SPRINGTIME IN ABRUZZO

ITINERARY

Day 1 - PICK-UP IN ROME, DRIVE TO VASTO, MEET FABRIZIO FOR WELCOME DINNER

• Private group pick-up in Rome for the drive to the ancient Roman town of Vasto on the Adriatic Coast. The ride will take us across the beautiful Abruzzo mountains, past amazing landscapes filled with greenery and dotted with hilltop villages and castles.

• Check-in at the charming and family-run Hotel dei 7 (or a similar accommodation) in the historical center of Vasto.

• Get to know Fabrizio, your personal guide and learn more about the 7-day cultural and culinary vacation.

• Walk to a traditional restaurant to enjoy a welcome group dinner in the heart of Vasto.

  Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - VISIT TO THE MARKET, COOKING WITH WITH MAMMA, EXPLORE VASTO

AM

• We’ll stroll through Vasto’s colorful market to shop for fresh seasonal food and you’ll have the opportunity to practice a little bit of Italian, even if you don’t know it!

• Next, we’ll drive into the beautiful countryside to the home of Fabrizio’s family where we’ll have an exclusive cooking class. We’ll learn how easy it is to make fresh pasta and be introduced to the special sauces of the region.

• A sample menu based on seasonal availability with Fabrizio’s family recipes might include: bread with meat sauce, pasta alla Chitarra with meat sauce and polpette (meatballs) and Tarallucci (specialty biscuits).

PM

• We’ll indulge in a leisurely lunch of the scrumptious dishes that we prepared in the morning, while enjoying the relaxing family atmosphere Italy is known for.

• After a short, relaxing break, we’ll explore Vasto’s historic center: Loggia Amblingh, a promenade overlooking the fascinating crescent-shaped coastline, the old town with its medieval castle, and charming lanes, the cathedral and Piazza Rossetti. This cathedral and plaza are dedicated to Gabriele Rossetti, a famous poet from the area.

• You’ll enjoy some free time to independently continue your exploration of our wonderful home base. Dinner will be on your own for this evening. (Based on our many years of experience, after our big family lunch, we know nobody will be hungry for another rich dinner!) Fabrizio will offer suggestions of his favorite places based on your personal preferences.

Meals: Breakfast, Cooking Lesson, Lunch

Day 3 - DISCOVER THE FASCINATING TRABOCCHI COAST, VISIT THE ABBEY OF SAN GIOVANNI

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 National Geographic. From there, you can also glimpse the snow-capped peaks of Italy’s Apennine Mountain range.

• Next, we’ll visit a “trabocco,” Abruzzo’s unique fishing platforms and an important symbol of the area. Built mostly with acacia wood and railway iron sleepers. We’ll learn more about them from our host, Rinaldo. The secrets and history behind this trabochi have been featured in the BBC TV show: “Escape to the Continent.”

• Weather permitting, we’ll help Rinaldo fish!

• We’ll then enjoy a delicious seafood luncheon, prepared exclusively for us by Rinaldo’s wife, Maria, and dine al fresco on our perch overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

PM

• In the afternoon, you can relax, or wander around this magnificent coastal area --a popular location for taking photographs, by both professionals and amateurs alike.

• On our drive back to Vasto, we’ll visit the enchanting Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, part of an ancient 13th century monastery located on a hillside facing the sea. The abbey dominates the coastline and is surrounded by orange, olive, oak and pine trees

• We’ll dine together in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 - EXPERIENCE FATTORIA D’ARTE

AM

• After breakfast, we’ll drive to the little hilltop village of Lentella and visit our friend Ettore’s home and art studio known as “Fattoria d’Arte”.

• Surrounded by an amazing landscape with a stunning view of the sea, mountains, hills, and small towns, Ettore, will teach you to create your very own picture postcard made using the natural pigments produced by combining the leaves and flowers that we’ll pick ourselves on Ettore’s property!

