Cheese making and hiking in Abruzzo: Make your own

You make the cheese yourself from milk the animals produced that morning.

A full-day cheese-making class and guided hike in Maiella National Park, Abruzzo, where you walk 7 kilometers through woods and meadows, then make traditional cheese by hand at a farmhouse and eat lunch there. The guide speaks English or Italian; children from age 8 can join; the hike involves 200 meters of elevation gain on a mixed woodland and open trail with no technical climbing required.

The experience

The day starts at 9am with a hike along the Sentiero dei Monti Carricini trail inside Maiella National Park. You walk through beech woods where megalithic walls from the Iron Age sit among the trees, and in spring the path fills with wild orchids. After a short break on the ridge of Monte di Maio, the trail descends to Il Mulino farmhouse, where the animals live a few meters from the kitchen. This is where the cheese-making happens: you work with milk that came from the herd that morning, learning the traditional method by doing it yourself. You get to take home the piece you made.

Before the cheese work, the farmhouse serves a tasting of cured meats and cheeses from their own production. Lunch follows the cheese-making session: a seasonal pasta dish, coffee and a small dessert, all included. After eating, a short walk takes you to the archaeological site of Juvanum, where Roman ruins sit in the landscape you have just hiked through. The full day runs from 9am to 4pm, with the hike covering 7 kilometers at an easy pace. Shoes with good grip, layered clothing, water, a hat and sunscreen are what you need to bring.

The guide is a hiking professional who grew up in these mountains. His family owns the farmhouse. He speaks English or Italian. Children from age 8 can do the full day. Anyone under 18 cannot drink wine during the tasting. Service animals are welcome on the trail.

What’s included

• A hiking guide who is a native of the region.
• the cheese-making workshop at the farmhouse.
• lunch with a tasting of cold cuts and cheeses from the farm's own production, a seasonal pasta dish, coffee and dessert.
• insurance for the activity.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Pets welcome

Operated by Colle del Nibbio Agricoltura e Montagna

Is this one for you?The 8-hour day suits anyone with a free morning and afternoon who wants to walk without scrambling and learn a skill at the same time. If you have children from age 8, they can do the full hike and cheese-making alongside you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Sentiero dei Monti Carricini trail like to walk?

The Sentiero dei Monti Carricini is a mixed hiking route through beech woods and open meadows with no technical climbing. The full hike covers 7 kilometers with 200 meters of elevation gain, graded as suitable for children from age 8 and requiring no special fitness or experience.

Do I get to keep the cheese I make?

Yes, you take home the piece of cheese you make by hand at the farmhouse using milk from the animals on the property.

What food is included in the day?

The farmhouse provides a tasting of cured meats and cheeses from their own production before the cheese-making. Lunch is a seasonal pasta dish, coffee and a small dessert, all included in the price.

Can children do this experience?

Children from age 8 can participate in the full day of hiking and cheese-making. Anyone under 18 cannot drink wine during the tasting portion.