Italy: Off the Beaten Track in Abruzzo + Puglia

Women’s Trip to Explore Italy’s Adriatic Coast: Charming Villages, Ancient Traditions, & Authentic Flavors

I loved my time in Abruzzo in 2022; now I want to return, and experience Puglia and Matera as well! We’ll be off the beaten track in Abruzzo + Puglia in spring of 2025 – hope you can join us!

Let’s do this! Experience Italy: Off the Beaten Track in Abruzzo & Puglia on a 14-day unique Italian cultural and culinary escorted tour to visit 3 of the most stunning Italian regions:

• Abruzzo – charming mountain villages, 3 National Parks, and the trabocco (special fishing structures, a symbol of the area)
• Puglia with its UNESCO sites, castles, beautiful medieval towns and coastal villages, and Basilicata
• Matera, selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2019

Our hosts and local guides Fabrizio and Katia, together with their families & friends, have put together amazing experiences that combine passion, beautiful places and local artisans. They’ll show us the best of Abruzzo & Puglia, creating immersive adventures in Italian cultures and traditions, where we really get to know the food, regions, and people. We’ll have a fully escorted tour that will give us insights into daily life, food, wine, and culture, and allows us to discover authentic Italy in a balanced mix of experiences, relaxation, adventure, learning, and friendship.

The highlight of this tour is the opportunity to discover, experience, and live the different local cultures of these regions. Though unique, these areas have in common the warm hospitality of the local people, along with their great food and wine traditions. 

• Live like a local; stay in historic centers of ancient towns
• Visit 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites: Matera and Alberobello 
• Enjoy amazing landscapes that spread out from the Adriatic Sea to the Apennine mountains
• Prepare homemade pasta, pizza, focaccia, ricotta, and other traditional foods with local women 
• Discover the fascinating trabocchi fishing huts 
• Explore Lecce, the fascinating Florence of Southern Italy 
• Visit Abruzzo’s acclaimed wine makers

Itinerary: Italy: Off the Beaten Track in Abruzzo + Puglia 

Day 1 – Arrival; orientation; welcome dinner (2025: Sunday, 5/25)

• Rome airport (FCO) pick-up at 12:30 p.m.
• Drive to the ancient Roman town of Vasto, on the Adriatic Coast. The ride will take us across the beautiful Abruzzo mountains past landscapes dotted with hilltop villages and castles
• Check into our charming local hotel in the historic center of Vasto 
• We’ll meet our local guide Fabrizio and learn more about our 14-day Italian cultural vacation 
• Take a stroll together to a traditional restaurant for a welcome group dinner in the heart of Vasto

Day 2 – Cooking with Mamma and explore Vasto (2025: 5/26)

• Each morning, we’ll enjoy a leisurely traditional breakfast at the hotel, with freshly baked bread, whole fruit country-style preserves, cake, pastries, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice.
• Today, we’ll stroll through Vasto’s colorful market to shop for fresh seasonal food, and have the opportunity to practice some Italian!
• Next we’ll drive into the beautiful countryside to the home of Fabrizio’s family, where we’ll have an exclusive cooking class and lunch with them. We’ll learn how easy it is to make fresh pasta and be introduced to the special sauces of the region
• A sample menu based on seasonal availability with Fabrizio’s family recipes might include: bread with meat sauce, pasta alla Chitarra with meat sauce and polpette (meatballs) and Tarallucci (specialty biscuits)
• Explore Vasto’s historic center, including: Loggia Amblingh, a promenade overlooking the beautiful crescent-shaped coastline, the old town with its medieval Castle, charming lanes, and tower, the cathedral and Piazza Rossetti, dedicated to Gabriele Rossetti, a poet from Vasto and father of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
• Introduction to local artisans
• Free time to independently continue exploring our wonderful home base of Vasto
• Dinner on our own. (Based on years of experience, after the big family lunch, no one will be hungry for another rich dinner! Enjoy light fare like a local would, with a simple appetizer, a scoop of gelato, or a pizza). Fabrizio will offer suggestions of his favorite places based on the group’s personal preferences.

Day 3 – Discover the fascinating Trabocchi Coast, lunch on a trabocco fishing hut, visit a 6th Century Abbey (2025: 5/27)

• After breakfast we’ll explore the famous Trabocchi coast. We’ll start with a short, easy walk inside Punta Aderci Nature Reserve – one of the 10 most beautiful  Italian beaches according to the British Daily and the UK Telegraph. From there,  you can also glimpse the snow-capped peaks of Italy’s Apennines Mountain range 
• Next we’ll visit a “trabocco,” one of Abruzzo’s unique fishing platforms, and an important symbol of the area. Built mostly with acacia wood and railway iron sleepers, we’ll  learn more about them from our host Rinaldo. The secrets and history behind these trabocchi have been featured in the BBC TV show: “Escape to the Continent”
• Weather permitting, we’ll help Rinaldo fish! 
• We’ll then enjoy a delicious al fresco seafood lunch, prepared by Rinaldo’s wife Maria, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. 💕
• After lunch, we can simply relax, or wander around this magnificent marinescape – a popular location for photography
• During our return to Vasto, we’ll visit the enchanting Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, part of an ancient monastery located on a hillside facing the sea. The abbey dominates the coastline and is surrounded by orange, olive, oak and pine trees 
• We’ll dine together in a traditional restaurant in Vasto