• We’ll enjoy an aperitif and a traditional lunch with Ettore, and his wife, Barbara, before heading back to home base.

PM - FREE TIME

• We know that downtime is important while traveling. Might we suggest you take this afternoon to actually live like an Italian? Slow down, look around, see the sights, speak to the locals, be guided by your own desires. You might choose to go to one of the many area beaches, visit Vasto’s museums, check out the local art galleries, do a little shopping or simply stroll the “piazza” taking in the relaxing Vasto vibe. Depending on what’s currently available, you might ask Fabrizio if are any optional local activities in which you might wish to participate.

• Dinner is on your own this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 - VISIT AN “AGRITURISMO”, ENJOY A FARM-TO-TABLE LUNCH, CHECK OUT ANCIENT ROCCASCALEGNA CASTLE

AM

• After breakfast, we’re off to the farmhouse owned by Pina and Berardino who will welcome us to genuine “agriturismo” and share some of what makes their process of food production so unique. Maybe you’ll simply choose to relax in the beautiful Abruzzo countryside. Or you might opt to take part in a typical everyday activity—like milking a cow! Get ready to immerse yourself in an authentic slow food experience. We’ll learn how to make a special pizza called “pizza scima” (stupid pizza), with its crust made without yeast.

• We’ll try some organic wine from their winery and enjoy an aperitif as we sample cheeses, salami, and extra virgin olive oil.

• Next, we’ll learn how to prepare ricotta cheese, collect fresh vegetables from the garden, and prepare for our farm-to-table lunch. Almost everything we’ll eat is produced on the farm. Organic flour, fresh pasta farm-fresh eggs collected from their hens, organic extra virgin olive oil, wines, liquors, juices, jams, cheeses, as well as an assortment of salami, meats, and vegetables).

PM

• In the afternoon, we’ll take a scenic drive inland to explore the enchanting Abruzzo’s Castle in the Sky in the charming village of Roccascalegna, ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the “Nine Most Beautiful Hilltop Towns in Italy.”

• After our big lunch at the farm, you’ll be on your own in the evening for dinner, where you may choose to enjoy dinner or an aperitif at one of the many authentic restaurants and wine bars in Vasto.

Meals: Breakfast, Cooking, Tasting, Lunch

Day 6 - OLIVE OIL & WINE TASTING, PIZZA & TIRAMISÙ FAMILY PARTY & FAREWELL DINNER

AM

• After breakfast, we’ll visit the olive grove that’s been in Giovanni’s family for the last three generations, know for their specialty olive oils. Giovanni will reveal the secrets of what Homer called “liquid gold.” Of course we’ll conclude our visit with an olive oil tasting.

• Next, we’ll visit an award-winning winery situated between a marine park and the mountains. We’ll enjoy a wine tasting and lunch with pairings from local cheeses and meats before touring the vineyard and cellars with noted winemakers, Emanuele and Nicola.

PM - FREE AFTERNOON & FAREWELL DINNER

• After lunch you may use this free afternoon to relax or pack, and, maybe, do some last-minute shopping.

• This evening the women of The Travel Tribe we’ll enjoy a farewell party hosted by Fabrizio’s family where you’ll enjoy regional wines and wonderful food in a familial, relaxed atmosphere. You might choose to help Adele to make tiramisù or pizza, such as the world-famous Margherita or a special local version topped with the renowned “ventricina” salami.

• In the evening, we’ll relish our final dinner together, basking in this authentic experience with this new delightful family who we now know as friends.

Meals: Breakfast, Tasting, Lunch, Cooking, Dinner

Day 7 - “ARRIVEDERCI” & TRANSFER TO ROME AIRPORT

• After breakfast, we leave for Rome Fiumicino airport at 9:00 AM.

• The airport is approximately three and a half hours from Vasto.

• PLEASE BE SURE TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON FLYING THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING.

