daily trips and excursions will be in an air conditioned minibus or car Pick up in Rome Fiumicino airport and drop off in Bari airport/train station in an air conditioned minibus or car

Guide

English-speaking professional tour directors and licensed local guides as per itinerary

Others

Guided tastings of wines, confetti, olive oil, panzerotti and focaccia bread and visits to the producers 2 Hands-on authentic Abruzzo and Puglia cooking classes and associated food costs Personalized cooking booklet and apron Daily trips, excursions and guided tours All entry fees for museums Art experience with a local artist All taxes

Accommodation

2 nights in Sulmona at Hotel Ovidius 4 nights in Vasto at Hotel San Marco (or similar accommodation) 5 nights in Conversano at Hotel Corte Altavilla. Standard rooms, centrally located accommodations

Meals

Daily breakfast buffet 14 meals (food, water & house wine) in selected restaurants, a farmhouse, a private home, a winery and a trabocco fishing hut based on traditional regional dishes. Some evenings are free for you to explore the towns by yourself

Not included:

Others

Airfares. We recommend using www.skyscanner.com to check the flights Money spent for personal interests Snacks/Drinks between meals, or any meals not listed on the itinerary Personal expenses like phone calls, visa costs, laundry or tips Travel insurance (not obligatory, but recommended) Drinks not listed in the itinerary (an extra bottle of wine, for example) The cost of additional excursions or activities City tax (depending on period and location, varies from €1.5 to €2.50 per night per person to be paid at hotels)

Optional

Other activities and services are not included.

Flights

Flights are not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Sunday | Rome Fiumicino Airport Pick-Up, Sulmona And Welcome To Abruzzo Dinner (Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Sunday | Rome Fiumicino Airport Pick-Up, Sulmona And Welcome To Abruzzo Dinner (Dinner)

PM

Rome Fiumicino airport pick up at 12:30 pm, transfer to Sulmona, the town of the Roman poet Ovid, the most illustrious son of Sulmona

Get to know your local guide and Italia Sweet Italia founder Fabrizio and learn more about this 12-day Italian cultural vacation

Check in, relax and enjoy a welcome dinner at Hotel Ovidius in the heart of Sulmona
Day 2 Monday | Confetti Museum, Explore Sulmona’S Historic Center And Traditional Lunch (Breakfast, Confetti And Wine Tasting, And Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Monday | Confetti Museum, Explore Sulmona’S Historic Center And Traditional Lunch (Breakfast, Confetti And Wine Tasting, And Lunch)

After a leisurely traditional breakfast made of freshly baked bread, whole fruit country-style preserves, cake, pastries, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice:

AM

Visit the Confetti (sugar-coated almonds) Museum, where you can see a wide display of old-fashioned confectionery machines and equipment, memorabilia and precious, rare objects relating to the ancient Sulmonese art of confectionary

After confetti tasting, we’ll discover Sulmona and see the Medieval aqueduct on Piazza Garibaldi and the Church of Santa Maria Annunziata with its majestic bell tower

We’ll have a traditional lunch in the centre of Sulmona

PM

We know that not every minute of your time needs to be packed with organized events; you will also be able to explore on your own and actually live like an Italian

So today you’ll have a free afternoon for your own activities, which could include: visiting Sulmona’s museums and art galleries, taking part in some extra activities/excursions, having a SPA experience in the Hotel wellness center (must be booked in advance) or just do some time shopping, visiting artisans or taking a walk in the “piazza” to enjoy the relaxing Sulmona atmosphere

In the evening, you may experience dinner on your own in one of the many restaurants of Sulmona. Obviously Fabrizio will suggest to you his favorite places
Day 3 Tuesday | Amazing Abruzzo Mountains Landscapes, Scanno And Vasto On The Adriatic Coast (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Tuesday | Amazing Abruzzo Mountains Landscapes, Scanno And Vasto On The Adriatic Coast (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

AM

After check out, we’ll drive across the wonderful Abruzzo mountains and National Parks to the ancient Roman town of Vasto on the Adriatic Coast, where you will be staying for the next 3 nights

On the way to Vasto, we’ll visit the enchanting Hermitage of San Domenico in Villalago and the village of Scanno (one of the most beautiful villages of Italy) in the mountains with its fabulous alleys, churches, landscapes and artisans boutiques

PM

Lunch in a traditional restaurant in Scanno

We’ll also visit an artisanal jewelry shop where they make the “Presentosa”, a famous traditional jewel from Abruzzo, a very ancient piece of art which dates back to the 18th century

Transfer to Vasto, check in at Hotel in the historical downtown

Group dinner in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto
Day 4 Wednesday | A Visit To The Market, Make Homemade Pasta With Mamma And Explore Vasto (Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Wednesday | A Visit To The Market, Make Homemade Pasta With Mamma And Explore Vasto (Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch)

AM

We’ll walk and visit Vasto’s colorful market to get seasonal products. Here you’ll have the possibility to practice a little bit of Italian even if you don’t speak any of it

