Some of the Abruzzo region’s most amazing tourist sights, the trabocchi, are located on the Adriatic coast between the Italian cities of Ortona and Vasto. They have existed for centuries, once stretching as far south as Gargano in Puglia. They were built out of everything - from railroad rails to logs cut from trees that had been transplanted from the New World. Today, only 15 trabocchi ... Read Full Article
Italy From Bottom to Top: Italy Farm Stay
For the next seven days, I'll be living between two giant mountains in the Lazio region, without running water or electricity. I feel like a contestant on Survivor—just me, my Mac-book, and nature. There’s a rolling field brimming with fig, peach, cotton apple, and olive trees; the sun sets between the mountains at the far end.During the day, I work on the nearby Italy Farm Stay ... Read Full Article
Italy From Bottom to Top: Farm Work and Hiking in Abruzzo
After a few days at Italy Farm Stay, I’ve pinpointed the reason that it’s so unique: Guests are able to directly experience the lives of the Siragusa family. Antonello manages the Farm Stay; his mother, Maria, teaches cooking classes and prepares lunch and dinner for guests and volunteers; Antonello’s father, Giuseppe, takes care of the livestock, the gardens, and—perhaps most important—the ... Read Full Article
Italy from Bottom to Top: Abruzzo Cibus Cooking Class
Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire two months living out of a backpack...Day 49 Part 2 Taking ... Read Full Article
Italy from Bottom to Top: Visiting a Cheese Factory
What a day. Last night, Kristin and I met our fellow companions on the Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tours . The managing director of the tour, Massimo Criscio, called us down to dinner, and at the table we met four fabulous Italian-American women from Joy-zee (aka New Jersey, for all non-Joyzee folks). One woman’s family was originally from Abruzzo, and Massimo had helped her reconnect with her extended ... Read Full Article
An Overview and Review of Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tours
The Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tour is an all-inclusive tour. Guests choose either the four- or seven-day package and stay in a fabulous hotel (once a palace) located at the very top of an Abruzzo hilltop town. The little-known Italian region of Abruzzo has a lot to offer, and much of it is revealed by Abruzzo Cibus; that’s what really makes the experience special. Guests are guided from the seaside, ... Read Full Article
Italy from Botttom to Top: Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park
The view from the patio of the Palazzo Tour d’Eau in Abruzzo is beyond words. When I asked Massimo Criscio, owner and director of of Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tours, for directions, he said they weren’t necessary: “We are at the highest spot in town.” The panoramic view from the town of Carunchio reveals the beauty of this undervalued region. Many of the surrounding hills are topped with a tiny town. ... Read Full Article
Italy’s Abruzzo National Park: A Winter Holiday
Italy’s Abruzzo National Park is located just over 50 miles east of Rome, and spans an area of over 190 square miles. The natural beauty of the park makes it popular year round and over 2 million people visit it each year. Filled with gorgeous mountains and plummeting valleys, Abruzzo is a popular winter vacation location, offering downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and bird ... Read Full Article
Enjoy a Cooking Class in Italy
Italy is synonymous with good wine and good food, so why not take a cooking class in Italy? Regional specialties vary – from bistecca alla fiorentina in Tuscany to pizza in Naples. No matter where your travels take you in Italy, you’ll find a cooking school where you can learn to cook the area’s traditional recipes.Tuscany Tuscany is a food-lover’s paradise. Food here isn’t ... Read Full Article