Rome, Abruzzo and Molise: the mountains and the sea

Day 1:

The tour starts in the heart of Rome, in an historic hotel a short walk from the Pantheon.  We will meet at the hotel and walk to dinner at a nearby osteria (first mentioned in a document in 1518 and reputedly the oldest in Rome and a favourite of Caravaggio) which specialises in classic Roman cuisine.

Day 2:

This morning we will be taken on a guided tour of the centre of Rome finishing with a delicious lunch in a family-run in a cobble-stone lane in Trastevere.  The rest of the afternoon and evening are free to explore the ‘Eternal City’.

Day 3

This morning we drive one hundred kilometres east into the Apennine Mountains, where we will stop to visit a fascinating town that is celebrated as the home of the Roman author Ovid.  After a visit to the historic centre of the town and a light lunch, we will drive forty kilometres north through mountains to the small beautifully restored medieval village that will be our base for the next four days.  After checking into our wonderful accommodation (‘a truly unique and special experience’), you will be free to explore the village.  We will have dinner at our accommodation’s excellent restaurant.

Day 4:

This morning we go for a fascinating walk starting from our village, following an undulating trail that was once used by drovers moving their flocks between the mountains and the coast.  The first stop is at the spectacular ruins of a medieval castle that once guarded the trade route (it’s eery remains providing the setting for many films including The Name of The Rose).  From here we walk down into the valley past a lake and farmlands and carry on to the next village, where we’ll have lunch.  (15 kms, 4.5 hours, 650 mts climb).  After lunch, we will be driven back to base where the rest of the afternoon and evening are free.

Day 5:

This morning we drive thirty kilometres north to L’Aquila, the mountain capital of Abruzzo, which has a history stretching back to pre-Roman times.  The city’s golden days were in the 15th century, when it had its own university, its own mint and was the home of saints and scholars.  In 2009, L’Aquila, and much of the surrounding area, was hammered by a series of earthquakes that levelled a significant part of the city and killed over three hundred people.  Our tour will include visits of the city’s great treasures but will also consider the earthquake and its aftermath.

After lunch, we will return to our base, where the rest of the afternoon is free.  In the evening, a cooking lesson in our accommodation’s kitchens will introduce us to the secrets of traditional Abruzzo cuisine and will be followed by dinner.

Day 6:

This morning we explore some of the most spectacular scenery in central Italy: the Campo Imperatore, a vast high plain and the Gran Sasso, the Apennine’s highest peak.  The Campo Imperatore is a short drive from our base.  Until the beginning of the 20th century, shepherds drove (literally) millions of sheep each summer from Puglia to these high plains to graze on the lush pastures.  At the far end of the Campo, stands the Gran Sasso d’Italia, the highest peak in the Apennines. 

This short walk is one of the most rewarding in Abruzzo (Passo del Lupo; Monte Portella; Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi).  It starts with a short steep climb up a well-made path and then contours up to a pass with a superb view of the great mountain itself.  After a coffee break at a welcoming ‘rifugio’ (mountain lodge), we follow the trail back down to the start.  (6 kms, 3 hours, 350 mts climb).  We then drive back to our base, having a light lunch on the way.

Day 7:

Today, we leave Abruzzo and drive south into rolling hills and forests of Molise.  On the way, we stop at Isernia, the ‘capital’ of Alto Molise (Upper Molise) for a guided visit of one of the most extraordinary museums in the region: a modern institution that presents the findings ‘in situ’ of the oldest human settlement in Europe that was found by chance during road construction 30 years ago.  After lunch in town at a charming little osteria, we continue our drive to Agnone, a remarkable small town in the hills of northern Molise. 

With a population of around five thousand people, this pretty town has been inhabited since the 8th century BC.  In 1139 the powerful Borrello family imported a large number of Venetian soldiers and craftsmen, who greatly influenced the town’s life and economy.  Today, Agnone is a dynamic regional centre proud of its long history.  Our accommodation is in a beautiful, family-run ‘agriturismo’ set in a vineyard in the valley below the town.  After checking in, the rest of the afternoon is free.  We’ll have dinner at the ‘agriturismo’.

Day 8:

This morning, we take a thirty-minute winding drive up to a small village that is the highest point in the Trigno Valley.  A popular skiing destination in the winter, the cross-country ski runs become walking trails in the warmer months.  We follow one of these trails out of town, starting at the Alpine Flora Gardens, and follow a long ridge, with spectacular views down over the valley and the neighbouring mountains.  At the end of the itinerary we walk back to town to have lunch in a celebrated trattoria back.  (12 kms, 4 hours, 350 mts climb).

Fun fact: In 2015, this village received the biggest dump of snow ever recorded, anywhere: over 2.5 metres of snow in one night.

On the way back to our base, we will stop at a gorgeous fortified medieval village to enjoy a gelato and the views from the walls of castle.  Dinner is back at the agriturismo.

Day 9:

This morning, we will be taken on guided tour of the nearby town, including another one of the great surprises of this area: a bell foundry which has been operating continuously in the town since the 13th century, producing bells for the Pope and Catherine the Great, among other illustrious customers.  The visit to the foundry is a fascinating experience. 

Fun fact:  This foundry has been in the hands of the same family all this time, now up to the twenty-sixth generation, which makes it the oldest continually working company in the world. 

After a light lunch, short drive from our base is one of the most important archaeological sites in central Italy: a vast monumental complex that includes the remains of a castle, a necropolis, temples and a perfectly preserves theatre that sits 1000 metres above the Trigno Valley.  It was built by the Sannites in the 2nd century BC.  The temples were dedicated to Victory, and it is believed that the Sannites met here to plan their (unsuccessful) resistance to the Roman invasion.  After a guided tour of the site, well return to our accommodation.

In the evening we will have short transfer to one of the surprises of the area, a lovely farm-based restaurant where we will have degustation dinner prepared by a Michelin-trained local chef.

Day 10:

Seven thousand kilometres long, the Sentiero Italia is the longest walking trail in the world.  It was created to connect all the Italian regions and unite their cultural diversity, beauty and the traditions of the local territories.  This morning, we walk a section of Sentiero, following a well-made trail through undulating farmlands and forest, popular with hikers and birdwatchers (15 kms, 4.5 hours, 620 mts climb).

After a light lunch along the walk, we’ll return to our base where you can swim in the pool and relax for the rest of the afternoon.  We’ll have an early dinner back at the agriturismo, ready for our departure tomorrow.

Day 11:

Today we leave the mountains and drive east to Termoli, an attractive fishing town on the southern coast of Molise, near the border with Puglia.  Termoli sits on a promontory surrounded by its medieval walls, overlooking the port and is dominated by a small castle built by the Normans in the 11th century.  Kilometres of beaches stretch to the north and south. 

Our accommodation for the last two nights will be in another ‘borgo diffuso’ in the beautifully restored historic centre: private apartments with views of the sea.  Once we have checked in, the afternoon and evening are free.

Day 12:

This morning, we take a one-hour ferry ride across the Adriatic to the Isole Tremiti, an archipelago of three magical islands off the coast of Puglia.  After a coffee at the port, we will be taken by a private boat for a tour of the islands, exploring the bays and grottoes of the islands, with plenty of chances for swimming.  We will have a light lunch on board, before returning by ferry to Termoli.  In the evening we have our farewell dinner outdoors in the historic centre of Termoli at a small restaurant that specialises in the freshest of local seafood.

Day 13:

Termoli is connect by rail to Pescara and Bologna to the north and Bari and Lecce to the south.  For those interested, we will have a transfer 50 minutes south to Foggia which has fast train connections to Naples and Rome.