Next, we’ll drive to the beautiful countryside of Vasto where we’ll meet Fabrizio’s family to have an exclusive cooking class with them and we’ll learn how easy it is to make fresh pasta and we’ll be introduced to Abruzzo sauces

An example of a menu based on Fabrizio’s family recipes, includes Bread with meat sauce, Pasta alla chitarra with meat sauce, polpette (meatballs) and Tarallucci (typical biscuits from Abruzzo)

PM

Lunch on the scrumptious dishes that we prepared in the morning, while enjoying the relaxing family atmosphere

After a short break to relax, in the afternoon we’ll go on a guided visit of Vasto’s historic center. We’ll explore Loggia Amblingh, a promenade overlooking the fascinating crescent-shaped coastline, the old town with its medieval Castle, charming lanes, a tower, the Cathedral and Piazza Rossetti, dedicated to Gabriele Rossetti, a poet from the town and father of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

In the evening you may experience dinner on your own in one of the many restaurants of Vasto. After the big family lunch, based on our many years of experience, we know that nobody is looking for a rich dinner, so our travelers usually enjoy spending time like a local trying a simple aperitif, a gelato or a pizza. Obviously Fabrizio will suggest you his favorite places
Day 5 Thursday | The Trabocchi Coast And Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, Visit A Winery With Tasting And Easy Walk In The Nature And Make Your Own Souvenir With An Artist (Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Lunch, Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Thursday | The Trabocchi Coast And Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, Visit A Winery With Tasting And Easy Walk In The Nature And Make Your Own Souvenir With An Artist (Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Lunch, Dinner)

AM

After breakfast, we’ll explore the famous Trabocchi coast. We’ll start with a short and easy walk inside Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, one of the 12 most beautiful Italian beaches according to the National Geographic, from where you can also admire snow-capped mountains at certain times of the year

Next we’ll visit an award-winning winery that sits between a marine park and the mountains. We’ll sample wine tasting and lunch with pairings from local cheeses and salami and a tour of the vineyard and cellars organized by winemakers Emanuele and Nicola

PM

After lunch in the winery and a short break at the hotel, we’ll drive to the little hilltop village of Lentella at Ettore’s “Fattoria d’Arte” (Art farm)

Surrounded by an amazing landscape with a stunning view of the sea, mountains, hills and small towns, you can enjoy an easy walk and an artistic experience with Ettore, who will let you create your own Abruzzo souvenir (a postcard made with natural colors produced on site by mixing leaves and flowers that you can pick on Ettore’s property)

We’ll have an aperitif and a traditional dinner with Ettore and his wife Barbara
Day 6 Friday | Explore Roccascalegna Medieval Castle, Fish-Based Lunch On A Trabocco Fishing Hut And Free Time (Breakfast, Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Friday | Explore Roccascalegna Medieval Castle, Fish-Based Lunch On A Trabocco Fishing Hut And Free Time (Breakfast, Lunch)

AM

After breakfast, immersed in the nature and surrounded by amazing sceneries, we’ll drive inland to explore Abruzzo’s enchanting castle in the sky in the charming village of Roccascalegna, ranked by Condé Naste Traveler as one of the 9 Most Beautiful Hilltop Towns in Italy

Next we’ll visit a trabocco (the symbol of the area), mostly built with acacia wood and railway iron sleepers

Weather permitting, Rinaldo our host will show us how to fish from it and the secrets and history behind Abruzzo’s unique fishing platforms that have been featured in the BBC TV show: Escape to the Continent

His wife Maria will prepare fish from the Adriatic Sea for us

PM

Free afternoon for your own activities, which could include: going to one of the many beaches, visiting Vasto’s museums and art galleries, taking part in some extra activities/excursions, or just doing some shopping, visiting artisans or having a walk in the “piazza” to enjoy the relaxing Vasto ambiance

In the evening, you may experience dinner on your own in one of the many restaurants of Vasto
Day 7 Saturday | Welcome To Puglia, Exploring Trani And Conversano (Breakfast, Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Saturday | Welcome To Puglia, Exploring Trani And Conversano (Breakfast, Dinner)

AM

After check out, we’ll move to Puglia where we’ll meet the local guide Katia and we’ll have a guided visit of the beautiful town of Trani: the little fishing port, the Church of the Templar Knights, and the historical district

PM

Free time and lunch on your own in one of the many restaurants of Trani

Transfer to Conversano and check in at Hotel Corte Altavilla in the historical downtown (possibility to have a SPA experience in their wellness center to book in advance)

Guided walking tour in Conversano: ancient town with its medieval Castle and Romanesque cathedral

Welcome to Puglia group dinner in traditional restaurant in the heart of Conversano
Day 8 Sunday | Exploring Bari, Panzerotto Tasting, Traditional Lunch And Guided Tour Of Polignano A Mare (Breakfast, Panzerotto Tasting And Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Sunday | Exploring Bari, Panzerotto Tasting, Traditional Lunch And Guided Tour Of Polignano A Mare (Breakfast, Panzerotto Tasting And Lunch)

AM

After breakfast we’ll drive to Bari, the capital city of Puglia. We’ll have a guided tour to discover San Nicola’s church and the city center called Bari Vecchia (Old Bari) where you can meet local ladies making fresh pasta in the middle of enchanting streets

