WELCOME 

Happy Holidays and welcome to Italy! After your arrival at the Rome Fiumicino Airport, a private shuttle will pick up Travel Tribe travelers at 12:30 PM . The first beautiful stop on the itinerary is Sulmona, a small town hugged by mountains, where ancient history and strong traditions pulse through its soul.  

After checking in at the Hotel Ovidius there will be time to settle in and relax from your travels, and to get acquainted with Fabrizio, your friendly, local guide for the trip! Fabrizio will offer an introduction to the diverse experiences he has planned for your time exploring this remarkable region he calls home. In the evening, the group will come together for a lovely welcome dinner. 

Meals Included: Dinner

SULMONA’S HISTORY & CONFECTIONARY TRADITIONS

After a leisurely breakfast, we will set off to visit the Confetti Museum to indulge in some of Sulmona’s tastiest traditions. We’ll view a wide variety of old-fashioned machines and memorabilia and will learn the fascinating ways the Sulmonese have created the most divine crisp-sugared almonds and other confections for centuries. After ample sniffing of the bewitching aromas of candy, caramel and vanilla, we’ll carry on for different tastes of history.

Marveling at the medieval aqueduct on Piazza Garibaldi and the majestic bell tower of the Church of Santa Maria Annunziata will likely leave us hungry. We’ll all enjoy another delicious, traditional meal together in the center of Sulmona.

After lunch, the afternoon will be yours to spend however you’d like; spa services can be arranged at the hotel or you may desire to continue exploring the shops, galleries and relaxing atmosphere of Sulmona. In the evening, you’ll be free to savor a slow meal at one of the many delicious, local restaurants. Fabrizio will be happy to share suggestions of where to dine and how to make the most of your time in this mountain town!

Meals included: Breakfast, Confetti Museum, Lunch

APENNINE MOUNTAINS & THE ADRIATIC COAST

We’ll bid farewell to Sulmona and take a scenic drive through the breathtaking Apennine mountains, landing on the coast in Vasto. Along the way, we’ll visit the enchanting Hermitage of San Domenico in Villalago. We’ll also make a stop in Scanno, known to be one of the most charming villages of the Abruzzo region, with its clustered homes, winding alleys and thriving artisanal boutiques. 

After lunch in Scanno, we’ll continue on to Vasto, where we’ll settle into our new hotel, the Hotel Europa. This seaside hotel in the Vasto Marina beach area is where we will spend the next 4 nights. 

Vasto is an ancient Roman town, set on a hilltop with incredible views overlooking the Adriatic sea. It is also the hometown of your guide, Fabrizio! After we check in to our accommodations, we will enjoy dinner together in a nearby restaurant in the heart of the historical downtown. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

THE LOCAL MARKET & FABRIZIO’S FAMILY

Would you like to practice some casual Italian? Vasto’s local market is a wonderful place to do so! We’ll visit the market in the morning to peruse local products, do a little shopping and soak in the vibrant, festive scene.

From there, we’ll drive to the beautiful countryside where Fabrizio invites us all to enjoy time with his Italian family! They’ll graciously lead us through a cooking class based on family recipes, teaching us the secrets of local sauces and fresh pasta. Pasta alla chitarra, polpette, and scrippelle are examples of a few of the fun to say (and even more fun to eat) dishes that we may prepare. Lunch will be a relaxing, family feast of all that we’ve created followed by a traditional, Italian Christmas dessert. 

In the afternoon, we’ll explore Vasto’s city center and some of its many historical sites, including the Loggia Amblingh promenade, the Cathedral and the Piazza Rossetti. You’ll be free to find dinner at one of the many restaurants of Vasto. If you’re still full from our lunch, Fabrizio will share some of the best locations for a simple aperitif or gelato.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch

EXPLORING VASTO’S COAST & WINE TASTING

Following breakfast, we’ll take an easy walk inside the Punta Aderci Nature Reserve. Noted as one of the 12 most beautiful Italian beaches by National Geographic, this will be the perfect way to experience this peaceful area and to find yourself engulfed in the vibrant hues of the sea and the sounds of the native birds. 

Our next stop is a wine-tasting and lunch at an award-winning winery, nestled between the mountains and the sea. After a tour of the vineyard and cellars with winemakers Emanuele and Nicola, we’ll enjoy pairings of wines with local meats and cheeses. 

After lunch, we’ll go back to the hotel for a quick rest before venturing to the “Fattoria d’Arte” (Art farm) in the hilltop village, Lentella. Local artist, Ettore, will lead a short walk through this enchanting landscape to gather materials for a small, souvenir project. Using leaves and flowers from Ettore’s property, you’re invited to create a postcard to send to a loved one, or to carry home with you. 

