Olive harvest experience in Italy – Olive Picking Abruzzo 2019
Join the olive harvest on this unique 4 days cooking and culture break set in the region of Abruzzo, the greenest region of Europe; You will experience with your hands the olive oil harvest, meet the friendly local olive farmers, learn all about the olive oil making process & learn to cook traditional local dishes. Accompanied by a happy local passioned guide
Travellers reviews
Marino's tours are a unique opportunity to discover Abruzzo's local culture and food.
I got to see start to finish the olive oil making process. I was taken to an olive grove where I met busy local workers occupied with the harvest, and I even got to try the harvesting myself! From there to a locally owned processing factory where we sampled pure, fresh olive oil right from the presses!
His unpretentious and authentic approach was really refreshing and it was a distinct pleasure to meet lovely local people and get a real first hand experience of Abruzzo food and native culture.
Highlights
- Private tasting of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Abruzzo
- Visit to a local beekeeper & honey tastings
- A local guide showing us the fortress of Civitella del Tronto and the medieval town
- Private tour of 3000 years old Necropolis (ancient cemetery) with a local archeologist
- An Abruzzese winemaker in person will introduce us to their wine philosophy and the local wines spending time with us
- Tastings of local cheeses, Extra Virgin Olive oil and other delicatessens
- Marino, 1st level Sommelier & accompanying you throughout the tour, guiding and telling you local insiders’ stories
- Goodbye cooking class & Lunch with Nonna Amina and Family
Planned Itinerary
According to weather conditions and availabilities, itinerary might receive small changes
Meals Included: B (breakfast) – L (lunch) – A (Aperitivo) – D (dinner) – T (Tastes)
Meet your Cicerone Marino with a Buongiorno at Rome Fiumicino Airport.
We will drive directly to Abruzzo through the scenery of the Gran Sasso and Monti Della Laga National Park before settling into the magic of one of the most beautiful hamlet in Italy and the stunning landscape around.
For the next 3 nights, we will be staying inside the old city of Civitella del Tronto with the narrowest street of Italy and its famous fortress. Built by the Spanish and now holding the primate to be the largest fortress of Italy. A relaxing and peaceful atmosphere immersed in a pristine nature.
After your check-in we will meet up and have a guided relaxing visit to discover the secrets of the medieval Borgo ad the stunning fortress of Civitella del Tronto.
At night, we will enjoy together our first traditional dinner with a glass or two of the Montepulciano D’Abruzzo wine.
Meals included: Standing lunch & Traditional Dinner
After breakfast, we will set off for a short trip through the scenic countryside of the “Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga” National Park where you will experience the olive harvest.
The local farmers will show us the different techniques for gathering the olives, how to identify them and their diverse characteristics. After some time picking olives*, we will head to the olive oil mill and learn all about Extra Virgin olive oil extraction.
In a special location with a view of the Teramo valley we will have lunch and a private olive oil tasting award-winning olive oils, local cheeses and Wine. You will learn how to recognise good quality olive oil and learn about its uses and qualities of what makes a great extra virgin olive oil.
In the late afternoon will head back to the Hotel where you will have a free evening to relax and enjoy some free time.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
*whenever you feel tired you can just relax, take a sip of wine and watch the others.
Time to chill and relax as an Italian. We will experience one part of the ‘bella vita’, tasting the best local Organic wines & visiting one of the most ancient wineries of Abruzzo.
The owners will welcome us to their cantina giving us a private tour of the vineyards and telling about their philosophy before settling in for our wine tastings. Relax, breath and enjoy a spectacular view of the Twin mountains, rolling hills & view of the sea, all in between and the most peaceful surroundings. We will taste at least 3 local Organic wines, such as the Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Trebbiano, Cerasuolo while enjoying a talk with the winemaker and tasting their home-made extra virgin olive oil & other traditional delicatessens.
The second part of the day is left to us for spontaneous things that might happen along the way, such as participating at a local festival, spending more time in a place or a positive surprises that is awaiting for you.
Meals included: breakfast, aperitivi, wine tastings & Dinner
This is the ‘Gran Finale’ of our Abruzzo experience and what better than a traditional cooking class & meal together with my Nonna Amina. We prepare the most traditional dish of Abruzzo, ‘la Chitarra Teramana‘ with its ‘Pallottine’ (tiny meatballs) and share a special Italian meal with my family and we take some time to share all the memories we got in this experience of la Bella Vita.
No one likes to say goodbye, so we say Arrivederci!
Around 4 pm we depart for your destinations.
