Begin your day in Atri, a hilltop town that punches well above its weight artistically. Inside the 13th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, find a cycle of Renaissance frescoes by Andrea De Litio — considered the Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo — that stops first-time visitors in their tracks.

After the guided cathedral visit, the optional Museo Capitolare is included in your tour (entrance covered), giving you a deeper look at the town's extraordinary artistic heritage. Enjoy free time in the old town to explore the artisan shops: olive oil, Montepulciano wine, hand-rolled pasta, and local honey.

Next, take a 25-minute drive to Penne, another perfectly preserved medieval borgo perched above the Valle del Tavo. After a guided walk through its historic center — the civic tower, Palazzo della Dogana, the ancient lanes — you're free to sit down for lunch at one of the town's excellent local restaurants.

Try arrosticini (Abruzzo's iconic lamb skewers cooked on a traditional furnacella), paired with a glass of Montepulciano. After lunch, Corso Emilio Alessandrini lines up ceramics, cured meats, cheeses, and wine shops for a final browse before the drive back.