Dates:
Small groups 10 to 28 MAX!!!
Price:
$2,595.00 per person
Itinerary for 8 day, 7 night
Day 1 – (Saturday)
Arrive at Rome Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport (FCO) and board your private motor coach for the journey to Castelli a medieval hill town that lies beneath Mount Camicia .Castelli is best known for its maiolicas, a form of decorative ceramics, which were collected by the nobility of Europe for centuries and are still produced today by local artists. A demo and walking tour of the village before we go to the Hotel Villa Fiorita .Settle in then join us for a welcome dinner. (D)
Day 2 – (Sunday)
Spend in morning at Civitella del Tronto that appears like a warrior standing between the sea and the mountains. This fortress built by the Spanish is one of the largest fortifications in of all Europe. We will have a walking tour then off to lunch to try some local specialties. Now we are heading south to visit one of the best vineyards that produce montepulciano d’ Abruzzi. After our tasting check-in at the Castello di Septe where we will be spending the rest of our trip. (B, L)
Day 3 – (Monday)
We are going to spend the morning in a local B & B for a cooking demo and lunch in Casoli. Walking tour of this quaint city then free time to mix with the locals. Head back to the castle for the night (B, L)
Day 4 – (Tuesday)
Bread, cookies and "bocconcini di fata" a visit to this antique oven (bakery) to taste all the delicious goods. Next stop a tour of the village of Fresco’s (Treglio). Fresco's are the antique art from wall paintings, we will see and shop where they are still made today. Then off to Lanciano where we will have lunch and then a walking tour of the city. Head back to the castle for the night (B, L)
Day 5 – (Wednesday)
Sulmona is famous for Confetti an almond candy, you'll stop at the factory to see and taste how this classic candy is made. Then off to a walking tour of this quaint city. Free time to explore before we head up to Bolognano to the winery for a tasting, tour and light dinner. (B, D)
Day 6 – (Thursday)
Villa Tivoli was built in 1550, it is famous for the elaborate garden, statues, monuments and most of all it’s fountains we will have a tour and free time to explore and have a picnic lunch in the gardens. Then off to Rome where we will be spending our last two nights. (B, L)
Day 7 – (Friday)
St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum we will have a tour and free time to visit before we meet for our goodbye dinner (B, D)
Day 8 – (Saturday)
Transfer to FCO airport for fight back to USA (B)
For those who chose the 2 day add-on Saturday and Sunday our transfer to airport will be on Monday.
Places of Interest
Tivoli – Villa Adriana
The Villa Adriana (at Tivoli, near Rome) is an exceptional complex of classical buildings created in the 2nd century A.D. by the Roman emperor Hadrian. It combines the best elements of the architectural heritage of Egypt, Greece and Rome in the form of an 'ideal city'.
Cerveteri, Tarquinia –
Etruscan Necropolises
of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
These two large Etruscan cemeteries reflect different types of burial practices from the 9th to the 1st century BC, and bear witness to the achievements of Etruscan culture. The necropolis near Cerveteri, known as Banditaccia, contains thousands of tombs organized in a city-like plan, with streets, small squares and neighborhoods. The site contains very different types of tombs: trenches cut in rock; tumuli; and some, also carved in rock, in the shape of huts or houses with a wealth of structural details. These provide the only surviving evidence of Etruscan residential architecture. The necropolis of Tarquinia, also known as Monterozzi, contains 6,000 graves cut in the rock. It is famous for its 200 painted tombs, the earliest of which date from the 7th century BC.
Tivoli – Villa D'Este, Tivoli
The Villa d'Este in Tivoli, with its palace and garden, is one of the most remarkable and comprehensive illustrations of Renaissance culture at its most refined. Its innovative design along with the architectural components in the garden (fountains, ornamental basins, etc.) makes this a unique example of an Italian 16th-century garden. The Villa d'Este, one of the first giardini delle meraviglie, was an early model for the development of European gardens.