7D/6N - 2019 Cooking, Wine and Christmas Dishes

Day 1 Rome-Abruzzo

14.30 Rome Fiumicino airport pick up and transfer to the ancient Roman town of Vasto on the Adriatic Coast after crossing beautiful Abruzzo mountains looking at amazing landscapes. After checking at charming and family run Hotel dei Sette (or a similar accommodation), 5 minutes’ walk to the historical downtown, get to know your guide, learn more about the 7-day Italian cookery holiday and enjoy a welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto. D

Day 2 Vasto-Loggia Amblingh-Vasto

After a leisurely traditional breakfast of freshly baked bread, whole fruit country-style preserves, cake, pastries, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice. We will visit Vasto’s colourful market to get seasonal products for an exclusive cooking class with a housewife in her house. We will learn how easy fresh pasta is to make and be introduced to her favorite seasonal sauces. A typical menu includes Bread with meat sauce, Pasta alla chitarra with meat sauce and polpette (meatballs), Cavatelli with vegetables and Tarallucci (typical biscuits from Abruzzo) – naturally this depends on seasonal availability. Lunch will consist of the scrumptious dishes that have been prepared in the morning. In the afternoon , we’ll explore Loggia Amblingh, a promenade overlooking the fascinating crescent-shaped coastline, the old town with its medieval Castle, charming lanes, a tower, the Cathedral and Piazza Rossetti, dedicated to Gabriele Rossetti, a poet from the town and father of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. We’ll meet some local artisans before enjoying some free time. Tonight you may experience dinner in one of the many restaurants of Vasto. BCL

Day 3 Vasto-Lentella at Ettore-Trabocco Punta Tufano

After breakfast, we’ll drive to the little hilltop village of Lentella at Ettore’s “Fattoria d’Arte”(Art farm), surrounded by an amazing landscape with sea, mountains, hills, small towns and sea views. We will have an artistic experience with Ettore where you may create your personal Christmas gift (postcards or a little sculpture). Then, we will enjoy an aperitif and lunch with Ettore. After a scenic itinerary along the Trabocchi (ancient fishing equipment typical to Abruzzo) Coast, we’ll stop at Trabocco Punta Tufano. In this location, surrounded by the blue sea and green hills with olive trees, we’ll have a funny fishing experience with the “traboccante” (trabocco’s owner) Rinaldo that will share his love for its trabocco and will explain its secrets. During your seafood aperitif, you can relax breathing the sea atmosphere and taking some photos of the many beautiful marine landscape. In the evening, dinner will be served in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto. BCLD

Day 4 Vasto

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll prepare our own lunch and learn some Christmas traditional dishes at Mama’s. A typical menu includes Pallotte casce e ove (cheese & egg balls), Cannelloni with ricotta cheese and spinach, Baccalà (Salt Cod) and Scrippelle (a typical Christmas sweet from Abruzzo) which we’ll enjoy for lunch. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure for shopping, visit a nature reserve or take part to some extra activities/excursions. Own arrangement for dinner tonight. BCL

Day 5 Vasto-Ricotta cheese making-Roccascalegna Medieval Castle

After breakfast we’ll make our way to the farm where Pina and Berardino will reveal the secrets of sheep and cows farming to us and guide those that would like to learn how to milk a sheep or a cow. After a snack of cheese, we’ll learn how to prepare ricotta cheese in their creamery. We will also learn how to make a special bread called “pizza scima – stupid pizza”. A delicious traditional lunch will be prepared and served. This will be the time to savour just made warm ricotta cheese. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the enchanting Abruzzo’s castle in the sky in Roccascalegna. Tonight you may experience dinner in one of the many restaurants of Vasto. BCTL

Day 6 Vasto-La Selvotta Oil Grove--Fonrefico

Following breakfast, we’ll visit the La Selvotta Olive Grove that has been farmed by Giovanni’s family for 3 generations to produce DOP olive oils. He will unfurl the secrets of what Homer described as “liquid gold” and we will finish with an olive oil tasting. Then, we’ll visit Fontefico, an award winning winery that sits between a marine park and the mountains. We’ll have a wine tasting with pairings from local cheeses and salami and tour of the vineyard and cellars by owners Emanuele and Nicola. After lunch, we’ll have an homemade pizza cooking class that includes the teaching of traditional bruschette and tiramisu. BTLCD

Day 7 Vasto-Departure

After breakfast, we depart (normally at 09:00 am) for Rome Fiumicino airport or your next destination (around 3,5 hours driving from Vasto to Rome Fiumicino airport). Your tour comes to an end upon arrival.

B= Breakfast | L=Lunch | D=Dinner | T=Tasting | C=Cooking Lesson

Inclusions: 6 nights’ accommodation at Hotel dei 7 in the center of Vasto or similar accommodation, breakfast buffet daily, 8 meals (food, water, house wine) in selected restaurants, farmhouses or wineries based on traditional regional dishes, 3 hands-on cooking classes and associated food costs, art experience with a local artist, daily trips and excursions, pick up and drop off at Rome Fiumicino airport, personalized cooking booklet and apron, all transport for daily trips and excursions, all entry fees for excursions, tours and wine, olive oil and cheese tastings, English-speaking tour manager throughout the duration and taxes.

Exclusions: airfares, snacks/drinks between meals or any meals not listed on the itinerary, personal expenses, travel insurance, drinks not listed in the itinerary (an extra bottle of wine, for example), The cost of additional excursions or activities.

Note: single supplement