Abruzzia food adventure 14 September to 20 September 2016 presented by

Carmel Ruggeri ITINERARY wednesday,14 september 14:30 1 ROME TO VASTO Your tour leader Carmel Ruggeri will meet you in Rome at Fiumicino Airport for your transfer to the ancient town of Vasto on the Adriatic Coast. After check-in at your charming accommodation located in the historical centre, we will take a walk through the town followed by our welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Vasto. Join restaurateur dinner Carmel Ruggeri on a special food thursday, 15 september 2 VASTO adventure through After a leisurely traditional breakfast of freshly baked bread, whole fruit country-style preserves, cakes, pastries, tea and Abruzzi. coffee, we visit the colourful local market. This is followed by an exclusive cooking class with a local signora who will teach us how to make fresh pasta and give us an introduction to her Carmel has been running favourite seasonal sauces. We get to enjoy these delicious local Sicilian Food Tours for over dishes for lunch with some vino. 4 years and is very excited to In the afternoon, a guided visit of Vasto’s historic centre. We be heading to the beautiful explore Loggia Amblingh, a promenade overlooking the fascinating crescent - shaped coastline, featuring a medieval central Italian region of castle, charming lanes, a tower, the Cathedral and Piazza Abruzzi with ATi Tours. Rossetti, dedicated to town poet Gabriele Rossetti and father of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who founded the Pre-Raphaelite Abruzzi is home to the ancient Brotherhood. In the evening we dine in Vasto town of Vasto on the Adriatic breakfast, lunch & dinner coast, Ventricina salami, lamb arrosticini & Montepulciano friday, 16 september wines. 3 VASTO TO ROCCASCALEGNA Today we make our way to a small local artisan farm with its own creamery. Pina and Dino will reveal the secrets of sheep farming Carmel, your personal and show us how to milk a sheep ready for pecorino cheese and English speaking tour leader how to prepare ricotta cheese. We will enjoy just made warm will take you through the ricotta over a delicious lunch. undiscovered Abruzzo, where In the afternoon, we visit a medieval castle situated in the small Italy’s north and south meet town of Roccascalegna. The town is 455 metres above sea level and features well preserved and maintained historical, with the sea, wide open cultural attractions with rich and varied gastronomic aspects country, mountains, forests including many specialty products such as honey, oil, cheeses, cold meats and truffles. Tonight we dine in a traditional and beautiful medieval towns. restaurant in the heart of Vasto.

As part of a small group of breakfast, lunch & dinner people you will embrace a deep cultural history of food, saturday, 17 september wine and living la vita dolce. 4VASTO TO FONTEFICO WINERY Following breakfast and weather permitting, we will be given a special seafood cooking lesson with amazing coastal views on a traditional trabocco (pictured on page 4), a small pier with an architectural fishing hut at its end (also the symbol of the area). Rinaldo our host, will show us how to fish from the trabocco and will share the secrets and history behind Abruzzo’s unique fishing platforms. The cooking class using fish sourced from the Adriatic where possible, will be given by Rinaldo’s wife Maria who comes from a family of well-known cooks. We will enjoy the dishes prepared during our class for a memorable lunch including: marinated fresh anchovies, clams, octopus in tomato sauce with polenta, stuffed mussels, fish soup alla Vastese and pizzelle (traditional Italian waffle which originated from Abruzzo) with home-made fruit conserve. ITINERARY (continued) wednesday,14 september 14:30 There will also be an opportunity to do some fishing off the Adriatic coast this afternoon. Later in the afternoon we visit Fontefico winery, an old estate of 15 hectares of vines from the beginning of the last century located on the beautiful Gulf of Vasto. This award-winning organic boutique winery focuses on producing wines from the local Montepulciano and Pecorino varieties. We’ll enjoy a tour of the vineyard and cellars by owners Emanuele and Nicola and a wine tasting of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Pecorino Superiore and Cerasuolo Superiore with pairings of local cheeses and salami. This evening free time at your leisure. breakfast & lunch

sunday, 18 september 5 TERMOLI TO LA SELVOTTA OLIVE GROVE After breakfast we head down to Termoli a medieval “borgo”. Here we will explore the small white-washed village with pastel coloured houses, its pre-eminent castle and local artisans including the opportunity to visit a handmade jewellery ‘artigiano’ for a demonstration of his unique jewellery techniques.

Lunch in a traditional restaurant in the heart of Termoli. On our way back to Vasto, we visit La Selvotta Olive Grove, farmed by the owner Giovanni’s family for three generations to produce DOP olive oils. Giovanni will unfurl the secrets of what the poet Homer described as “liquid gold” and we will finish with an olive oil tasting. Then we head to one of the best gelaterias at Vasto Marina. Dinner in Vasto

breakfast, lunch & dinner

VASTO TO ROCCASCALEGNA monday, 19 september 6VASTO TO CAMPO IMPERATORE Today we say goodbye to Vasto and head to Campo Imperatore, a vast plateau situated about 1600 meters of altitude in the heart of the Gran Sasso, the highest mountain in central Italy. We spend some time enjoying the inspiring landscape and breathtaking views whilst preparing a traditional picnic treat, the “arrosticini” (lamb skewers).

In the afternoon, we’ll move to the nearby Rocca Calascio where we will visit its castle perched 1460 meters high on the mountainside. It is one of the highest fortifications in Italy and famous for hosting several special events. Campo Imperatore has been popular with filmmakers and featured in more than twenty films, including The American starring George Clooney, The Name of the Rose, Krull and Ladyhawke .

We travel to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a charming village built completely of white limestone and set in the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga.

We check in to the boutique hotel Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, a restored medieval building set in the Appenine mountains in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. This afternoon free time to walk through the town at your leisure. Tonight we enjoy our farewell dinner. breakfast, lunch & dinner

tuesday, 20 september 7 SANTO STEFANO DI SESSANIO TO ROME After breakfast we depart for Rome. breakfast PRICE 7 day all-inclusive package Total cost $3400 per person* Single supplement additional $290 *All prices are land only and based on double occupancy. Pick up and drop off in Rome Fiumicino airport. Airfare and travel insurance are not included. www.atitours.com.au Package includes: Level 1, 38 Norton Street • Stay 5 nights in a boutique 3 star hotel located in Vasto’s city centre Leichhardt (Sydney) 2040 • Stay 1 night in a restored monastery 4 star hotel located in the Italian Appenines • Breakfast daily, 5 x lunches, 5 x dinners t:+61 (0)2 9569 8551 [ext.14] • 2 Cooking classes and associated food costs • All transport for daily trips and excursions in an air conditioned bus toll free: 1300 888 997 • Pick up and drop off in Rome Fiumicino in an air conditioned bus m: 0406 271 008 • Guided visits of Vasto city centre, Termoli and the Castle of Roccascalegna • Visits and tastings at a winery, an olive oil mill and a gelateria e: [email protected] • Cheese making in an agriturismo e: [email protected] • All taxes license 2TA5627 What’s not included: abn 20109484326 • Airfares • Spending money • Snacks/drinks between meals, or any meals not listed on the itinerary • Personal expenses like phone calls, visa costs, laundry or tips • Travel insurance (not obligatory, but recommended) • Drinks not listed in the itinerary (for example an extra bottle of wine) • The cost of additional excursions or activities

www.sicilianfoodtours.com