Arrival at Rome Fiumicino airport and meeting with our guide who will stay with the group throughout the tour. Departure in the direction of Abruzzo. Late afternoon arrival in Montesilvano or surroundings. Accommodation in hotel, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Loreto Aprutino medieval village surrounded by olive groves. We will admire its characteristic historic center: the Chiola Castle, the colorful churches, a Bell Tower decorated with glazed terracotta of various colors and over five hundred pieces of Maiolica Abruzzese produced between the 16th and 19th centuries. Late morning visit of an old olive oil mill and tasting of olive oil. Typical lunch in farmhouse. In the afternoon, arrival to Atri, an elegant town rich in works of art, such as the Cathedral which preserves a cycle of 15th century frescoes, Palazzo dei Duchi, the medieval fortress of Capo d’Atri,… the Domenico Martella Belvedere, which will offer us a magnificent panorama on the calanques surrounding the city and on the massif of the Gran Sasso. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast in the hotel we will leave for Lanciano, a beautiful medieval town on the Adriatic coast and visit its historic center, divided into 4 ancient districts that rise on three hills, a landscape overlooking the entire Adriatic coast. We will walk along a scenic road that runs along one of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Italy: the Trabocchi coast, an alternation of beaches and beautiful cliffs, with buildings called Trabocchi, wooden, stilts that from the beach extend to the sea and support a large net in which fish are caught: “fishing machines”, as Gabriele D’Annunzio called them, today mostly restaurants with a true cuisine of fish. Lunch in a Trabocco (visit included). In the afternoon, we will continue to Ortona, a beautiful town overlooking the sea and visit its picturesque old town. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will reach Chieti, also known as “the Terrace of Abruzzo” and considered one of the oldest cities in Italy with a historic center that preserves a unique historical-artistic heritage. Guided tour of the old town with its maze of cobbled streets, rich in ancient monuments, historic shops, stately buildings, churches and squares. After lunch visit of the abbey of Santa Maria Arabona, jewel of the Cistercian architecture of the end of the 12th century, built probably on a pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Bona, from which the name, and of the Abbey of San Clemente di Casauria (with reservation of opening), Benedictine complex, whose foundation dates back to 871. Continuation to Sulmona, accommodation in hotel, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure towards L’Aquila, a city with many facets, born, according to legend, from the union of 99 castles in Abruzzo. The castles were 100 in the beginning, but eventually one of them withdrew and 99 squares with 99 churches and 99 fountains were founded. This is the mythical past of the capital of Abruzzo. We will visit the historic center that preserves, although devastated by the 2009 earthquake beautiful monuments.
Lunch. In the afternoon stop at Bominaco and visit of the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria Assunta, splendid testimony of the Romanesque style of Abruzzo and the small oratory of San Pellegrino (12th century), entirely decorated with extraordinary frescoes. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to discover the National Park of Abruzzo, one of the oldest national parks in Italy. In this oasis of nature and peaks, have found protection some very valuable animal species such as the Brown Marsican bear, the Abruzzo chamois and the wolf, and plant species recognized as UNESCO Heritage. Morning dedicated to the visit of Pescocostanzo and its historic center, characterized by ancient noble palaces, beautiful basilicas and antique workshops specialized in the processing of precious metals and iron. Departure in the direction of Pescasseroli, main town of the Park . Lunch along the road. In the afternoon we arrive at the town, we will walk through the historic center characterized by narrow streets, stately buildings and workshops of artisans that produce items of local tradition, and visit the Natural Museum that will introduce us to the knowledge of the park through diorami, plastic, light panels, thematic exhibitions and projections of naturalistic films. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast in the hotel we will visit Sulmona, birthplace of Ovid, famous for the production of confetti. We will visit the historic center: the Cathedral of San Panfilo, the Holy House of SS. Annunziata (outside), the Church of S. Maria della Tomba with its romanesque-gothic facade and the Confetti Museum (admission is free today). Lunch in Sulmona and departure for Tivoli, a privileged holiday resort of rich Romans who built their villas here, first among all the Emperor Hadrian. We will then visit Villa d’Este which will leave you in awe for the beauty of its rooms and its magnificent garden that contemplates an impressive concentration of fountains, caves, water games, waterfalls and caves immersed in a lush nature (entrance included). In the late afternoon, accommodation at a hotel in the Rome area, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport, boarding formalities. Departure and end of our services.