The experience
Between Pescara and L’Aquila to rediscover your family tree
The “Seas and Mountains” itinerary offers you a compelling experience beginning with a visit to the Museum of the Peoples of Abruzzo and D’Annunzio’s House Museum in Pescara, the nerve center of tourism for the entire region. The Museum’s archives preserve a vast collection of documents, photographs and oral histories, allowing you to explore your family origins in detail by having expert genealogists specifically available to reconstruct your family history.
In the afternoon, Pescara reveals itself as a vibrant city on the Adriatic coast, with golden beaches, historical heritage and a vibrant culinary scene. The city is renowned for its cuisine, with waterfront restaurants and trattorias in the center serving regional specialties.
The day ends with a tasting of Villa Celiera’s arrosticini, a gastronomic symbol of Abruzzo, celebrated by the local community through festivals and food and wine events. An authentic way to discover the culinary tradition and roots of your home region.
On the second day, you’ll have unique experiences in Abruzzo: a visit to Rocca Calascio, one of Italy’s most beautiful castles, with spectacular views of the Apennines and a remarkable film-making past. In the afternoon, in Navelli, you will participate in a saffron workshop designed especially for the Roots Traveler, picking the flowers and learning the “sfioratura” to separate the pistils. The day will culminate in a delicious lunch at the Agriturismo, completing an unforgettable experience among breathtaking landscapes and the culinary wonders of Abruzzo.
The third and final day of the itinerary opens with a visit to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Bominaco, a medieval treasure of faith and sacred art. The 13th-century frescoes tell biblical stories, a visual journey into the unexpected and little-known past. The morning will end with a visit to the Stiffe Caves, a geological site of millennia-old fascination nestled in the Gran Sasso National Park. Guided through incredible underground landscapes, you will see unique stalactites and stalagmites. Dulcis in fundo of the trip the visit to the Basilica of Collemaggio, a symbol of faith but also of an entire people, even more united after the 2009 earthquake that destroyed part of the site, recently reopened to the public in all its beauty and now even more precious. The Basilica of Collemaggio, the heart of L’Aquila, Italy, is the ideal culmination of a roots tour. Built in the 13th century, it embodies the majesty of Abruzzo’s Romanesque architecture. Collemaggio represents a touching return to the roots, completing the tour with a tribute to faith and cultural origins in a sacred setting.
Shortly
Tour
Museum of the Peoples of Abruzzo: discovering our roots
The Museum of the People of Abruzzo is a place that celebrates the rich history and culture of the Abruzzo region. This museum is especially significant for roots travelers, as it offers a fascinating immersion into the daily life, traditions and stories of the people who have helped shape Abruzzo’s identity over the centuries. Upon request, you will see your genealogical history retraced in this place.
Address: Garibaldi Square 41/42, ZIP 65127, PE. Entrance Via delle Caserme 24.
Cost and duration: €. 1 1/2 hours approx.
Accessibility: Admission by reservation. Open Monday-Friday 09:00-13:00
Useful Contacts: Website:
https://www.italeaabruzzo.com/
Email: info@italeaabruzzo.com
"To the proud Abruzzo": face to face with Gabriele D'Annunzio.
Continue the morning with a visit to D’Annunzio’s House Museum. For roots travelers, this experience offers an opportunity to connect with Italy’s cultural roots through the life and works of one of the country’s greatest writers who, through his writings and history, stands as a storyteller of the 20th century and thus also of the events that involved our ancestors.
At the end of the visit, rich lunch in the provincial capital and afternoon of relaxation in the city center, with possible transfers to the nearby towns of Francavilla al Mare or Montesilvano.
Address: Corso Manthonè 116, ZIP 65127, PE.
Accessibility: Admission by reservation. Open Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-13:30, Saturday 19:30
Cost and duration: €-€. Approximately 1½ hours (+ lunch + afternoon of walking and shopping).
"Rustèlle" in Villa Celiera, a foodie haven.
You will end the first day of the itinerary with a culinary stop not to be missed by those who choose to come to Abruzzo: an arrosticini dinner! In Villa Celiera, the preparation of arrosticini is a practice handed down from generation to generation, to the point that multiple sources point to this small town of less than a thousand inhabitants as the true home of this historic dish.
Address: Villa Celiera, ZIP 65010, PE.
Cost and duration: €€. 2h approx.
