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- A Culinary Quest in Vasto Cooking Vacation in Italy
A Culinary Vacation in Vasto
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Authentic Italian Cooking Vacations
The city of Vasto is one of Abruzzo’s many charming towns. It’s center is perched high on the hillside overlooking the Adriatic sea, and slopes downward to the coast, where fishermen have been harvesting from their wood “trabocchi” structures for centuries. Like much of this richly historical land, Vasto has roots that can be traced back millennia. During the Roman Empire is was a flourishing town known as Histonium, whose remains can be seen in the ruins, mosaics, and statuary that survive. During the medieval period it passed into the hands of a local lord who built the town walls, tower, and castle that make the city so distinctive. During the Spanish rule of southern Italy in the early 18th century, Vasto was again a vibrant and important town on Italy’s eastern coast. Today it is known for its pristine beaches, its centuries of history, and charming historical center, which features a number of interesting and important churches and buildings.
Abruzzo is where the seaside meets the mountains, and that is true also in its gastronomy. Local regional specialties range from wonderful pastas to the meats and cheese produced in the lush mountainous interior, to the fresh seafood fished from the Adriatic. You will have the chance to enjoy all of these and more during your cooking classes., which will be with different chefs and will feature local pastas and sauces, seafood recipes, and a wonderful pizza-making class.
In addition to the weeks taking place in Vasto, you can also choose a special 11-night itinerary that takes you from Abruzzo south to Puglia and Matera, a special 6-night itinerary in nearby Le Marche, or even a 7-night tour of Sicily.
Highlights of your Italian Cooking Vacation in Abruzzo
Depending on the specific week, enjoy 1 to 3 hands-on cooking classes based on the season, among which you might find:
- homemade pastas and sauces
- homemade pizza, ‘bruschette,’ and tiramisù
Itinerary
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Day One
- Arrival at Rome airport on your own. Meet the group transfer at 12:30 pm, and transfer to the ancient Roman town of Vasto, located right on the Adriatic Coast. Check in to your accommodations and time to relax.
- Welcome dinner tonight in the center of town.
- Overnight.
Day Two
- Breakfast, followed by a morning market visit and cooking class focussing on homemade pastas and sauces based on seasonal ingredients.
- Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
- In the afternoon, explore the beautiful Loggia Amblingh, a promenade that overlooks the crescent-shaped coastline near Vasto. You will also explore the town’s medieval castle, towers, and alleyways, as well as the Cathedral and the town’s main piazza, named for the poet Gabriele Rossetti.
- Time to explore the local artisan shops.
- Dinner tonight is on your own (most travelers prefer to get something light after the big family lunch.)
- Overnight.
Day Three
- After breakfast head to the marvelous Abruzzo mountains and national parks. On the way to the town of Scanno, stop and visit the enchanting 11th-century Hermitage of San Domenico on the lake of San Domenico.
- Next, enjoy an easy and scenic walk along the heart-shaped Lake Scanno.
- Lunch today is a picnic based on local products (weather permitting).
- Next discover Scanno, one of the most beautiful Italian villages, with its fabulous alleys, churches, and artisans boutiques. Maybe stop for a refreshing gelato and a visit of an artisanal jewelry shop where they make the “Presentosa,” a traditional, highly decorative type of pendant from Abruzzo that dates back to the 18th Century.
- Dinner tonight is in a traditional restaurant in Vasto.
- Overnight.
Day Four
- Breakfast, and then off to the coast! Visit the Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, one of the 10 most beautiful Italian beaches.
- Weather permitting, you will enjoy a fishing demonstration on a “trabocco,” a typical Abruzzese fishing platform. Your host will show you how fishermen have been fishing from the trabocchi for centuries, and you will enjoy a seafood lunch on the sea.
- In the afternoon, free time to explore on your own, to shop, or to relax in town.
- Overnight.
- Dinner tonight is on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Five
- Breakfast and then head to a local farm where friends Dino and Pina will show you the art of farming. You can even milk a sheep or cow if you’d like!
- Learn to make the Abruzzese bread called “pizza scima” (stupid pizza), a pizza made without yeast, and after collecting some organic wine from their winery, enjoy an aperitif including a tasting of their cheeses, salami, and extra virgin olive oil. Almost everything you’ll eat this morning is produced on the farm.
- Next learn how to make cheese, and collect vegetables from the garden for your farm to table lunch.
- In the afternoon, visit the beautiful Roccascalegna Castle, known as “the castle in the sky.”
- Dinner on your own tonight (if you are still hungry after the farm lunch).
Day Six
- After breakfast, visit a family-run olive farm that has been producing top-quality olive oil for 3 generations. Your host Giovanni will share the secrets of this wonderful gastronomic product.