We’ll enjoy also a tasting of traditional panzerotti (a pocket of dough stuffed with tomato and vegetables or a meat sauce) in a bakery

PM

We’ll drive to Polignano a mare to enjoy a traditional lunch and to discover its wonderful sea views and charming alleys

After the lunch in Polignano, based on our many years of experience, we know that nobody is looking for a rich dinner, so our travelers usually enjoy spending time like a local trying a simple aperitif, a gelato or a pizza. Obviously Katia will suggest to you her favorite places
Day 9 Monday | Cooking Class In A Masseria, Exploring Monopoli (Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Monday | Cooking Class In A Masseria, Exploring Monopoli (Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch)

AM

After breakfast we’ll move to an ancient masseria (typical Apulian farmhouse) in Monopoli and cooking class with traditional recipes such as orecchiette pasta, melanzane alla parmigiana (eggplant parmigiana) and Almond sweets (a typical Apulian dessert)

PM

Lunch will consist of the scrumptious dishes that have been prepared in the morning

Next we’ll have a guided tour of Monopoli, an enchanting seaside town with a lot of history, surprising corners and fascinating alleys

Dinner at your leisure in one of the many restaurants of Conversano
Day 10 Tuesday | Olive Oil Tasting, Explore Locorotondo And The Unesco Site Trulli Of Alberobello (Breakfast, Extra-Virgin Olive Tasting, Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Tuesday | Olive Oil Tasting, Explore Locorotondo And The Unesco Site Trulli Of Alberobello (Breakfast, Extra-Virgin Olive Tasting, Lunch)

AM

After breakfast, we’ll drive south to visit an ancient olive oil mill where we’ll have an extra virgin olive oil tasting

Next we’ll explore the charming village of Locorotondo, whose name derives from the Latin Locus Rotundus and literally means “round place” recalling the circular shape, which is repeated on several rings between suggestive alleys and streets

Next we’ll move to the UNESCO site of Alberobello to enjoy a traditional lunch in this unique town

PM

Next we’ll have a guided tour and walk among the trulli

Dinner at your leisure in one of the many restaurants of Conversano
Day 11 Wednesday | Matera And Its Unesco Site, Focaccia Tasting, And Farewell Dinner (Breakfast, Focaccia Tasting, Light Lunch, Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Wednesday | Matera And Its Unesco Site, Focaccia Tasting, And Farewell Dinner (Breakfast, Focaccia Tasting, Light Lunch, Dinner)

AM

After breakfast, we’ll drive to spectacular Matera in the Basilicata Region

Next we’ll have a guided tour of the Unesco site of “the Sassi” (cave houses and rocky churches where time seems to stop)

After some free time to explore Matera by yourself or to relax, we’ll have a Focaccia and bread tasting with a light lunch in a traditional bakery in Matera

PM

Next we’ll come back to your Hotel in Conversano

You will have more free time to relax and pack or do last minute shopping, before we enjoy a farewell dinner at Hotel Corte Altavilla
Day 12 Thursday | Departure And Goodbye (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Thursday | Departure And Goodbye (Breakfast)

AM

After breakfast departure (normally at 09:00) for Bari airport or your next destination (45 minutes driving from Hotel to Bari airport and 40 minutes to Bari train station)

12 days tour

The Abruzzo, Puglia & Matera Experience

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip The Abruzzo, Puglia & Matera Experience

Sunday | Rome Fiumicino Airport Pick-Up, Sulmona And Welcome To Abruzzo Dinner (Dinner)

Monday | Confetti Museum, Explore Sulmona’S Historic Center And Traditional Lunch (Breakfast, Confetti And Wine Tasting, And Lunch)

Tuesday | Amazing Abruzzo Mountains Landscapes, Scanno And Vasto On The Adriatic Coast (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Wednesday | A Visit To The Market, Make Homemade Pasta With Mamma And Explore Vasto (Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch)

Thursday | The Trabocchi Coast And Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, Visit A Winery With Tasting And Easy Walk In The Nature And Make Your Own Souvenir With An Artist (Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Lunch, Dinner)

Friday | Explore Roccascalegna Medieval Castle, Fish-Based Lunch On A Trabocco Fishing Hut And Free Time (Breakfast, Lunch)

Saturday | Welcome To Puglia, Exploring Trani And Conversano (Breakfast, Dinner)

Sunday | Exploring Bari, Panzerotto Tasting, Traditional Lunch And Guided Tour Of Polignano A Mare (Breakfast, Panzerotto Tasting And Lunch)

Monday | Cooking Class In A Masseria, Exploring Monopoli (Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch)

Tuesday | Olive Oil Tasting, Explore Locorotondo And The Unesco Site Trulli Of Alberobello (Breakfast, Extra-Virgin Olive Tasting, Lunch)

Wednesday | Matera And Its Unesco Site, Focaccia Tasting, And Farewell Dinner (Breakfast, Focaccia Tasting, Light Lunch, Dinner)

Thursday | Departure And Goodbye (Breakfast)

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