9 Day Tour Summary 2025: (Scroll down for full details and itinerary)
Price: 5,750 euros per person based on double occupancy, fully inclusive of all transport, hotels and meals.
2025 Dates: 17-25 June, 9-17 September
Group Size: 6-8 people, with quoted price above based on 8 people using 4 hotel rooms.
Support: Transportation provided throughout the tour in a Mercedes van with a professional driver. Pick-up and drop off at a central location in Rome. Mike & Elena will accompany the group every day of the tour and will be available throughout to provide assistance as required.
Hotels: We have selected the best hotels in each of the three locations. All are 4 star or 5 star quality and all guest rooms have private bathrooms.
Booking: To provide greater certainty that our first choice of hotels will be available we require a firm booking with deposit by the end of 2024, but the earlier the better.
Terms & Conditions: Will be sent on requested to interested persons.
Contact: For further information, clarifications or to express interest in booking one of the 2025 tours please contact us at Mike@mykindofitaly.com
Why Abruzzo?
Anyone who has read even a few of our 250+ articles on Italian travel on this website will know that we prefer to go where the crowds aren’t. We seek out Italy’s neglected corners where tourists are scarce and where you find small scale artisans that produce wine and olive oil every bit as good as the famous names. We don’t claim to know every inch of Italy but the places we write about we know very well indeed because these are the places we keep going back to and all of them are within a few hours drive from our home in Lucca.
Before you even arrive in Abruzzo to experience our Abruzzo History & Nature tour, just a glance at some of our photographs on these pages will give you a good idea of why we remain fascinated by this remarkable region of Italy.
We are slow travel people but that amorphous expression doesn’t really do justice to our philosophy of travel. We believe in regenerative tourism which means that we gravitate to those areas where tourism is a force for good.
There exists in Italy a stark contrast between the places where tourism is destroying the fabric of daily life for ordinary Italians or has driven them out completely - Cinque Terre, Venice, Portofino, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Taormina and even Florence all spring to mind - and the places where tourism has become an important component in rejuvenating communities hollowed out for more than a century by war, earthquakes or emigration and sometimes all three. (In all of our articles on small towns in Abruzzo you will notice the alarming and almost universal population declines right up to the last census in 2021).
Much of Abruzzo, especially the mountainous interior, is a classic example of tourism as a force for good, allowing more and more young people to remain in their native land and facilitating the reconstruction of abandoned properties and communities.
The Abruzzesi understand this well and are the most welcoming of people as befitting their sobriquet ‘forte e gentile’ (strong and kind) by which they are affectionately known throughout Italy. Even the local Marsicani bears it seems are kinder and gentler than their Alpine cousins. You won’t be met with a surly greeting here from locals upset at being priced out of their own property market by airbnb profiteers - quite the reverse in fact because more tourism is needed in the Abruzzo interior, not less.
But Abruzzo is on the move, helped by clear-sighted decision making by regional and local officials who have done an excellent job with their best natural resource, the Maiella National Park, and more recently with another superb initiative, the Coastal Bike Path, now nearing completion along the entire length of the Abruzzo coastline and already providing wonderful tourist recreation and easier coastal accessibility.
Recent years have witnessed a slow but steady reawakening of regional pride on the part of the Abruzzesi as a new generation has rediscovered the amazing tales of self-sacrifice by the simple contadini in the mountains during the war years and the role of the Maiella Brigade, whose story is truly unique among all the partigiani groups in Italy at that time.
Even as recently as 2017, after a local historian translated a New Zealander's war diary, a new Freedom Trail was inaugurated in the Orfento Valley to commemorate the forgotten bravery of the Maiella inhabitants.
A reawakening has also taken place with regard to the agricultural heritage of the land. The autochthonous grape varieties of Pecorino and Cococciola have been saved from extinction in recent decades and are flourishing in the hands of younger and more educated winemakers like Fabio di Donato at Cingilia. World class wines are now being produced from Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes and indigenous olive varieties are being turned into exquisite olive oil.
Even the traditional bread of Abruzzo is being revived with a focus on ancient grains cultivated at higher altitudes and milled locally as demonstrated by Mercato del Pane. Abruzzo may never acquire the same international reputation as Tuscany but its inferiority complex is long gone and deservedly so.
Abruzzo has always exerted a strong pull on the imagination, not just for those who have visited the region once or twice, but in particular for the children and grandchildren of the tens of thousands of Abruzzesi who emigrated during the long drawn out depression of the post war years.
Many Americans, Canadians and Australians, often still proudly carrying their Abruzzesi last names, return every year to their ancestral homeland and some choose to learn Italian, a few actually move here to live and others become Italian citizens. Elena recently helped one such person with the complex process of obtaining citizenship.
Elena may be a proud Tuscan, born and bred in Florence, but for over 30 years she has spent much of her summer vacation time at her parents holiday home in Abruzzo and I too have now spent over a decade visiting Abruzzo every year to walk and cycle in the mountains, explore the interior and sometimes just lie on the beach when all the tourists have gone home and wonder why more people don’t come to Abruzzo in June or September.