- Next, visit an award-winning winery that sits between the mountains and a marine park, and enjoy a wine tasting lunch with pairings of local products such as cheese and salami.
- In the afternoon, a bit of free time to pack or do any last minute shopping.
- This evening, enjoy a farewell party with your new friends. You can help prepare homemade pizza, as well as traditional bruschette and tiramisù. Dinner to follow.
- Overnight.
Day Seven
- Breakfast and group transfer to Rome’s Fiumicino airport (please plan on an afternoon flight, as you will arrive at the airport around 12:30 pm).
Trip Details
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Included in the 6-Night Abruzzo Culinary Tour
Accommodations6 nights accommodation in 3* hotel in Vasto
Food & Beverages- Daily breakfast
- Daily lunches and some dinners (specific number varies week to week, please inquire)
- Local wine included with all included meals
Classes & InstructorsDepending on the specific week, enjoy 1 to 3 hands-on cooking classes based on the season, among which you might find:
- homemade pastas and sauces
- homemade pizza, ‘bruschette,’ and tiramisù
ExcursionsExcursions vary by week and by season, but may include among the following:
- A tour of Vasto with its promenade, castle, towers, cathedral, and piazza
- A visit of a traditional ‘trabocco’ fishing platform (weather permitting)
- A visit of the abby of San Giovanni in Venere
- A seasonal excursion on day 4 (truffle hunt, visit to national park, etc.)
- Dairy farm visit with cheese making
- Roccascalegna Castle, the ‘castle in the sky’
- Olive farm visit and winery visit with tastings
Transfer Details- Group arrival transfer from Rome FCO airport at 12:30pm, and departure transfers to Rome FCO Airport with arrival around 12:30 pm (please plan on an afternoon flight, or on staying an extra day in Rome).
Accommodation Information
Most weeks in Vasto will have accommodations at the centrally located , 3* Hotel dei 7, which has been recently renovated and is located next to the panoramic Belvedere San Michele. It affords views over the gulf and easy access to a tree-lined public garden as well as the historical center. The rooms are basic but newly redone and offer air conditioning as well as en suite bathrooms with hair dryers.
Double bedroom at Hotel dei 7 in Vasto, Italy.
Your accommodations for your culinary vacation in Italy at Hotel dei 7.
Double bedroom at Hotel dei 7 in Vasto, Italy.
Exterior of the hotel in Vasto that is your home for your culinary vacation in Italy.
Lobby of the Hotel dei 7 in Vasto.
Hotel dei 7 in Vasto, breakfast room.
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You can also choose to upgrade to a lovely boutique residence located in the heart of Vasto. Originally an 18th-century mansion, it has been renovated into an upscale B&B with 5 bedrooms, located on the Amblingh promenade. (If unavailable an comparable accommodation will be proposed.)
Bathroom the Residenza in Vasto during your culinary tour of Italy
Double room the Residenza in Vasto during your culinary tour of Italy
Hallway the Residenza during your culinary tour of Italy
Bedroom at the Residenza during your culinary tour of Italy
Double bedroom during your cooking vacation in Italy
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Please inquiry for details on accommodations for other weeks (Abruzzo and Puglia, Sicily, Le Marche).
Abruzzo Culinary Vacation Pricing & Tour Dates
Find pricing and dates for our Italian culinary tours below, and contact us for availability or to plan your trip.
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6-Night Culinary Weeks Sample* Pricing
(excluding Christmas and Olive harvest weeks)See moreUS$2515 per person based on double occupancy
*Pricing can vary slightly by week depending on the itinerary – please inquire.
Please inquire with specific dates for detailed itinerary.
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!Upgraded accommodations: please inquire.
No single occupancy supplement (unless you select upgraded accommodation).
Christmas Traditions Week and Olive Harvest Week Pricing
(Oct 26-Nov 1, 2025; Dec 14-20, 2025See moreUS$2235 per person based on double occupancy
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!Upgraded accommodations: please inquire.
No single occupancy supplement (unless you select upgraded accommodation).
Vasto Abruzzo Cooking Vacation Tour Dates
See moreOur Italian culinary vacations in Vasto are available select weeks. Other weeks are also available on request – please inquire.
2025
June 29-July 5 – Truffle week
September 7-13
September 14-20
September 28-October 4 – Grape Harvest – sold out
October 26-November 1 – Olive Harvest
December 14-20 – ChristmastimePlease inquire for 2026 dates!
Check out our special 11-night Abruzzo and Puglia weeks, or inquiry about special weeks in Sicily or Le Marche.
