Shepherd for a day in Abruzzo: Be a Shepherd for a Day!

Immerse yourself in Shepherd Life in Abruzzo National Park: Grazing, Milking and Lunch in the Nature of Barrea

PERIOD OF THE YEAR:
Available all year round, except from January to March.
SUGGESTED OUTFIT: Comfortable layered clothing, suitable for countryside activities and changing mountain temperatures. Trekking shoes or sturdy trainers with a good grip (for the pasture trails). A sun hat, sunscreen and a water bottle. A windproof jacket or waterproof jacket (depending on the season).
LANGUAGES: Italian, English, French

Durata

Half-day (approximately 3 hours)

Your guides

Italia and Pietro will be your hosts. Passionate shepherds and expert connoisseurs of the wildlife and flora of the Abruzzo National Park, they will welcome you with the warmth and authenticity that are typical of mountain communities. They will share the secrets of animal care, flock management, and the extraordinary value of the area’s biodiversity. By their side, you’ll discover the life of a shepherd and learn how traditional cheese is made, following the entire process from grazing in the pastures to the sheepfold and milking.

BECOME A SHEPHERD FOR A DAY!

Wake up to the sound of the rooster crowing, breathe in the fresh mountain air, and stroll through the unspoilt meadows overlooking the beautiful village of Barrea. Accompanied by Italia and Pietro, guardians of an ancient pastoral tradition, you’ll spend half a day living the life of a real shepherd.
Try your hand at milking goats, lead the flock to the mountain pastures, and enjoy an unforgettable open-air tasting lunch featuring handcrafted cheeses, freshly picked vegetables from the garden, and warm traditional flatbreads, surrounded only by the wild beauty of the National Park of Abruzzo.

THE DAY PROGRAMME

Your immersion into pastoral life adapts to your own pace.
If you are an early riser and want to experience the excitement of milking at sunrise, the meeting point is at 7:30 am directly at the sheepfold: here, with the guidance of Ilaria and Pietro, you can try your hand at the first milking of the day!

If, instead, you prefer to start your day more slowly, you can arrive at 9:00 am for an introduction to the farm, just in time for the opening of the gates.

At 9:30 am we set off: we will lead the flock towards the mountain pastures surrounding Barrea, walking along scenic trails and working alongside the shepherd dogs as they help guide the animals to their grazing grounds.

AT THE PASTURE

Once we reach the pasture, while the animals graze on fresh grass, the excursion becomes a true immersion into shepherd life in Abruzzo!

Pietro will tell us more about sheep biology and their behaviour while grazing; together with him, we will discover flock management, the work of shepherd dogs, and the care of mountain pastures.

And finally, a genuine open-air tasting lunch awaits us. We will savour different types of delicious farm-made cheeses, accompanied by grilled vegetables, fresh bread, and the exquisite warm flatbreads with fresh cheese produced on the farm.

If we are lucky and the rhythms of farm life allow it, on the way back to the sheepfold we may refresh ourselves with a small glass of homemade yoghurt or a slice of ricotta cheesecake.

PRICE

Starting from 50 € per person

The fee includes

• Milking experience
• Walk to the mountain pastures with the flock
• Stories of pastoral life
• Final tasting of farm-made products

The fee does not include

• Transfers to and from the meeting point
• Overnight stay (available on request)
• Extras and anything not mentioned in the “What’s included” section

The activity starts early in the morning, so don’t hesitate to ask us for advice on where to stay overnight and enjoy the stunning natural surroundings of Lake Barrea!

This experience is also available for just 1 person.
The price varies depending on the number of participants.

If you have any specific needs or requests, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.