Meals included: Breakfast & lunch
Dates & Prices
DISCOUNTED prices* starting by 828€ per person for group travel:
Insert the DISCOUNT CODE at the checkout:
-5% OFF when travelling in 4 people, insert TRAVEL4
-10% OFF when travelling in 6 people, insert TRAVEL6
-15% OFF when travelling in 8 people, insert TRAVEL8
*All Prices are based on double occupancy. Single room supplement applies
What's included
4 Real Days with activities & departure at 4pm on the last day
- 3 nights in selected 4-star boutique Hotels or B&B (Using sustainable practices)
- 3 breakfasts
- 5 meals with wine, coffe & dessert included
- Wine Tasting at a family-run 400y old winery, with visit to the ancient residence
- Escorted tour by your friendly 100% local Abruzzese tour Leader Marino, and local professional guides
- Private transportation
- Private pickup from Rome Fiumicino Airport (11am)
- All entry fees for the activities listed in the itinerary
- Assistance on planning the pre and post trip connections
What's not Included
- Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance (but recommended),
- Return transfer from Abruzzo to Rome or elsewhere, (can be arranged for a fee)
- Snack/Drinks not listed on the itinerary (an extra bottle of wine, or a sandwich for example)
- Anything not described in ‘what’s included’
Meeting Point
On the departure day, you will be welcomed by our Founder & Culinary Expert, Marino, at Rome Fiumicino Airport at 11 am*. Together you will embark on a panoramic drive to Abruzzo and the stunning Civitella del Tronto.
In case your arrival or departure doesn’t coincide with our departure time mentioned above, we can assist you in booking the most suitable transfer at an additional cost. Please get in contact with us and we will help you find the most suitable option to arrive at your destination.
If you need assistance in planning your pre and post trip connections from other parts of Italy than Rome, please just get in contact with us and we will be happy to assist you.
*You as the traveller are responsible for arriving at the meeting point in time for your tour. Please read our Terms & Conditions for additional details, and please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us if you have any concerns.
Departure / Post trip
On the last day of the tour you will be dropped off at around 3.30pm to the Bus or Train station of Teramo city.
From here, regular train and bus schedules depart to Rome City, Rome Airports, Ancona, Naples, Milan and other main cities of Italy. Just get in contact with us and we will be happy to assist you further.
Private transfers to airports or other parts of Italy can be arranged upon request for an additional cost.
If you plan to stay longer in Abruzzo or other regions of Italy, we will be very happy to help you with the planning.
*Dates might be subject to change, contact us before booking.
The Art of Making Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Abruzzo
Making Extra Virgin Olive Oil is not an easy job in Abruzzo.
Being 64% mountainous terrain means that picking olives is not the easiest task, as the slopes make it harder for the collection, the harsh weather like hailstones and snow can break the plants and destroy the harvest. Also is important to know the olive groves in the Abruzzo mountainside, produce 10/20kg of olives per plant, compared to the cousins in other parts o Italy that can produce up to 200kg per plant. On average to make 1 litre of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, are needed about 6kg of olives, which added to the small production, makes Abruzzo EVO oil much researched for its qualities and nutritional properties.
A great quality extra virgin Olive oil is sold for 30€ a litre from the producer, nothing comparable with the supermarket ‘oil’. Not only the taste, the aroma and the colour that are easy to spot are different, but more importantly, the natural and nutritional characteristics of EVO oil are just amazing. EVO oils obtained from high quality olives and with the modern extraction techniques like the ‘continuous’, are high in phenols, meaning that they reduce inflammations, cancer and have high resistance to insulin.
For any south Italian family, having quality olive oil at home is essential and vital. It’s the secret of our Mediterranean diet, and for making delicious food, tasty & healthy. Olive oil for us Italians isn’t just a business, but a healthy lifestyle.
Why Travelling with us?
You will get the chance of going directly inside friends’ private buildings visiting and experiencing restricted places, food & drinks. You will hear stories & recipes the locals carry on from generations to generations.
You will see, touch and live the real Abruzzo’s life as locals would do. We might be invited inside people’s home for a caffè, you might hear loud Italian conversing in ‘piazza’, people horning on the cars, there might be surprises like this along the way, nothing planned, just real Abruzzese’s life & hospitality. Are you ready for the real Italian ‘Vita’ (life)?
Travel on REAL small groups of a maximum of 8 like-minded people. Our tours are all about quality and we take care of each of you as we would do with our friends.
We are 100% local Abruzzesi, we live ‘La Bella Vita’ in this beautiful & peaceful part of Italy. We partner with 100% professional local guides who speak fluently the local Abruzzese Dialect, Italiano, English & Español.
We do strongly believe in this project as a driving mean to support the local economy of these small fascinating hamlets that are threatened to disappear forever. We hope our project will inspire other young passionate locals to move back to the towns and keep their traditions alive with the help of tourists like you. We are and will be creating projects & initiatives with local communities, associations & scholars by giving 10% of our profits away.
For our experiences, we personally select our collaborators who are enthusiastic as we are about our region and sharing the local culture and heritage.
Most importantly you will arrive as a guest and leave as a friend, hoping you will:
have enjoyed every single moment of your stay
be inspired to come back to discover more
take some aspects of the ‘Bella Vita’ home
Location of the tour - Teramo (Abruzzo)
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