We all complain about the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We are all looking for some quiet places where we can spend some days off. We always say that we need to get rid of mobile phones, computers and all those gimmicks that, like an invisible umbilical cord, keep us “connected”. But when we eventually find a place like this, a few minutes after we put down our suitcases, we start wondering if there is wi-fi connection, if our mobile provider is available, if there are enough plugs to recharge our energy-sucking devices.
If you want to spend some days in the Maiella National Park, you won’t be much concerned about wi-fi connections or mobile coverage. Simply because you’ll be too busy at enjoying the landscape, hiking up and down the tracks on the Tavola dei Briganti, tasting typical recipes like pizza fritta, sagne e ceci and the delicious Sise delle Monache pastry.
Rapino (Chieti) is a small village in the Majella Park, a stone’s throw away from the Maielletta peak (ski area in wintertime, hiking paths galore in summer), from medieval villages like Giardiagrele, or “big” towns like Chieti.
In Rapino a good Appetibilis friend, Mauro Caramanico, renovated a former “frantoio” (oil mill, in local language “trappète”) and transformed it into a cosy b&b.
I asked Mauro why he chose this building and the style he intended to give.
“When I first inspected the building, it was badly ruined but I immediately got good vibes from it. I recovered every single stone, every brick and I tried to “respect” it by using the original material to give it a new life.”
This does not mean that you’ll be living as in the XIII century. Modern luxuries (heating, air conditioning, fridge, shower) are available, no need to worry about that.
In his free time, Mauro likes traveling, but not so often as he would like to, so he thought that a nice way to have the world within a reach of hand is to rent his cosy flat to people from all over the world. Thanks to word of mouth and the magic of the net, Mauro can meet people from the US, France, Belgium, Germany. He says “In this way I can meet new people, and they can get to know a corner of Italy off the beaten tracks”. Without Google Earth.
Contact: Mauro Caramanico
Mobile: +39 335 7609933
Telephone: +39 0871 440779
email: maufiki@alice.it
appetibilis .net 
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