Abruzzo and Molise

With the highest income per capita of any region in southern Italy, Abruzzo’s economy is supported principally by industry along the coast and by tourism. It is home to three national parks and many other natural reserves (35% of its territory), making it one of the greenest parts of Europe, which we’ll certainly visit by bicycle. In Molise, agriculture remains the most important sector, best tasted through our visits to small farms and food makers that produce distinct varieties of olive oil, wine, cheese, and legumes.

Molisani and Abruzzesi cuisines are similar. Both feature mostly meat, cheese, and legumes inland, and seafood and fish along the coast. Regional cheeses (formaggi) include Caciocavallo, pecorino, ricotta, mozzarella, scamorza, and the Slow Food Presidium of Canestrato di Castel del Monte that we’ll savor on one of our meals. Slow Food is a non-profit organization founded in Piedmont in 1986 that promotes “good, clean and fair food” (the motto of Slow Food International); its Presidia are a project focused on foods at risk of extinction. Another Slow Food Presidium we’ll enjoy are the lentils from Santo Stefano di Sessanio, served in a delicious soup or as a side dish.

Pasta such as cavatelli and spaghetti alla chitarra made from the local wheat are recognized staples as well. Meat dishes such as pampanella (spicy pork), torcinelli (authentic cucina povera consisting of lamb intestines and offal), grilled lamb, and salumi all pair wonderfully with wines such as Tintilia, Montepulciano, Aglianico, and Trebbiano. Molise and Abruzzo are also famous for both black and white truffles. Depending on availability in the season, we might be able to savor them shaved over one of the local dishes.

Our accommodations (depending on tour you select) might feature 3- and 4-star hotels, a former palace renovated into a modern hotel in a historic center of town, a masseria in the countryside (“masserie” are old fortified farmhouses that once protected residents from invaders), and alberghi diffusi ("dispersed hotels"), featuring a stay that embrace what already exists—designing the future into the past. Albergo diffuso was born In the 1980s, when the marketing consultant Giancarlo Dall’Ara sought to rescue semi-deserted towns in Friuli after an earthquake, constructing a hotel not by demolishing old buildings in order to erect something new, but rather by renovating the existent buildings and placing hotel services within them. It’s “dispersed" because you may find reception in one building, dining in another, and bedrooms "scattered" in others, all within easy walking distance, all woven into the fabric of the local community.

Enjoy your vacation at your own rhythm, taking in culture and traditions with native guides, and collecting inspiring stories and unique recipes to bring back home. Join us for an unforgettable experience through two of Italy’s best preserved and pristine regions. Ti aspettiamo! (We are waiting for you!)