Meals: Breakfast

A Little Bit About the Travel Tribe and Our Trusted Travel Partners 

In August of 2019, Janet Jaffe, founder of The Women's Travel Tribe, was looking for other like-minded women with whom to travel. Unable to find the sense of camaraderie she was seeking in already established Facebook groups, she impulsively started one of her own—The Travel Tribe for Women 50+. Flash forward and that group is more than 10,500 women strong and that little impulse has turned into a thriving small business organizing specialty tours for mature women.

Janet meticulously searches out and, carefully vets, a tight, select group of small group tour operators. Working together, in partnership, they co-create unique itineraries for small groups of women.

We're more than happy to connect you to our tour operator for this (or any) trip if you'd like. They are known for their incredible responsiveness and dedication to customer service. Our partners go out of their way to try to accommodate the specific needs of each traveler since their continued success depends on our satisfaction!

TOUR OPERATOR

This private group tour experience is operated by Fabrizio Lucci is the founder and gracious guide of Italia Sweet Italia (no  bold), a small tour operator specializing in experiential vacations close to home. He has been focused on the hospitality industry since an early age and studied tourism at universities both home and abroad. After working as a consultant, researcher and teacher in Barcelona, Bologna, and Milan, Fabrizio decided to return to his roots in order to work and live in an area that he loves. According to Fabrizio, his aim is “...to promote sustainable tourism in Abruzzo, Italy and to introduce people from around the globe to the delights of this region.” According to the women of The Travel Tribe who he’s guided on our special tours, Fabrizio is an unparalleled gem.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

• 6 Nights accommodation at Hotel Dei 7 or similar accommodation

• All breakfasts at our hotel

• 8 meals (food, water, house wine) in selected restaurants, at the farmhouse, art farm, in a private home, a winery and a trabocco fishing hut based on traditional regional dishes. (This means some evenings are free for you to explore/dine on your own.)

• 2 hands-on authentic Abruzzo cooking classes and associated food costs

• Art experience with a local artist

• Daily trips, experiences and excursions

• All transport for daily trips and excursions (8-seat mini-van/6 seat new car)

• Pick up and drop-off at Rome Fiumicino airport or city center on request (8-seat mini-van/6 seat new car)

• Personalized cooking booklet and apron

• All transports for daily trips and excursions

• All entry fees for excursions, tours and wine, olive oil and cheese tastings

• English-speaking tour manager throughout the vacation

• All taxes except city tax

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?

• Airfare to and from Italy

• Money spent on personal items or for optional activities or excursions not specified on the itinerary

• Snacks/Food or any meal not listed on the itinerary

• Personal expenses like phone calls, visa costs, laundry, or tips

• Travel insurance (not obligatory, but strongly recommended)

• Drinks not listed in the itinerary (an extra bottle of wine, for example)

• City tax

TOUR COST

€2,275 per person/single occupancy* (Click here for sample exchange rates) The exchange rate that your bank or credit card company uses may differ from the sample rates shown online.)

BOOKING INSTRUCTIONS

The booking process with Italia Sweet Italia is very simple. Follow the two easy steps described below. (Questions? Please contact us at info@italiasweetitalia.com.

*STEP ONE 

Pay a deposit of 25% per person (€ 569 per person) in order to confirm your space. 

Do this by using either of the two methods described below. (Please inform your bank to pay in euros.) 

A) Pay by bank transfer to: 

Italia Sweet Italia Holidays di Lucci Fabrizio. Account number: 1231254113 IBAN: 

IT21R0526277910CC1231254113 SWIFT: BPPUIT33 Banca Popolare Pugliese – Società cooperative per azioni Via XXIV Maggio, 25 66054 Vasto (CH) – Italy. 

REASON FOR TRANSFER: Deposit for Abruzzo Experience Tour April 2024 for The Women’s Travel Tribe. 

B) Pay by credit card. Please click here.

*STEP TWO 

Pay the balance due of € 1706.00 per person no later than February 21st, 2024, using either of the two payment methods outlined above.

