The Hidden Medieval Villages of Abruzzo

After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 6:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Educational content will be provided by a local expert and our knowledgeable Group Leader. Program-related travel will be primarily via motorcoach — requiring ascending and descending a few steps — unless specified otherwise. Meals will feature local cuisine and will include wine, coffee, and water with other beverages available for purchase. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We’ll then enjoy a welcome drink together before dinner.

At the hotel restaurant.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

We’ll be joined at the hotel by a local expert for a lecture on Pietro del Morrone, the hermit who became Pope Celestino V. We’ll board our motorcoach and ride to Santo Spirito al Morrone Abbey. We will visit the local expert the 13th-century Abbey. For centuries, the abbey represented the most important and celebrated congregation of Celestini and the heart of civil, cultural, and religious life of a large territory. We’ll board our motorcoach and ride back to Sulmona for a visit to the famous confectionery “PELINO”, which produces the most divinely crisp-sugared Sicilian almonds, The “confetti” are meant to represent bittersweet married life, the almonds the bitter and sweet their sugared shells. We will also visit the Museum.

At a local restaurant.

We will continue to explore Sulmona on foot, Sulmona, a jewel set among the majestic mountains of Abruzzo, a city rich in history and culture, enchants visitors with its unique atmosphere and centuries-old heritage. The town, home of Ovid, was founded by the Romans in 300 BC. like Sulmo and has retained many of its original features to this day. Sulmona is famous for its historic architecture, testimony to bygone eras which are still reflected today in its cobbled streets and well-preserved buildings. But it is not just history and nature that make Sulmona a special place. This city is also famous for its gastronomic tradition. The authentic flavors of Abruzzo blend harmoniously in local dishes, from the famous rose petal jam to truffle-based delicacies. We will walk through the delightful historic center, and find ourselves immersed in a journey through time, with fascinating squares and ancient churches that tell stories of past centuries. One of Sulmona's best-known treasures is Piazza Garibaldi, dominated by the majestic Cathedral of San Panfilo. This architectural masterpiece dates back to the 13th century and enchants with its Gothic façade and frescoes that tell ancient legends. The square is also the heart of lively city life, animated by welcoming cafes and traditional shops. We’ll board our motorcoach and ride to Prezza, an unassuming but beautiful village of 950 residents. It’s a place where every cobblestone seems to tell a story. And each archway hides a piece of the past. Prezza, with its serenity and strong community entices visitors. Each night locals congregate in the piazza to drink and watch the sun set over Monte Prezza, Monte San Cosimo and the Morrone mountains. It feels like a warm haven to avoid routine and troubles of the world. We will a visit a winery and meet a wine maker and local people.

At a local winery.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll board our motorcoach and ride to Scanno, “the pearl of Abruzzo”. The lovely hamlet, framed in a setting of green mountains filled with pine trees, with its eponymous lake lying at its feet, is an architectural jewel. Scanno, is a splendid medieval town among the best known and most characteristic of Abruzzo. The origin and history of the village are shrouded in an aura of mystery which still today increases its charm in the eyes of the visitor. The first historical evidence of the existence of the town dates back to Roman times, as attested by a plaque preserved in the Scanno Wool Museum. The historic center, with its ancient houses leaning against each other, the buildings, the stairways and the dense alleys, still preserves a thriving tradition of goldsmithing and bobbin lace. lace pillows. Lake Scanno is a place of great charm, it is the most evocative and visited body of water in Abruzzo: romantics are won over by its heart shape, athletes and nature lovers seek out its wild side with its unquestionable charm. Last and not least, the 'traditional women's dress from Scanno, immortalized by the greatest photographers in the world, is a unique and precious heritage to be preserved, which allows to keep alive and enhance the roots of the Scanno community , based on sheep farming, wool processing and coloring, tailoring, goldsmith's art, bobbin lace. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local community and learn about their lifestyle, their lived experiences, their uses, their customs, the ancient crafts of the place. to discover, in short, the `true`, that is, the culture different from one's own culture and therefore unknown. We will stop at a local pastry shop to taste the typical Scanno Sweets, “pan dell’orso”. We will then ride to a local farmhouse, located close to Introdacqua, a small medieval village in Valle Peligna. We will have the opportunity to talk to local people and learn about the Abruzzese way of life.

