Tollo – Wine Landscape, Culture and Regional Cuisine

Tollo is a suitable destination for you if you would like to discover Italy through wine-making, regional cuisine and tangible traces of its culture. The wine-making tradition characterises the town just as much as its cultivated hills and paths through the countryside. There are also points of interest, archaeological finds and routes that combine culinary themes with history and active pursuits.

Wine-making and regional specialities

The oldest written reference to wine production in Tollo dates from 1067. It documents that the wine was intended for trade through the nearby port of Ortona. Wine is therefore not only part of today’s gastronomy, but is also connected with the town’s recorded history.

Tollo’s wine-making tradition includes Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Cococciola, Passerina and Pecorino. These wines are served with typical dishes from the province of Chieti. A distinctive local grape variety is “Regina bianca”, which is considered a well-known grape variety from Tollo. A specific dish is also part of the town’s culinary identity: “toll' e fave” is prepared with broad beans and garlic shoots.

Experience culture, archaeology and wine

Tollo’s points of interest include the Church of Maria S.S. Assunta, the Chiesa di Santa Marina and the Palazzo baronale dei Nolli. If you would like to combine the cultural aspect with wine-making, the “Archenologia & Bike” route offers a guided tour of the archaeological finds currently visible at the Museo della Villa Romana, as well as a wine tasting paired with regional gastronomy.

In connection with this route, the remains of a Roman building were discovered in Tollo while Pecorino vines were being replanted. These include an ancient cistern and amphorae used to store wine. The route thus creates a link between the history of wine-making, archaeological traces and present-day culinary experiences.

Wine-making landscape and cycle path

The pergola vine-training system – “tendone” or “capanna” – characterises Tollo’s cultivated hills and forms a distinctive rural landscape. Tollo is generally situated amid surroundings strongly shaped by wine-making; the wine tradition has influenced the community’s local knowledge and economy.

Another perspective is offered by the “La via dei Mulini” cycle path. It runs along the Arielli River through the wine-growing landscape typical of Tollo and leads to old mills. This allows you to get to know the town not only through its churches, palaces and wine tastings, but also through its landscape and its connection with the river. Visitors can also take part in the grape harvest in Tollo and gain insights into the secrets of this activity through the experience of local wine-growers.

Choose accommodation suited to your travel interests

When choosing your accommodation in Tollo, you can first decide which focus should shape your days. Wine tasting, regional gastronomy and the history of wine-making provide a different basis from a stay in which you would like to combine culture with the “La via dei Mulini” cycle path. The “Archenologia & Bike” route is also aimed at travellers who would like to discover archaeological finds and culinary impressions as part of a shared activity.

If you would like to compare other places in the same broader travel area, you can also find Fossacesia (Fossacesia), Bomba (Bomba), Cerreto (Cerreto), San Giovanni Teatino (San Giovanni Teatino), Mozzagrogna (Mozzagrogna), Gamberale (Gamberale), Schiavi di Abruzzo (Schiavi di Abruzzo) and Arielli (Arielli).

For the broader travel overview: Chieti.