7-Day Cooking In The Abruzzo Mountains Tour

🛬 Day 1: Arrival, Airport Pick-Up & Welcome Dinner

🚐 Free Airport Pick-Up
We’ll greet you at Rome FCO’s Terminal 3 at 1:00 pm for your complimentary pick-up. From there, enjoy a scenic drive through the Abruzzo mountains as we head to Palazzo Tour d’Eau in Carunchio, your home for the week.

🍹 Evening Cocktail & Tour Briefing
Once settled, join us for a welcome cocktail and an overview of the exciting week ahead.

🍽️ Multicourse Welcome Dinner
The evening wraps up with a delicious, multicourse welcome dinner—your first taste of authentic Italian hospitality!

🌄 Day 2: Explore Carunchio’s Old Town & Dive into Abruzzese Cooking and Olive Oil

🚶‍♂️ Morning Stroll through Carunchio’s Historic Heart
Start the day with a relaxed walk through the charming old town of Carunchio, taking in the local atmosphere and sights. Then, it’s on to our first culinary class, where you’ll discover the essential ingredients of Abruzzo’s time-honored recipes. Together, we’ll prepare some quick, healthy pasta sauces that are both flavorful and straightforward. This lunch theme—“Quick & Wholesome Homemade Meals”—highlights just how simple and nutritious Abruzzese cuisine can be. We’ll savor our creations over a leisurely Italian-style meal, perfect for enjoying good food and company.

🌿 Afternoon Olive Oil Adventure
After a short rest, we’ll head out to a nearby organic olive farm to explore the art of authentic, extra virgin olive oil production. The farm’s owner will guide us through traditional techniques, giving us insight into what makes “real” olive oil. You’ll also get the chance to experience a professional olive oil tasting—a true sensory experience that brings out the nuances of this essential Italian ingredient.

🍝 Day 3: Pasta-Making Extravaganza & Wine Tasting with a Sommelier

👩‍🍳 Master the Art of Homemade Pasta
Get ready for an immersive pasta-making session, where you’ll learn to create a delightful variety of colorful pastas in different shapes. We’ll share tips and tricks to help you perfect each type, so you can recreate them easily at home. Discover Abruzzo’s pasta specialties, from pasta alla chitarra to gnocchi, cavatelli, stuffed pasta, and more! After lunching on your delicious creations, take a break to relax and recharge.

🍷 Afternoon with a Sommelier
In the afternoon, our sommelier will guide you through the art of wine tasting, sharing sampling techniques and insight into the unique flavors of Abruzzo’s local wines. You’ll learn how to identify the rich profiles of these regional wines, making this a perfect pairing for all the culinary wonders you’ve crafted so far.

🌊 Day 4: Vasto’s Trabocchi Fishing Houses, Shopping & Adriatic Seafood Feast

🎣 Morning Visit to Trabocchi Fishing Houses
Kick off the day with a trip to Vasto’s iconic trabocchi—these unique fishing houses, perched over the Adriatic, are true works of art and found only along this coastal stretch. You’ll get a close look at their intricate structures and history, a staple of local culture.

🍽️ “Taste of the Adriatic” Seafood Lunch
Lunch will be a seafood lover’s dream at Vasto’s top restaurant, offering an incredible sampling of Adriatic specialties. Savor a wide range of local seafood, crafted into a memorable feast.

🛍️ Afternoon Shopping in Vasto
After lunch, enjoy some free time for window shopping around Vasto’s charming streets. Explore local boutiques and find everything from shoes and jewelry to stylish clothes and Italian lingerie.

🏰 Dinner at the Palace
In the evening, we’ll gather for an elegant dinner at the palace, capping off the day with fine food and great company in a stunning setting.

🥄 Day 5: Peasant Cuisine & Biscotti Baking, Plus Optional Afternoon Activities

🍲 Morning of Traditional Peasant Dishes
Step into the past as we dive into some classic “peasant food” recipes, once humble fare and now celebrated as gourmet. These hearty, vegetarian dishes bring out rich flavors from simple ingredients, and you’ll learn to recreate them perfectly. For dessert, we’ll make almond biscotti with an Abruzzese twist—the ideal treat to take home or enjoy with an espresso!

🌤️ Free Afternoon in Carunchio
After lunch, enjoy a leisurely afternoon. Wander around the quiet village, soak in the views, or stretch your legs on a scenic nearby trail.

🌳 Optional Activities
For those looking for more, weather permitting, choose from extra activities like truffle hunting, massages, or a guided hike.

🧀 Day 6: Agnone’s Cheese, Historic Bell Foundry & Wood-Fired Pizza Class

🍶 Morning in Agnone: Cheese-Making Experience
Start the day with a visit to Agnone, Molise’s renowned hub for fine cheeses. You’ll watch a family of expert cheesemakers in action, crafting mozzarella, burrata, and caciocavallo—a flavorful, aged version of provolone unique to this region. Discover the rich traditions behind these gourmet favorites.

🔔 Historic Bell Foundry Tour
Next, we’ll step into history at Agnone’s legendary bell foundry, which still produces handcrafted church bells for the Vatican. You’ll get a rare behind-the-scenes look at each phase of bell-making in one of the oldest foundries in Italy.

🥖 Gourmet Street Food Lunch
Enjoy a deliciously rustic lunch of porchetta sandwiches, paired with a refreshing Italian beer—a true street food favorite in the region.

🍕 Afternoon Pizza-Making in a Wood-Fired Oven
After a short rest, it’s pizza time! Join our pizza-making class to stretch, top, and bake your own pizza in a traditional wood-fired oven. The result? A perfectly crisp, thin-crust pizza topped with fresh ingredients—your own masterpiece!

✈️ Day 7: Farewell & Airport Transfer

On your final day, we’ll arrange for your smooth transfer back to the airport. Take a moment to reflect on the memories, flavors, and experiences you’ll be taking home—along with any Italian treasures you’ve picked up along the way. Safe travels, and arrivederci!