At the farmhouse in Introdacqua.

We will visit the farmhouse and enjoy a cooking demonstration of typical donuts accompanied with folks’ songs and dance. We will board our motor coach for a field trip to Introdacqua to visit the village, and particularly its Lombard tower. We will then return to the hotel.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll board our motorcoach with our Group Leader and ride to the medieval Calascio village. We will stop en-route to admire, from distance, the Castle of Rocca Calascio, situated more than 1400 meters high, a majestic medieval structure that has inspired numerous films such as “In the name of The rose” and “Lady Hawke”. The ancient medieval castle is so enchanting that it seems suspended in time. Its beauty lies in its shape and the way it can blend in with the surrounding area. The history of Rocca Calascio is closely linked to its territory, a vast border area populated since the dawn of time. The first sources tell of a strategic-military interest of the place, so strong that it materialized around the year 1000, a period in which the first construction of a wall complex most likely took place. The castle, with four imposing turrets made of white stone and squared ashlars, became a perfect garrison for controlling the transhumance flocks. We will visit Calascio village, a place that retains the charm of the past. The narrow streets and stone houses offer a journey back in time, allowing visitors to imagine daily life from centuries ago. This village is ideal for those who love to explore and discover hidden corners rich in history. Every corner of the village tells stories of ancient inhabitants, creating a unique and evocative atmosphere. We will visit the Santa Maria della Pietà, a little church built between the 16th and 17th centuries, on property once belonging to the Medici family. Its octagonal shape recalls the famous Saint John’s Baptistry in Florence. We will then ride to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, one of the most charming hamlets of Parco del Gran Sasso and rich in history due to its association with the Medici family. After a long period of near abandonment, it was redeveloped in the second half of the 20th century.

At a restaurant in Santo Stefano di Sessanio.

We will enjoy a lecture on “Transhumance” by a local expert. Transhumance is an ancient pastoral practice which in 2019 was included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. It is a traditional farming practice that consists of moving animals, usually sheep, goats or cattle, from winter grazing areas to summer grazing areas and vice versa. Despite the great importance it had in the past at an economic and social level and the enormous benefits at a sustainability level, the practice of transhumance has been progressively decreasing due to the increase in industrialization and urbanization, the decrease in grazing areas and climate changes. However, fortunately, in some Italian regions – Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, Lazio, Campania, Trentino Alto Adige, Valle d'Aosta, Sardinia and Veneto – transhumance continues to be practiced today, and represents an important cultural tradition to be preserved, handed down and enhanced, as well as an interesting and unique tourist attraction. We will visit S. Stefano di Sessanio village, with a local expert, to discover some typical corners of what is one of the most charming hamlets of Parco del Gran Sasso territory, very rich in the past, due to the income of pastoral activity, so attractive that Medici’s family brought there their influence, art and culture. Within the Medici Tower, a video will be shown on the reconstruction of the village by an entrepreneur, after being abandoned for many years. We will then return to the hotel.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll depart by motorcoach with our Group Leader to Sulmona train station to enjoy a train ride on the Trans-Siberiana D’Italia, a vintage train across mountain landscapes. We will get off the train at Castel di Sangro station.

At a restaurant in Castel di Sangro.

