L’Aquila – Rocca Calascio – Castel del Monte

• Private tour to discover Abruzzo Enduring Traditions

• Tasting of local farmland produces: Wine, Saffron, Pecorino cheese, Lamb skewers..

• Visit a workshop of Ancient Traditions: Hand dyeing Wool or Hand picking Saffron

• Wine tasting in a highland wine estate

• MTB rides or Horse-back riding in a National Park

• Visit Rocca Calascio and Castel del Monte, stages in popular movies

• Visit L’Aquila, reborn after the 2009 Earthquake

• Visit Villa d’Este in Tivoli

• Our local Support Line

• Self-drive or private driver option

Day 1  L’Aquila

Your private chauffeur will pick you up in Rome to transfer to L’Aquila and visit this medieval city, which after the devastating 2009 earthquake, has undergone to a masterly renovation and today claims one of the most attractive historic downtown in Italy.

Day 2  Wine & Saffron Tour and Bominaco Typical Mountain Villages

This morning, visit Vigna di More wine estate with a gorgeous view over the Gran Sasso Massif. Adriana, the owner, will pamper with their warm hospitality starting with a private tour of the vineyards and the saffron’ field. During the harvesting season you can also have the chance of seeing the hand-crafting process. Saffron making is a high-skilled and work-intensive process and it takes about 200 handpicked flowers, to extract 1 gram of saffron . Lunch in Fucecchio to to taste typical cuisine In the afternoon, visit the outstanding  frescoes in Bominaco dating back to middle age.

Day 3  Enduring Traditions and typical Mountain villages 

This morning, your excursion will start in Santo Stefano di Sessanio by visiting a unique workshop of hand-dyeing wool, which coloring process is obtained by using plants and flowers brown on these highlands and by using the Montepulciano red wine. Then, visit you can visit 2 surrounding and popular destinations: Rocca Calascio, a Norman fortress dating back to 11 century, and Castel del Monte, a characteristic mountain village. Their charm and beauty were staged in popular movie: “The name of the Roses”, “The American” and “Ladyhawke”. After lunch in Castel del Monte, back to l’Aquila along the most scenic alpine drive by the Gran Sasso.

Day 4  Villa d’Este-Rome

Transfer back to Rome. En route, optional stop for lunch in Tivoli and to visi Villa d’Este and its gardens. .

• 3 nights at Boutique Hotels (3-star rating)

• Breakfast and hotel tax included.

• Private guide in L’Aquila.

• Wine,  Saffron and wool-dyeing Tour

• Visit Bominaco, Rocca Calascio and Castel del Monte

• Scenic drives

• Optional stop to visit Villa d’Este

• Self-drive or Driver options