CANCELLATIONS AND FLEXIBLE BOOKINGS

If for any reason you need to cancel your trip, a penalty is charged as shown below (calculation is in calendar days). 

PLEASE NOTE: If cancellation is necessary due to a death in family, health problems or other unforeseen circumstances, we’ll transfer your deposit to a future date or to a different person. 

PICK UP

The pick up at Rome Fiumicino airport is planned at 11:30 am on day 1. Normally it takes 3-3,5 hours to drive to Vasto, our base on the Adriatic Coast for all the tours. The duration of the trip depends on traffic (on Sunday, when most of our tours start, usually there is no traffic) and if you need to stop at the motor service along the way for a snack or to go to the toilette. It is a beautiful and relaxing driving crossing three National parks, from where you can see many hilltop villages and the Apennines.

Click here to download the brochure with full itinerary details and pick-up and drop-off information

IS THIS TRIP RIGHT FOR YOU??

If your mobility or overall health is compromised in any way, we kindly request that you discuss the suitability of this trip for you with us before booking so we can make appropriate recommendations based on your individual needs. Our goal is to have all travelers participate as much as possible in order to help you get as much out of your experience as you can!

For this trip in particular, a typical day might include between thirty minutes and two hours of walking, although on some days there may be less. The pace is leisurely and the terrain is fairly level. Typical stops are made to see monuments, churches, piazzas, historical sites and so on. On Day 10 there is a longer walk that includes some hills and some stairways when we visit Matera. In each location, if you are unable or disinclined to walk or to walk on uneven surfaces or climb steep flights of stairs, suggestions will be made for places where you might wait comfortably for the rest of the group to return (e.g., a bench in a nice piazza or in a cafe).

OF SPECIAL NOTE: It’s extremely important that you consider any pre-existing health conditions you may have to determine if this trip is appropriate for you personally. In addition to our concern for each woman’s well-being, it’s very important to remember that in small group travel, one woman’s health and well-being while on the road has the power to impact us all. Not sure? Let’s talk about it.

Still not sure if this is the right trip for you? Let’s talk about. Contact The Women’s Travel Tribe by clicking here.

PARTICIPANT MINIMUM/MAXIMUM

This tour requires a minimum of 8 participants and has a maximum of 12 participants in order to ensure the best small group tour experience.

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

If you have restrictive dietary requirements, we encourage you to reach out to us ahead of booking to ascertain our capacity to accommodate you in a way that suits your needs. While we can guarantee an awesome experience, we cannot necessarily guarantee a destination’s ability to provide nourishment to satisfy every diet.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Although not required, travel insurance for this trip is strongly recommended. Let’s face it, things happen. Why risk losing money if you’re forced to cancel for any reason? Better safe than sorry.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1) DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS until we’ve met the minimum number of participants required for this trip. You will be notified as soon as we can confirm this departure.

2) Details in the day-to-day itinerary may be changed or tweaked as our arrival date draws near or during the trip itself. Rest assured, any changes will serve only to further enhance and enrich the quality of the experience.

LIMITATION OF RESPONSIBILITY

The organizer shall not be liable for any damage/injury (physical or otherwise) to participants as a result of the physical activity performed during the trip, the consumption of alcohol, breakage of equipment and materials or for any other reason which, within the limits of professional diligence, could not have been foreseen or resolved. The organizer is not responsible for expenses (transportation, meals, hotels) not included in the program but necessary to reach the meeting point or to leave the finishing point on conclusion of the trip.

PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASE

Italia Sweet Italia occasionally videotapes and photographs guests and activities for promotional use. Please notify us if we are not free to use images of you or your group. If produced, Italia Sweet Italia would be happy to provide you with photos or video clips where you are present.

QUESTIONS?

Got questions? Need more info? Reach out to us at info@thewomenstraveltribe.com or Fabrizio at fabrizio@italiasweetitalia.com