It will take a while to digest all the impressions. I am now back from a trip to wonderful Italy where we explored two of the country's lesser-known regions – Umbria and Abruzzo. But let's start from the beginning. The adventure began as soon as we landed in Rome and picked up the rental car. We headed north towards Umbria and the small town of Spello, known for its incredible floral splendor and cozy little alleys. The drive there was anything but boring, we whizzed past sunflower fields and vines, through small villages where time seemed to stand still.

When we rolled into the courtyard of Domus Antiqua B&B at dusk, we were greeted by the scent of lavender and rosemary. The place was incredibly charming. A rustic stone building with ancient origins and a cozy garden with a jacuzzi. We were welcomed with a generous aperitivo, consisting of local cheeses, charcuterie, olives and other goodies. A glass of chilled prosecco, so delicious! We were struck by how peaceful it was here – exactly what we were looking for when we were looking for a destination in Italy.

A few years earlier, we had become acquainted with Liguria, where postcard-beautiful places like Portofino and Cinque Terre attracted us. For a while, it leaned towards another classic, yes, you can probably see it in your mind – a sunset over pastel-colored fields in Tuscany or an Aperol in the hustle and bustle of the Amalfi Coast. But then it hit us: there must be another Italy too. A more genuine Italy where people still wave from their balconies because they actually want to say hello. Where dinner is not “farm to table” because it’s trendy – but because grandfather is in the kitchen and grandmother grows the tomatoes. An Italy that is not seen as often in the feeds. Where the villages still live their own lives, no matter who is watching. Where the neighbor’s grandmother shouts “mangia!” from the balcony and the wine is poured into a carafe, not because it’s charming – but because it has always been that way.

Sure, Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto and Sicily are beautiful… that’s what “everyone” thinks. But maybe that’s exactly the point. When everyone has already been there – or dreams of going there – we started thinking along the lines of how exciting it would be to find those hidden gems that few people find. To untouched places that don’t shout, but only whisper. Where you can still hear the silence, smell the scents and be invited home for a glass of wine just because you happened to be passing by. Places that are patiently waiting to be found, for you to take the stairs, breathe in the scents and let time pass a little slower.

Umbria and Abruzzo are just such places.

Blooming alleys and proud traditions.
We woke up every morning to the distant sound of church bells and a chorus of small birds outside the window. Breakfast was served in the garden – sun-ripened tomatoes, freshly baked bread and olive oil from the neighbouring farm. The village of Spello itself was like a fairy tale with narrow alleys and flowers on every corner. Geraniums and bougainvillea cascaded from the balconies; a floral splendour like no other.

We strolled along the narrow alleys, stopping to chat with shopkeepers who displayed their wares in the shade. One of them, an elderly lady, pressed a packet of homemade cantuccini into our hands and insisted we taste it. The sweet almond flavor mixed with the sound of an accordion somewhere further away and children's laughter..

One day we took the car up to Perugia, the bustling capital of Umbria. The contrast with Spello was striking – from quiet alleys to a buzz of student life and historic palaces. We enjoyed a creamy gelato in Piazza IV Novembre as the sun filtered down between ancient stone facades.

Later that day, we went on a guided walking tour of Assisi. Wandering through the alleys of Assisi with a local guide felt like leafing through a living history magazine. Our guide showed us hidden monastery gardens and spoke warmly about Saint Francis and the peaceful soul of the city. As we stood inside the cool basilica and watched the sun’s rays dance on the dust, we almost held our breath – it was so beautiful and peaceful. Back outside, we followed a path up the mountain, surrounded by silvery olive trees, until we reached a viewpoint. From there, we looked out over the whole of Umbria, a patchwork of fields and forests, and we couldn’t help but pinch ourselves. Imagine experiencing something so wonderful.

Flavors that last for generations.
After three nights in beautiful Umbria, it was time to say goodbye to Spello. With the car packed, we rolled east, and soon the landscape began to change. The mountains rose higher and higher and the tunnels grew longer, before we reached the sparkling Adriatic Sea..

Driving through Italy is a constant amazement: we had passed unique beech forests and beautiful valleys, past old castles perched on rocky outcrops and grazing sheep in meadows. At one point, a hand-painted sign appeared: “Formaggio e miele” – cheese and honey. Of course, we braked hard (as traffic-friendly as it was possible) and turned in. At a small farm next to the road, we bought aged pecorino and chestnut honey from an older man with a weathered cap. He laughed heartily when we tasted the cheese and exclaimed: “Buono, vero?” (good, right?). The whole spontaneous break became one of the gems of the trip, a reminder to let the journey happen at your own pace.