Who is this Tour for?
First and foremost this tour is for anyone who is curious to find out for themselves why we love Abruzzo so much when the rest of Italy is at our disposal and yet we keep coming back here.
This tour was designed by us to include the very best that Abruzzo has to offer and to experience it in the most efficient way possible by minimizing the amount of time spent each day in transit. There is a good mix of locations and activities including some walks in the Maiella, none of which are difficult or particularly long and will therefore be suitable for anyone in good health with a basic level of fitness. For those people who would rather take in the sights without fully participating in the walks we will have transportation at your disposal.
Our goal is for you to return home at the end of the tour with a real appreciation for the history and natural beauty of Abruzzo, the friendliness of its people and the quality and variety of its food, wine and olive oil.
We can guarantee that it will be love at first sight and by the end of our tour you’ll already be making plans to return.
(Note that you can click on every phrase that's highlighted in the preamble above or the itinerary below to jump to a separate article on our website with lots more information about the location or activity).
Tour Dates and Cost:
This is a small group tour ideally for 8 people. You can book as an individual or couple or as a group. While there is no absolute minimum number of people for the tour to proceed, the cost per person will inevitably be higher as the numbers diminish and these additional charges will be discussed and agreed with you before the trip is confirmed and final payments made.
2025 Tour Dates:
June 17-25 and September 9-17. A group booking can also request a different tour start date and we'll see if the dates can work for us.
Cost for 9 days based on double room occupancy in 4 star and equivalent hotels and one 5 star hotel including transportation, all activities as described in the itinerary and all meals, including lunches: 5,750 euros per person for a party of 8.
Single room occupancy might be a little tricky on this tour because one of the hotels only has 4 apartments. However, if you book early we can probably make the tour work for 7 people in total if the single person pays a supplement of 1,000 euros for single room occupancy throughout the tour.
See below for the list of inclusions and exclusions.
Contact us at mike@mykindofitaly.com
9 Day Tour Itinerary
Starting Tuesday 17 June 2025 and also Tuesday 9 September 2025
DAY 1: Roman Ruins & Ancient Frescoes
Rome pick up at the central Termini railway station at 10.30 am followed by a 2 hour transfer to Santo Stefano di Sessanio at 4,000 feet in the province of l’Aquila where you will spend the first two nights in sensitively restored medieval buildings spread around the town (photos below).
A little gloomy to some but wonderfully atmospheric to most people and in our opinion an experience not to missed, this albergo diffuso is like stepping back into the Middle Ages but with modern comforts and great restaurants.
Not far away is the old Roman town of Peltuinum so after lunch at Osteria Il Borgo dei Fumari we’ll spend a little time on this first afternoon strolling among the ruins before visiting the Oratory of San Pellegrino just a few miles away in Bominaco to view the remarkable frescoes that are now a UNESCO world heritage site. Dinner in a Santo Stefano restaurant.
DAY 2: Dramatic Scenery & Mountain Castles
After breakfast we’ll spend the entire day in the Gran Sasso National Park, starting with a visit to Rocca Calascio, only 30 minutes away from the hotel. After a walking tour of Castel del Monte with a local guide we’ll have lunch there followed by a scenic drive through the Campo Imperatore plateau with a stop or two along the way.
The afternoon and early evening will be free to explore Santo Stefano di Sessanio and walk its ancient cobbled streets that the Medici once ruled. Dinner at another restaurant in town.
DAY 3: Historic Abruzzo: Scanno & Sulmona
Today we’ll visit the two places in Abruzzo that are unrivaled for atmosphere and a visual sense of history. No visit to this region is complete without walking around the two classically Abruzzesi towns of Scanno and Sulmona.
Late afternoon we’ll head over the scenic Passo San Leonardo to a one-of-a kind country residence in the heart of the Maiella National Park that will be our home for the next 4 nights (photo right).
The accommodation here consists of individual apartments rather than rooms and each one has a private outside terrace, a sitting room and a kitchenette in addition to an ensuite bathroom. Before dinner at the hotel Elena will conduct a short tutorial and tasting of some of Italy’s best olive oils with some advice on what to look out for when buying Italian olive oil abroad.
DAY 4: Ancient Hermitages hewn out of the Maiella rocks
Today we’ll experience up close the centuries old history of man’s interaction with these mystical mountains. We’ll walk right out of the hotel onto the Dry Stone Hut (tholos) path through the Giumentina Valley to the Hermitage of San Bartolomeo. This is a short walk that is open and very scenic on a mostly flat trail that takes us past many tholos ruins that were the shepherds’ shelter throughout the ages before being finally abandoned in the 1950s.
We’ll finish our walk just past San Bartolomeo where we’ll take the van 15 minutes along the road to the even more impressive Hermitage of Santo Spirito. Those looking for a little more exercise can walk to Santo Spirito along the Maiella Spiritual Trail accompanied by a Maiella guide to keep you safe and on the right path.
