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Upon arrival in Rome, you will transfer by mini van to the beautiful valley of the Marsica where there once was a lake, the third largest in Italy, Lago Fucino. This is where we will spend most of our time during the next few weeks living and experiencing the Italian culture.

The highlights of our trip will include the opportunity to experience and have fun visiting and shopping daily markets, buying fresh and creating simple yet delicious Italian meals and tasting and enjoying some of Italy’s most prestigious wines, olive oils, cheeses and other specialties.

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Day 1 – Arrival in Rome Fiumicino Airport and transfer to Cerchio, the trip is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on traffic. Once arrived in Cerchio, settle into our home for the next 2 weeks! Freshen up, unpack, have lunch and get ready for our evening at home with dinner on the terrace. Before Dinner we will take a stroll to the Piazza and enjoy an “Apperitivo” together and get to know some of our resident friends!

Day 2 – Today, after breakfast, we will begin our adventure into the mountains of The Valle del Saggitario; our day will include a visit to the beautiful Lago di San Domenico; this is a stop you will want to have your camera ready for! The breathtaking beauty of this lake and its surroundings is something you will not forget! We will continue our drive to the heart-shaped Lago di Scanno and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Get ready to have all your senses ignited! After lunch, we will visit the city of Sulmona, known as “the confetti capital of the world”! We will visit the factory of the Pellino family where you can sample and purchase the local confetti. Weather permitting, we will enjoy dinner on the terrace with our local purchases of the day.

Day 3 – This morning after breakfast, we will put the potatoes on and get ready for our gnocchi making class. Learn how to make gnocchi and prepare the traditional lamb ragu, we will collect local vegetables and prepare our feast for lunch! Dinner will be at a local restaurant “Il Castello” with my very dear friend, Chef UGO.

Day 4 – This morning after breakfast we are off to the beautiful medieval town of Rocca Calascio! We will visit a local cheese factory, sample some of their best cheeses and then we will visit the ruins of the Fortress which was in movies like “LadyHawk”. Explore the beauty of this place as you will feel like you are on top of the world! We will have lunch at a local restaurant, the local delicacies will have you wanting to move here! In the afternoon we will make our way to through the “Altopiano di Navelli” rich with saffron fields and beautiful mountains surrounding our drive. This evening we will have Dinner on the Terrace, weather permitting.

Day 5 – This morning after breakfast we will venture to the beautiful town of Celano, we will visit the local market, shop for our lunch and take a stroll around the castle. So many local shops and vendors to visit. The afternoon we will have a fresh pasta and ravioli lesson with my dear friend Lilianna! The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy Cerchio, we will meet up in the Piazza at 6:30 for our “apperitivo” and then go to local restaurant “La Villetta” for dinner.

Day 6 – After breakfast, enjoy the morning at leisure, we will prepare our lunch together with the ravioli and pasta we made yesterday. In the afternoon we will venture into the town of Alba Fucens! Explore the ruins of this Ancient Roman colony that dates back to 303 B.C., the Church which was once The Temple of Apollo was converted into a church by the Benedictine Monks, it is still today The Church of Saint Peter. Our adventure for the day will end at The Castle of Alba fucens which has been transformed into a Restaurant by my very dear friends Gianluca & Pina! We will have dinner and music with friends!

Day 7 – This morning after breakfast we will be leaving Cerchio for 3 days so, pack your overnight bag and get ready for 3 days of sights and places you will create memories to take with you forever! We will venture into the Eternal City – Rome! We will spend the day exploring the center of Rome, The Trevi Fountain, The Spanish Steps, The Colosseum, all the beauty that Rome has to offer, the day and time in Rome will be at your leisure to experience your favourtie places as you wish. Take a Bus Tour, visit the Colosseum, A Vatican tour, whatever Rome means to you. Dinner will be at a local restaurant, we will overnight at a downtown hotel.

Day 8 – After Breakfast in our hotel you will have the moring free to finish up your Rome tour as you wish. We will depart from Rome at noon to begin our adventure to the Amalfi Coast. There will be a 3 hour drive to Maiori where we will spend the next 3 nights. Welcome to the most beautiful place in the world!! The Amalfi Coast! Explore Maiori, the beaches, the downtown, dinner Maoiri.

Day 9 – After Breakfast in our hotel we will walk to the Port of Maiori and catch the Ferry for Amalfi and Positano where will will spend the day exploring. Lunch will be at my favourite restaurant in Positano “Covo Dei Saraceni”, you will not want to get up off your seat once you sit at this restaurant! The food and service are impeccable but, the view is Incredible! Our Ferry will return to Maiori late afternoon. Dinner Maiori.

Day 10 – This will be your free day to see what you wish of The Coast, organize a visit to Capri, or just lay on the beach. We will all meet at the hotel at 5pm to transfer to join our local Chef at Agriturismo Primaluce where we will enjoy a cooking lesson with the Master Pizza makers of Naples! Enjoy all their wines and Limoncello! Late Night return to Maiori.

Day 11 – We will enjoy breakfast in our Hotel and then prepare to return to Cerchio. The drive will be 3 hours and 30 minutes. Dinner at my dear friends at Ristorante Lillino.

Day 12 – After breakfast today we will venture into the Piazza where there is a small local market, we will gather our foods for lunch and dinner.  Today we prepare a seafood feast! Fresh Seafood and Fresh Mozzarella from the market, this afternoon will be spent preparing our dinner feast on the terrace!!

Day 13 – Our wonderful time together has come to an end! On this our last day together, we will keep this day to prepare for our departure and prepare for an evening of fun and wine tasting at a local Winery! 