The Castle of Dreams: Rocca Calascio
For this second day of the itinerary you will change scenery and province, moving from the province of Pescara to that of L’Aquila. The day begins with a visit to one of the Region’s landmarks, loved and appreciated all over the world, the fabulous castle of Rocca Calascio. A not-to-be-missed stop for nature and history lovers, the castle sits at an elevation of more than 1,400 meters and affords a unique view of the Apennines. The castle boasts a history rooted in the 10th century, and in its recent history it has also been the film set for some important and award-winning films such as “The Name of the Rose,” “Ladyhawke,” “The Americans,” and others.
Address: Calascio, zip code 67020, AQ
Accessibility: Once in the village of Calascio, follow signs to the castle. To reach the castle it will be necessary to walk the last few kilometers to the castle.
Cost and duration: €. 2h approx.
Become a guardian of Abruzzo's Red Gold.
You will experience the magical atmosphere of saffron harvesting in the fields on the Navelli Plain. Always considered “the red gold of Abruzzo,” you will learn how it is harvested and all the stages of processing on the farm. After the activity, or at the opening of the activity, a tasty lunch awaits you at the Farmhouse.
Address: Piana di Navelli, San Pio delle Camere, ZIP code 67020, AQ
Cost and Duration: €€€. About 4h plus lunch stop.
Accessibility: Availability August-November*. Suitable for all. Pets not allowed.
Useful Contacts: Website:
https://www.italeaabruzzo.com/
Email: info@italeaabruzzo.com
*In case of travel outside the growing and harvesting months, the following alternative is proposed:
Canoeing on Italy's clearest river
Welcome along the crystal clear waters of the Tirino River, a hidden jewel of Abruzzo, where your travel adventure comes to life. For root travelers seeking an authentic and rejuvenating experience, canoeing on the Tirino River becomes your means of immersing yourself in a dimension where the only sound is that of unspoiled nature. A meditative experience that blends with the surrounding scenic beauty.
Address: Via Capodacqua 6, zip code 67022, Capestrano AQ
Cost and duration: €€€. about 2h
Accessibility: By reservation. Activities for all ages and even first-time visitors. Available year-round. Reduced hours during winter.
Useful Contacts: Website:
https://www.italeaabruzzo.com/
Email: info@italeaabruzzo.com
The Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo
If you are a roots traveler who loves to immerse yourself in sacred art and admire frescoes of inestimable beauty, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Bominaco is a must-see on your itinerary. This hidden treasure chest in the heart of Abruzzo, of medieval origin, is a hidden treasure that tells stories of faith and devotion. Its sober façade conceals a world of artistic wonders inside, with frescoes dating back to the 13th century by masters of sacred art.
Address: Via Antonio De Dominicis, 67020 Bominaco AQ
Cost and Duration: €. 1h approx.
Accessibility: by reservation only.
Waterfalls in the bowels of the Earth: the Stiffe Caves
The Stiffe Caves are a complex of karst caves located in the heart of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. This magical place is a living testament to millennia of geological history, with stalactites and stalagmites creating incredible underground landscapes. The Stiffe River, which flows through the caves, has carved a unique path through the limestone over the centuries, creating an unparalleled natural work of art.
Address: Via Del Mulino Stiffe 2, zip code 67028 Stiffe AQ
Cost and Duration: €, Reductions for minors, over 70s, students and the disabled. 1½ hours or so.
Accessibility: The indoor temperature is 10 degrees all year round appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes possibly with non-slip soles are recommended. Pets are not allowed in the Grotto even small animals. Entry is strongly discouraged for severe heart patients and those with serious respiratory diseases. Apr. 1-Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 15-Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 1-March 31 Mon-Fri from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sat-Sun from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Useful Contacts: Website:
https://www.italeaabruzzo.com/
Email: info@italeaabruzzo.com
A panacea for the soul: the Basilica of Collemaggio
The Basilica of Collemaggio, in the heart of L’Aquila, is a fitting apotheosis of a tour for root travelers. Built in the 13th century, it embodies the majesty of Abruzzo’s Romanesque architecture. Its imposing facade is a fascinating mosaic of carved details, while the interior tells centuries-old stories through frescoes and sacred artwork. This basilica was founded to celebrate the canonization of Pietro da Morrone, who became Pope Celestine V. Ending the tour here represents not only a tribute to faith, but also a touching return to roots that nourishes the hearts and souls of travelers.
Address: Piazzale Collemaggio, 5, 67100 L’Aquila AQ
Cost and Duration: €. 1½ hours approx.
Accessibility: Daily 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
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