Unforgettable Ancestral Heritage Tour of Abruzzo Italy
“The Experience Bella Vita Custom Tours of Italy is an outstanding tour program. Marino Cardelli is more than a tour guide, he is a researcher, a diligent worker and an ingenious seeker of new ways to enhance his tours. For Marino, Experience Bella Vita Custom Tours is not a job but a passion. His very strong desire to share the history, culture and people of Abruzzo allows him to share this passion with experiences not with generic tours.
Our group of six are very pleased with everything that Marino provided for us. We contacted him 3 months prior to traveling to Italy. We were searching for an Ancestral Heritage Tour of Abruzzo. We all had grandparents who were born in the Abruzzo region and then came to America to build a better life for themselves and their families.
Marino visited our hometowns and met with many people in each town. He was able to have the mayor of Salle spend the day with us and share his knowledge about Salle and Salle Vecchia. The information he shared gave us more incite into the lives of our ancestors. We not only walked about the town but toasted our ancestors with wine and snacks (provided by Marino). We visited the town hall and were given access to the documents showing the birth, marriage and death of our ancestors. Seeing the birth record in a large book written in the beautiful Italian script is a memory that I will cherish.
We spent 7 days in Abruzzo staying at a Bed and Breakfast in Sulmona. Everyday we traveled by van to our ancestors hometowns; Salle, Penne and Pianella. We went to the beautiful National Parks of Majella and Gran Sasso. We hiked to the Castle at Rocca Colascio, we tasted wine and ate a home cooked meal at Cantina Wilma, we truffle hunted with his family and ate an amazing seafood meal on a Trabocco near Pescara.
Everyday was a new experience. Marino out did himself. His care, his friendly personality and his willingness to meet all our needs made our time in Abruzzo a stunning exploration of the history and culture of the region.
I have shared with family and friends Marino’s website and I will continue to share the fabulous programs that his company provides. Grazie Mille” Joan M.
Tailor Made Vacations in Italy with a Local
“WOW! We just returned from the experience of a lifetime and ‘living like a local’ in Abruzzo with Marino and Experience Bella Vita. His complete detailed planning and tailor-designed trip of what we were interested in experiencing exceeded every expectation! From truffle hunting, making fresh pasta with his family and Nonna to cheese making, visiting a local winery and, my favorite, enjoying fresh seafood in an authentic Trabocchi!
We found the Abruzzesi very warm and welcoming even if their understanding of English was limited. Every single encounter with these wonderful people was heart-warming. The passion and love of their craft and the pride they exhibited was only surpassed by the love of their family. Ensuring the family was cared for was paramount. It wasn’t about material possessions or money. It was pure love of family, providing for family and making sure we felt we were part of the family. The meals they prepared for us were amazing.
If you are looking to avoid the crowds and commercialism of the big cities, travel at a relaxed pace, explore quaint hilltop villages, taste the delicious wines of the Montepulciano grapes, dine as a member of an Italian family and experience absolutely stunning views from the Adriatic Sea to the Gran Sasso and Maiella mountains in a small intimate group of your choosing, contact Marino at Experience Bella Vita. Abruzzo is an undiscovered gem which makes it more valuable! You will not be disappointed.”Paula W.
Marino went above and beyond to make sure our Abruzzo vacation was perfection! Every detail was exquisite and he included several surprises to make it even more memorable. From the time he picked us up in Rome until we returned our experience and enjoyment were his top priority. He made us comfortable from the very beginning, almost like we had known him for years and at the end we felt like family! His passion for his Abruzzo culture, knowledge of wines and authentic foods, extensive network of contacts throughout the region and enthusiasm for people to learn about Abruzzo are exemplary. We plan to return to Abruzzo and, if you couldn’t tell, Marino is our only choice. It will be like coming home!”
Personalized Ancestral Heritage Journey Through Abruzzo
“Our family vacation in Abruzzi is one we will never forget. It was great to have Marino Cardelli, a friendly, knowledgeable and genuine native of Abruzzi, guide us throughout our stay. He gave personal attention to planning, advising and customizing our trip to make it a relaxed and meaningful event.
The purpose of our trip was to introduce family members to their Abruzzi heritage Marino and our driver Riccardo took great care to provide us with a truly authentic Abruzzi experience in a way we never expected.
With Marino we explored the history of the Abruzzo region, visited welcoming towns, family run farms, olive groves, local wineries and the seaside. As a culinary enthusiast and sommelier, he introduced us to the best wine tasting and 5-star dining experiences.
Our cooking lesson with Marino and his mom was exceptional. As Italians we never expected to learn as much as we did. Spending time with his family added a heartwarming touch to our family-oriented vacation.
We visited the hometown of our grandparents and with Marino’s help found 2 cousins, which was an emotional and exciting encounter.
Driving services were reliable, responsive and entertaining. Our driver Riccardo took us on scenic drives with majestic views of the mountains and the Adriatic Sea. He was most accommodating, flexible and fun to be with. He made our rides so enjoyable.
Our 5 weeks in Abruzzi went by much too quickly. We have adopted Marino and Riccardo into our newly found Italian family and have our return visit planned.
I highly recommend ExperienceBellaVita without hesitation to those seeking a personalized approach to vacationing in Italy and/or experiencing the Abruzzi culture.” Patricia O.
Exceptional Italy Custom Tour of Abruzzi
“WOW! What can I say about Marino Cardelli and Experience BellaVita? This was the best tour of my life, and I travel a lot! We had a large group of 16, and Marino worked very hard to provide transportation, which was excellent, and to accommodate our needs. Our 3 days were full of fun, interesting adventures, superior lunches, and for our group, wine tastings. We had a great tour of a winery, a self-guided day in Sulmona using Marino’s recommendations, and on the third day a tour of an Abbey and a lunch at a Trabocco, a traditional seafood restaurant on a pier over the sea. Again, all lunches were fabulous, and Marino worked to find chefs who would accommodate our many food restrictions. On the final day, Marino arranged transportation to our hotel in Rome, and made sure that each of us arrived safely. During the entire trip, Marino was cheerful and confident. He was a joy to work with, and made sure to try and arrange the trip that we wanted.” Jan D.
Tailor Made Family Vacations in Italy
“Our family of six (parents and adult children) traveled to Abruzzo to visit the land of my grandfather. After consulting with Marino for several months about our interests, he planned a week of travel, accommodations and activities throughout Abruzzo. The week absolutely exceeded expectations as we were treated to experiences that were tailored to our interests and pace, and bonus, we were treated like family friends. Each day there was some special surprise for us. We will remember and talk about this trip for a long, long time. Our deepest gratitude goes to Marino, who we consider a new found friend.” Teri B.