Ettore and his wife Barbara will provide us with an aperitif and a traditional dinner. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Lunch, Dinner

CASTLE IN THE SKY & TRABOCCO 

Our destination this morning was ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the 9 Most Beautiful Hilltop Towns in Italy! Roccascalegna provides unbeatable scenery from the historic Castle in the Sky, perched over 100m from the valley floor. 

Back at sea level, we’ll meet Rinaldo, our host for the afternoon, who will introduce us to the unique fishing platforms, traboccos, which are a well known symbol of the Abruzzo region. Dating back to the 1700’s, these fishing piers jut out over the deep water and, while some are still used for their traditional purpose of fishing, many have been converted to local restaurants. Weather permitting, Rinaldo may demonstrate how to fish from a trabocco and will also regale some of the deep history these structures hold for his family.

After lunch in a nearby restaurant, the rest of the day will be yours to spend as you’d like - maybe a walk along the crescent coastline? A Vasto museum? Some last minute holiday shopping? 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

PUGLIA: TRANI & CONVERSANO 

We’re off to Puglia! Also known as Apulia, this rustic region of Italy is removed from typical tourism and will offer us a truly authentic, Italian Christmas experience. We’ll be joined by a local guide, Katia, who will bring us around the beautiful town of Trani, showing us through the historical district, the fishing port and the Church of the Templar Knights. 

We’ll break for lunch and meet back together to move to Conversano for check-in at the stunning Hotel Corte Altavilla. In the afternoon, there will be an optional, guided, walking tour of the town and  for dinner, we’ll all dine together in the heart of Conversano. If you’d like a spa service at the hotel, arrangements can be made in advance. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

BARI & POLIGNANO A MARE 

This morning we’ll wander the enchanting streets of Bari,and marvel at the local ladies crafting fresh pasta in the middle of the streets. We’ll move along with out day to take in the ocean views and charming alleys of Polignano a mare and dine on a traditional lunch in this delightful, cliffside village. 

Katia will glady suggest local restaurants to enjoy a light dinner. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Cooking Class &  Monopoli 

After breakfast, we’ll move to Monopoli, an enchanting coastal town with surprises around every corner. Here, we’ll visit a masseria, a traditional Apulian farmhouse, where we’ll take a cooking class to make local recipes such as orecchiette pasta, and melanzane alla parmigiana, topped off with a classic Apulian, Christmas dessert. 

We’ll enjoy a leisurely lunch of all the scrumptious food we’ve created before stretching our legs on a guided tour of Monopoli.

Back in Conversano, enjoy dinner at one of the many local restaurants. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch

OLIVE OIL, THE LIGHTS OF LOCOROTONDO & ALBEROBELLO

This is going to be another incredible day! First, we’ll experience the taste of Puglia with an olive oil tasting in an ancient mill, before moving on to Locorotondo. This spectacular hamlet sits high atop a hill, and truly comes alive during the Christmas season! Locorotondo (translation meaning “The Round Place”), is known for its circular structure and white brick houses, and has been considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.  We’ll wander the cozy, winding streets and alleys of the village, enjoying the festive lights as they echo off the white buildings, adding a whimsical air to an already magical and downright gorgeous location.

Another stop will bring us into the amazing Alberobello. This unique town was named a Unesco World Heritage Site for its historical, limestone buildings, theTrulli. These dwellings, dating back to the early 14th century, are a sight to behold with their iconic, conical rooflines and extremely unique architecture.  We’ll enjoy a traditional lunch in this unique town.

We’ll make our way back to Conversano to enjoy dinner at one of the many local restaurants. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Extra-Virgin Olive Tasting, Lunch

MATERA, FOCACCIA TASTING & A LAST DINNER

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Matera in the Basilicata Region. Also a Unesco World Heritage site, Matera is well known for the Sassi, cave dwellings and churches dug into the mountainside, where the local people lived until they were forced to settle in modern accommodation in the 1950s. We will be escorted on a tour of the Sassi, before some free time to explore Matera on your own. Enjoy the sights and scenes of this intriguing landscape and stop into a local bakery for a light, traditional lunch. 

Together we’ll go back to Conversano. Before our farewell dinner, there will be free time to relax, pack or to do some last minute holiday shopping!    

Meals Included: Breakfast, Focaccia Tasting, Light Lunch, Dinner

DAY 12 ARRIVEDERCI

Arranged shuttles will depart from the hotel for the Bari airport, or your next destination, at 9AM. The drive to the airport or transfer station is approximately 45 minutes.