Day 4 – Art experience & lunch; free afternoon (2025: 5/28)

• After breakfast we’ll drive to the little hilltop village of Lentella, to Ettore’s “Fattoria  d’Arte” (“Art Farm”) 
• Surrounded by an enchanting landscape with breathtaking views of the sea, mountains, rolling hills, and charming villages, you can indulge in an easy walk and a unique artistic experience with Ettore. He will guide you in creating your own special Abruzzo souvenir – a postcard crafted with natural colors made from leaves and flowers that you can gather from Ettore’s property. (If you choose not to join the artistic activity, there are other delightful options: wander through nature  amidst captivating sculptures and artworks, unwind with a glass of fine wine, or simply marvel at the stunning panorama of the sea, majestic mountains, olive groves, vineyards, and picturesque hilltop villages) 
• We’ll enjoy an aperitif and a traditional lunch with Ettore and his wife Barbara 
• Not every minute of our days in Abruzzo must be packed with organised events! Take this afternoon to live like an Italian. Slow down and explore on your own: go to one of the area beaches, visit Vasto’s museums and art galleries, take part in some optional local activities or excursions, shop, or simply stroll the piazza, taking in the relaxing Vasto vibe. 
• Dinner is on our own.

Day 5 – Visit a typical “agriturismo,” farm-to-table lunch, and explore Roccascalegna Medieval Castle (2025: 5/29)

• After breakfast we’ll make our way to the farmhouse owned by Pina and Berardino.  They will share their keys to farming and immerse us in an authentic slow food experience. You might simply choose to relax in the beautiful Abruzzo countryside or take part in some or all of these experiences:
• We’ll make “pizza scima – stupid pizza,” a pizza without yeast
• After collecting organic wine from their winery, we’ll have an aperitif and sample their cheeses, salami and extra virgin olive oil 
• Next we’ll learn how to prepare ricotta cheese 
• Finally we’ll collect fresh vegetables from the garden to be used for our farm-to-table lunch 
• Our delicious traditional lunch is all from the farm (wheat, produce, organic flour to make breads, cookies and fresh pasta, eggs from their hens, organic extra virgin olive oil, wines, liquors, juices, jams, cheeses, many varieties of salami, meats and vegetables) 
• Enjoy a scenic drive to explore Abruzzo’s castle in the charming village of Roccascalegna, ranked by Condé Naste Traveler as one of the “Nine Most Beautiful Hilltop Towns in Italy” 
• After the big lunch at the farm, we’re on our own in the evening – enjoy dinner or an aperitif at one of the many restaurants or wine bars of Vasto

Day 6 – Olive oil and wine tasting, pizza & tiramisù family party & farewell dinner (2025: 5/30)

• After breakfast we’ll visit Giovanni’s family olive grove (three  generations old) where they produce DOP olive oils – quite exclusive! Discover the secrets of what Homer described as “liquid gold.” We will finish with an olive oil tasting 
• Visit an award winning winery – wine tasting and lunch with pairings of local cheeses and salami; tour the vineyard and cellars with winemakers Emanuele and Nicola 
• After some free time, we’ll have a farewell to Abruzzo party with Fabrizio’s family, enjoying Abruzzo wines and food in a very relaxed atmosphere. You may choose to help Rosa and Mamma Anna Maria make tiramisù or pizza, including the world famous Margherita or one of our special local versions with typical toppings such as the renowned “ventricina” salami 
• In the evening we’ll have our last dinner together as an Italian family immersed in Abruzzo’s peaceful countryside

Day 7 – Free day in Vasto (2025: 5/31)

• Today is our free day, dedicated entirely to ourselves. After breakfast, we can take this opportunity to visit the fruit and vegetable market, explore the weekly clothing market, take a walk on the beach, visit a local museum, try new restaurants we haven’t experienced yet (Fabrizio will offer suggestions), shop, or simply relax and enjoy the unique, welcoming atmosphere of Abruzzo and Vasto. Gelato optional!