Abruzzo - Italy`s best kept secret.
We followed the coast south, with salty sea breezes blowing through the car window. The goal was Abruzzo and Casa Monte Majella, our destination for the next three nights. Soon the road wound upwards again, into olive groves and vineyards. Casa Monte Majella B&B turned out to be a real oasis, lying a little secluded surrounded by cacti, palm trees and a lovely olive grove. The view of the mighty Majella mountain range was magnificent. The house was just like the one in Spello, built of beautiful terracotta-colored Majella stone and we just managed to take a dip in the pool before the sun sank below the horizon. In the evening we shared wine and stories with the host couple and concluded that this was something out of the ordinary. Choosing regions like Umbria and Abruzzo means choosing to forgo the prepared and tourist-friendly – ​​this is for those who want to feel, taste and live the “genuine” Italy where you become part of everyday life.

The Abruzzo region surprised us with its diversity. One day we went on a vineyard visit to a proud family that produces Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, the region’s red pride. The farm had been passed down for generations. Under the shade of the vines we tasted robust red wines and fresh whites. With red cheeks (maybe from the sun, maybe from the wine) we thanked them and moved on with a few bottles of selected wine in our luggage. The next day we laced up our boots for a hike in the Majella National Park. The air up there in the mountains was crisp and filled with the scent of pine and thyme. The path led us through beech forests and over rocky cliffs with views that took our breath away. In a ravine a clear stream gurgled where we got a feel for it and took a cooling dip.

Our hosts, who also served as mountain guides, pointed out a large bird of prey sailing on the thermals above and told stories of hermits who once hid in the caves here. We paused at an old monastery where we sat down on the lawn for a picnic – panini with prosciutto and a piece of that pecorino we had tasted the night before. With tired legs we returned to our B&B and after a glass of wine up in the olive grove where the starry sky stretched out above us, we crawled into bed early and fell asleep fast.

As a contrast to the mountains, we took our last day in Abruzzo down to the coast for a swim in the Adriatic Sea. The sand was warm between our toes and the waves rolled in a calm rhythmic rush. Lying on our backs in the turquoise water, we looked up at an endless blue sky and thought that life rarely feels this simple and pleasant. At a beach restaurant we then ate fried calamari, yum.

Tivoli and Rom - a worthy finale.

On the way back to Rome, we stopped in Tivoli, a city that turned out to be a little slice of Renaissance heaven. We strolled through the gardens of Villa d’Este among babbling fountains and fragrant lemon trees. It felt like walking straight into a painting – every time we turned around, a new fountain or mosaic sparkled before our eyes. While eating gelato in a piazza in Tivoli, we looked out over Rome in the distance and realized that the adventure would soon fade into memories.

The last few days in Rome were like a beautiful epilogue. Revisiting the Eternal City felt like visiting an old friend – we had been here a long time ago but wanted to rediscover the city anew. We got lost in the alleys of Trastevere, threw a coin in the Trevi Fountain to be absolutely sure we would come back here. After a night in Rome, it was time to head home. The history, the bustle, the smells of espresso and freshly baked pizza – Rome truly embraced us and whispered arrivederci, goodbye. We landed in Sweden with memories that we knew would stay with us long after our suitcases were unpacked.

This may sound like a dream, and in a way it is, because the story is actually made up from beginning to end. But it could be true, because everything described is within reach (and has been partly experienced by myself). The purpose of this post is really just to inspire you to discover all of Italy's "hidden treasures" - and there are many, we promise.

Who are we, you might wonder?

We are a Swedish couple who sold the house just over three years ago and quit our jobs to realize our dream of a life here in Abruzzo in central Italy. The region is still relatively unknown but, as we experience it, a bit of a bubble. More and more people are finding their way here. We run a B&B and have, during the few years we have lived here, attracted a lot of curious (and completely satisfied) travelers, not only from Sweden.

Our dream - your reality?

Unlike the more famous regions, it is still small-scale and genuine that rules here. Here you will meet proud winemakers, growers and chefs who cook the food as their grandparents did. Local ingredients that never leave the region – hand-picked truffles, cheeses that are only made here, robust wines with soul and history.

You don't come here to chase sights on a conveyor belt. It's a destination for those who want to land, breathe and discover Italy for real – where the landscape carries stories if you just take the time to listen, and encounters become memories that aren't really about what you saw, but what you felt.

This is the Italy we want to share with you and the travelogue you just read can become reality – your reality! Domus Antiqua B&B is real and we have just started a collaboration with them. You can read more about that and more here