4 Reasons to Add Abruzzo to Your Travel Bucket List

Populated with lovely small cities and towns, Abruzzo isn’t as well known to tourists. But that’s one part of its charm. Time and time again too, it’s ranked as a place worthy of visiting, as it’s a diverse land, made up of mountains and beaches, art towns and medieval churches and castles. For its beaches, it’s even been named one of the top 10 beach vacation destinations by the Telegraph. Need more reasons to add this stunning part of Italy to your bucket list on a culinary vacation in Abruzzo? Here are just four of many.

A Picturesque Landscape
Considered one of the greenest regions in all of Italy, the unspoiled beauty is, put simply, quite magical. Take a light hike through one of the many national parks or reserves that include everything from beaches (some sandy, others rocky) and sheer cliffs, to lush green valleys populated with rare plants.

The History
In all the region’s small towns, and throughout the countryside on your culinary vacation in Abruzzo, you’ll find evidence of the past — some dating as far back as the Roman Empire — through ruins, statuaries, and mosaics. Visit medieval castles, like Roccascalenga, which is located on the hills of the Sangro River and dates back to 600 AD.

The Fishing
One of the many unique things you’ll find on a culinary vacation in Abruzzo? The Trabocchi, or fishing huts and platforms. With its position on its sea, fishing has long been a part of the way of life here. During an Abruzzo cooking vacation, learn not only how fishermen use the trabocchi (pictured to the right) but also some of the fish-based dishes that are popular in the region.

The Seasonal, Delicious Food
Speaking of the cuisine, the food of Abruzzo is as varied as the landscape! Along the coast, delight your senses with fish and seafood dishes; in fact, Vasto — home to our Culinary Quest in Vasto cooking vacation — is home a famous fish soup, that has been written about as one of the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die!

Moving westward into the interior of Abruzzo, you’ll also find hearty cuisine like lamb or wild boar ragu and arrosticini (another lamb dish), as well as pickled vegetables, pasta made with durum wheat, sheep’s milk ricotta, salumi, and oh so much more. Not surprisingly, the region is known for it’s home-cooked specialties based on recipes passed down for generations.

Abruzzo might not be very well known around the world, but it’s a place that will capture your heart, from the views to the cuisine. If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten path destination unlike anything else, add Abruzzo to your cooking vacation travel bucket list — or just start packing your bags now! We currently offer three Abruzzo trips: one in Vasto along the coast, another at a farm in a nature park, and one in a converted palace — highlighting just how diverse this beautiful land is!

By Liz Hall

Sign up to receive our newsletter, which includes travel tips, recipes, promotions, and information on our best cooking vacations.

Find more photos, videos, food facts, and travel stories from The International Kitchen on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.