Returning to Sulmona with our motorcoach, we will enjoy some free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board our motorcoach with a local expert for a field trip to Capestrano, a tiny hamlet offering visitors a unique insight into Abruzzo’s rich history, culture, and exquisite natural beauty. This is the type of place that not all tourists manage to visit but when they do, the experience is like no other. We will visit the castle, overlooking the Tirino Valley. We will then board our motorcoach for a field trip to Vallevò, in “Costa dei Trabocchi”, We will stop en route for a visit to S. Pietro in Oratorio Abbey. The Church is immersed in a place that evokes stories of heroes, mysteries and magic. It was commissioned by the last Lombard king Desiderio, and four centuries later, with the restoration in 1100, took on Romanesque forms, coming to be counted among the most important examples of Italian Romanesque architecture. Geographically, the Trabucchi coast is a piece of Italy, in the province of Chieti, beautiful, with an intriguing landscape charm, conditioned by very ancient uses and customs, forged by a hard life made of work and effort. The “trabocchi” are structures that have impressed the imagination of writers and represented the effort and sweat of entire generations, ensuring fish sustenance even in dark and dark periods (see during floods and plague). They are wooden platforms, placed in the sea a short distance from the shore, surmounted by more or less equipped huts, used for fishing with a scale net, stretched out and suspended in the water by long wooden arms, called flagpoles. The net is periodically hoisted by pulleys after being immersed, for a period of approximately 30 minutes, in a seabed that is not too deep or agitated by unwanted currents. This is a wait-and-see fishing, aimed at fish species that periodically approach the coast. The passing fish is trapped by the sudden raising of the net from the seabed, by a winch operated mechanically (or in ancient times by hand) by the fishermen in the shed.

At the Trabocco restaurant, experiencing the sensation of being suspended between sky and sea. A real trabocco (an ancient fishing machine typical of the Abruzzo coasts built on poles driven directly into the sea or between the rocks and anchored to the shore by a multitude of cables and wooden boards) where the fishing technique will be explained and, weather permitting, there will be a net fishing demonstration.

Returning to Sulmona, we will enjoy some free time.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll depart by motorcoach with our Group Leader to Pescocostanzo, an ancient village of great charm considered as a remarkable example of mountain architecture. The city, which seems to have been born around the 10th century, boasted a strategic position along the famous "Via degli Abruzzi" and attracted numerous Lombard master craftsmen who moved there, making Pescocostanzo famous for its skilled work in iron and gold. We will visit the historic center, walking through its cobbled streets we will appreciate the timeless beauty of this place. We will admire centuries-old churches, stately buildings and artisans' workshops that expertly create traditional local articles. We will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria del Colle, with its five naves and its splendid wooden ceilings, and the splendid Church of Santa Maria del Colle, the small church of Santa Maria del Carmine and the Museum of Tombolo (tat lace), dedicated to this artifact that is very common in these areas where we can see a lady master lace at work. We will then ride on to Pacentro, one of the most fascinating villages of Conca Peligna, straddling between Morrone Mountain and Maiella Mountain. Pacentro welcomes us with an atmosphere with an ancient flavor. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by red-ocher cave paintings found in the area. The village stands on an attractive natural setting, including its historic center, defensive walls, and palaces.

On your own in Pacentro.

With a local expert, we will visit Pacentro. Inside, step by step, we will gladly discover that the lost world is still there somewhere. Thus, the gaze jumps from the magnificent stone portals to the skillful work of the women still intent on embroidery; from precious churches to famous handkerchiefs, already sought after in the 18th century. The shops look like an open trunk, of those with gifts that are no longer used: on display are bedspreads and embroidered tablecloths, the true antithesis of modernity and. Between stone stairs, views, ascents and descents, we will walk on ancient paving which enriches everything with the charm of another era, and we certainly will be able to enjoy the rest, peace and relaxation that only ancient villages, like Pacentro, can offer to visitors. We will visit the local paper Mache laboratory. We will then return to the hotel.

On a terrace in a fine restaurant in Sulmona overlooking one of the largest piazzas.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

After checking out the hotel, we will board our private motorcoach and transfer to Rome Fiumicino, where we will check in at our hotel. We will stop en route at Anversa degli Abruzzi, a jewel of Sagittario Valley. We will set out with our Group Leader on a field trip to Bioagriturismo, a local and organic farmhouse, where we will take part in the daily agricultural experience in a scenic, pastoral setting. We will observe milk being processed into cheese, with the chance to feel the newly processed food. We’ll then move from touch to taste and sample some of the cheese and other products that the agriturismo has to offer.

At the farmhouse in Anversa, Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell lunch.

We will complete our transfer to Rome and check in at our final hotel.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel depending on departure time. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!