After a picnic lunch back at the hotel we’ll make an afternoon visit to one of our favorite local wineries that produces an impressive range of typical Abruzzo wines, both white and red. We’ll return to the hotel before heading out for an evening stroll in a lovely small town with one of the longest names in Italy - San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore - where we’ll enjoy cocktails and the famous Friday night pizza at the Garden Bar which always draws an animated crowd of locals.
DAY 5: Exploring the Maiella towns
Today’s highlights include a morning stop in Caramanico Terme followed by a visit to a nearby artisan caseificio (cheesemaker) and then lunch in the medieval town of Pacentro that is noticeably different to the other Maiella towns on the eastern side of the massif.
On the return journey we’ll stop in the restored village of Roccacaramanico where the views of Monte Amaro illuminated by the late afternoon sun are some of the most thrilling in Abruzzo.
Dinner at a nearby restaurant in Abbateggio that excels in authentic local dishes.
DAY 6: The Roof of Abruzzo
Today is the day to enjoy the vastness and grandeur of the higher slopes of the Maiella and there will be no shortage of photo opportunities.
After a relaxing day yesterday it’s time to put the walking shoes back on, but only for 2-3 hours. An early start is highly recommended if you want to enjoy the same spectacular scenery in the morning light as I wrote about and photographed here during my bike ride up the mountain.
We’ll drive the whole way up to Rifugio Bruno Pomilio, stopping briefly perhaps to capture images of the beauty of the changing landscape as we ascend to 6,500 feet. This is the roof of Abruzzo where all the great peaks of the Maiella massif can be seen up close as well as the entire Abruzzo coastline.
A local Maiella guide will take us on an out-and-back walk to the famous Tavola dei Briganti (photo right) where brigands carved their laments into the rock 160 years ago.
If one or more of you decide that you would prefer a shorter and less energetic walk, Elena or I will accompany you separately. We’ll have a picnic lunch in the cool mountain air and then the afternoon will be free for you to relax, enjoy the hotel surroundings, rent a mountain bike, have a massage or for the more adventurous among you, visit the hidden Abbateggio waterfall.
A late afternoon cooking course at the hotel can also be arranged for anyone who is interested. Dinner at the hotel this evening.
DAY 7: Costa dei Trabocchi
You really shouldn’t come all the way to Abruzzo and only see the mountain ranges, spectacular though they undoubtedly are. The Trabocchi coastline is also an important and unique part of Abruzzo heritage and in recent years many of these rickety looking fishing platforms have become very atmospheric dining experiences.
Today we’ll transfer to a seafront hotel (photos below) with its own private beach in Fossacesia for the remaining 2 nights of the tour but on the way there we’ll spend a large part of the day in Vasto.
Vasto is one of the few coastal towns in Abruzzo unspoiled by development and where the location high up on a bluff makes it a balcony on the Adriatic.
After a walk around its attractive and compact historical center we’ll enjoy a leisurely lunch before arriving at our 5 star hotel in Fossacesia, right in the heart of the Costa dei Trabocchi. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 8: Coastal Bike Path and Trabocco dining
There are only 2 things on today’s agenda other than perhaps relaxing by the beach or the hotel pool.
First is to enjoy a bike ride along the completely flat and traffic free Abruzzo Coastal Bike path, going as far south or north as you want and stopping for a swim or for refreshments wherever you please.
Second is to meet up with the rest of the group to experience a multi-course Trabocco seafood dinner.
There is one other small excursion that could easily be arranged for anyone who is interested and that is to visit the 1,000 year old Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere which is a few minutes away behind the hotel. However the frescoes here can't compare with those in Bominaco.
DAY 9: Arriverderci Abruzzo
Transfer back to Rome after the holiday of a lifetime or if you're planning to stay longer we will be happy to assist you with ideas and arrangements.
NOTES:
1. Included in the price are 8 nights in superb accommodation, including ensuite bathrooms, and 8 breakfasts and dinners. Also included are all lunches except for the penultimate day along the coastal bike path.
2. Also included are all of the activities mentioned - wine tastings, olive oil tastings, walking and hiking tour guides, entrance fees and bicycle rentals.
3. All transportation is included, starting from the initial pick-up in Rome to the drop-off in Rome at the end of the tour.
4. This is a fully escorted tour so also included in the price is as much time and assistance from Mike & Elena as you require, which will include at no extra charge informal Italian lessons from Elena if required by anyone (see also the Language section of this website) and Mike is always happy to accompany you on a bike ride, whether on electric bikes or regular bikes.
5. Not included are additional and optional hotel provided activities, drinks (other than mealtime water and wine) and incidental expenses of any kind.
6. Detailed terms and conditions will be submitted later to interested parties. Meanwhile for further information, discussions about changes to the itinerary or to express interest in booking this tour please email us at Mike@mykindofitaly.com or use the contact form in the About Us section of this website.
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