Day 14 – Early departure to Rome to catch our flight home. Thank you everyone for sharing this experience with me! I hope you have had an unforgettable time and have enjoyed Italy…my way! xo

 Upon arrival in Rome, you will transfer by mini van to the beautiful valley of the Marsica where there once was a lake, the third largest in Italy, Lago Fucino. Here we will spend a few days enjoying the town of Cerchio and surrounding areas before we venture off to the beautiful Adriatic coast.

The highlights of our trip will include the opportunity to experience and have fun visiting and shopping daily markets, buying fresh and creating simple yet delicious Italian meals. Tasting and enjoying some of Italy’s most prestigious wines, olive oils, cheeses and other specialties.

October 7 - Upon arrival in Rome, you will be picked up by our Mini Van and transferred to my home in Cerchio, in the province of L’Aquila! We will spend the first 2 nights in my home. Welcome to Italy! We will enjoy a special celebration in the Piazza with our Apperitivo and then dinner on the terrace. 

October 8 – Today we will visit the beautiful towns of Collelongo & Villavallelongo, we will have a cheese making class and learn from the locals how to make fresh mozzarella & ricotta cheeses. Our day will be filled with beautiful sites, delicious food, wine tastings and lots of traditional hometown lovin! We will transfer back to Cerchio early evening and prepare for our departure in the morning!

October 9 – This morning we are leaving this beautiful valley for the next 9 days to explore the magnificence of The Adriatic Coast and the Ionian Sea!  We will travel to the southern tip of Abruzzo today to enjoy the beautiful sites of Vasto, Ortona al Mare and San Vito Chietino. We will check into our hotel for the next 3 nights. This afternoon we will visit Ortona al Mare and have dinner at one of the famous “Trabocchi”!! Trabocchi are ancient wooden constructions jotting out of the sea where you will have the most amazing Seafood Experience!

October 10 – Today we will explore the town of Fara San Martino and visit the Pasta Factory of the DeCecco family! We will have lunch locally and, in the afternoon, we will travel through and visit the beautiful towns of Casoli and Roccascalegna! Dinner tonight will be at a beautiful castel, Castello Septe in Mozzagrogna.

October 11 – After Breakfast this morning we will venture to local market, visit an Olive Farm and Agriturismo. In the afternoon we will transfer to Borgo Baccile of the Fantini Family and enjoy a wine tasting of their most amazing wines with dinner.

October 12 – After Breakfast today we will leave the beautiful Adriatic coast and the region of Abruzzo and venture south to the beautiful region of Puglia! We will be spending the next 3 nights in the amazing Polignano a Mare! We will settle into our hotel, enjoy lunch on the beach and visit the downtown area of Polignano in the afternoon. We will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

October 13 – Today we will visit the city of Bari, we will begin the morning with a walking tour of the enchanting old city of “Bari Vecchia”. We will visit the Basilica of San Nicola, which is the home of the 900-year-old crypt of the famous Saint…. otherwise known as Santa Claus! We will make our way to the famous “Via delle Orecchiette” where you can visit with the local Nonna’s who still make this pasta by hand outside their homes!! We will head to the town square where locals go for Bari’s legendary street food! We will enjoy all the delicacies that Bari has to offer! Dinner will be at a local restaurant.

October 14 – This morning we will be leaving early to visit the Valle d’Itria, where we will visit the town of Martina Franca! We will taste and enjoy some of the most exceptional Cured pork in Puglia, we will enjoy tastings and a local “Barbequing Butcher” Experience for lunch! In the afternoon we will head to the UNESCO World Heritage site of AlberoBello, this magical town is home to 1000 trulli or huts with conical stone roofs that date back to the 14thcentury! We will explore the town and then head to Ostuni where we will visit the center of town and enjoy a delicious local dinner.

October 15 – Today will be such an incredible day, another feast for all the senses! We will be travelling to Altamura where we will have what is said to be the best bread in all of Italy! We will visit Altamura; we will see how they make this distinctive yellow crumb bread and why it is world renowned and of course we will have a sampling! We will make our way to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera! This is one of the oldest cities in the world! They still have cave dwellings inside rocky cliffs that date back to the Paleolithic era! We will be staying in a hotel in one of these caves for the next 3 nights! Dinner in town.

October 16 – Today after breakfast we will venture to our next foodie experience! We will have a Pasta Workshop and Farmers Lunch in one of the Caves in Matera! Afternoon will be free to do some shopping or exploring! So much to see and do! Dinner at local restaurant enjoying all the delicacies!

October 17 – Today will be a day of leisure enjoying all the beauties of Matera! Enjoy your day taking in all this beauty! We will meet for dinner this evening and enjoy our last evening in this beautiful place!

October 18 – This morning we will have breakfast and depart to make our way back to Abruzzo & Cerchio! We will stop along the way and enjoy a delicious seafood lunch in Franca Villa al mare and then head to the mountains for our last evening!

October 19 – Today is our last day together! This morning we will visit Avezzano to do any last-minute shopping together, w, our wonderful experience, Ice, ends; we will be transferrede will pick up our lunch ingredients and head home to prepare lunch together. The afternoon will be free to pack up for tomorrow’s departure! A fantastic dinner surprise with friends tonight as we prepare to say goodbye to Cerchio for this year!

, our wonderful experience ends; we

October 20 – Today our wonderful experien; Ice ends, we will be transferring to Rome early in the morning for our flights back to Toronto!

Thank you so much for taking this journey with me, I hope it was the experience of a lifetime!