Day 8 – Puglia! Explore Trani and Conversano (2025: 6/1)

• Today, transfer to Puglia. Our local guide Katia will lead us on a guided tour of the beautiful town of Trani: the fishing port, the Church of the Templar Knights, and the historic district 
• Free time and lunch on our own in one of the many Trani restaurants
• Transfer to Conversano and check in at our hotel in the historic downtown (possibility to have a SPA experience in their wellness center – book in advance) 👍
• Guided walking tour in Conversano, an ancient town with a medieval Castle and a Romanesque cathedral 
• Welcome to Puglia group dinner in traditional restaurant in the heart of Conversano

Day 9 – Cooking class; explore Monopoli (2025: 6/2)

• After breakfast we’ll go to an ancient masseria (a typical Apulian farmhouse) in Monopoli and enjoy a cooking class with traditional recipes such as orecchiette pasta, melanzane alla parmigiana (eggplant parmigiana) and Almond sweets (a typical Apulian dessert) 
• Lunch will consist of the scrumptious dishes that we prepared
• Guided tour of Monopoli, an enchanting seaside town with a lot of history, surprising corners and fascinating alleys 
• Dinner at our leisure in one of the many restaurants of Conversano 

Day 10 – Olive oil tasting, Locorotondo and the Trulli of Alberobello (2025: 6/3)

• We will have a guided tour and be able walk among the trulli 
• This morning, we’ll visit an ancient olive oil mill and enjoy an extra-virgin olive oil tasting 
• Then, explore the charming village of Locorotondo, whose name derives from the Latin Locus Rotundus and means “round place,” indicating the circular shape repeated on several rings within its alleys and streets 
• Next we go to the UNESCO site of Alberobello to enjoy a traditional lunch in this unique town 
• Dinner on our own in one of the many restaurants of Conversano

Day 11 – Discover Lecce + Ostuni, the “White Town” (2025: 6/4)

• After breakfast, we drive to spectacular Lecce, known as the “Florence of  Southern Italy” 
• We’ll have a guided tour of the town and a traditional lunch in the heart of Lecce 
• After lunch we go to amazing Ostuni for a guided tour of the town 
• Dinner on our own in Conversano 

Day 12 – Explore Bari, enjoy a traditional lunch, and guided tour of Polignano-a-mare (2025: 6/5)

• After breakfast we’ll drive to Bari, the capital city of Puglia. Tour San Nicola’s church and the city center, Bari Vecchia (Old  Bari), where you may meet local ladies making fresh pasta in the middle of Bari’s enchanting streets
• We’ll go to Polignano a mare for a traditional lunch and to discover its wonderful sea views and charming alleys 
• After the lunch in Polignano, based on experience, no one is looking for a rich dinner – so our travelers usually spend time like a local enjoying a simple aperitif, gelato, or pizza. Katia will suggest her favorite places 

Day 13 – Matera and its UNESCO site, focaccia tasting, and farewell dinner (2025: 6/6)

• After breakfast, we drive to Matera in the Basilicata Region
• We’ll have a guided tour of the UNESCO site of “the Sassi” (cave houses and rocky churches where time seems to stop) 
• Explore Matera or simply relax; then we’ll have a focaccia and bread tasting with a light lunch in a traditional bakery in Matera 
• You will have free time to pack or do last minute shopping before we enjoy a farewell group dinner 

Day 14 – Departure and farewell (2025: 6/7)

Today, we depart after breakfast (normally at 9:00 a.m.) for Bari airport (45 minutes driving from our hotel to Bari airport) for a short (under 1 hour) cheap (~50-60 euros)

Price per Person:

Off the Beaten Track in Abruzzo & Puglia 2025 – a 14 day package, 25 May – 7 June

• € 4,890.00 per person for double occupancy 
• € 5,255.00 per person for single occupancy 
• Prices are per person and land only, with accommodation in a twin/double room with ensuite bathroom. Airfare and travel insurance are not included. 

If you’re interested but not joining us this year, comment on this article to get future dates, and you’ll be the first to know!

---

BOOKING INSTRUCTIONS – Off the Beaten Track in Abruzzo + Puglia 

We book directly with our local guide – no middle man! The process with is very simple; just follow two easy steps:

STEP ONE – Pay a deposit of 25% per person (€1,223 per person in a double room and €1,314 per person in a single room) now in order to confirm your spot.

• Bank Transfer to: Italia Sweet Italia Holidays di Lucci Fabrizio
• Account number: 1231254113
• IBAN:  IT21R0526277910CC1231254113
• SWIFT: BPPUIT33 Banca Popolare Pugliese – Società cooperative per azioni Via XXIV Maggio, 25 66054 Vasto (CH) – Italy
• Be sure to include: “Deposit for Abruzzo, Puglia, & Matera Travels With Suz Tour, May 2025” 
• If your bank asks for Fabrizio’s address, it is:
  • Italia Sweet Italia Holidays S.R.L Unipersonale
  • Via Circonvallazione Histoniense
  • n. 501/A-66054 Vasto (CH) Italy
• Important: Please inform your bank to pay in euros; your bank can assist if you need help in making a bank transfer. And, Suz can help, too, if needed. 😊 (Call me at 505-999-8296.)

STEP TWO – Balance of €3,668.00 per person in a double room and €3,941.00 per person in single room due no later than 90 days before the trip. (2025: 3/25/2025)

---

Read about Trip Inclusions, Exclusions, and FAQs

Please read the Legal Stuff