Discover untamed wildlife and the purest food in the Italian Apennines
Support Rewilding Europe to help nature thrive again by restoring the natural habitat of bears and wolves.
Hosted by Bearleader in Hospitality | Chef & Owner Hotel Degli Olmi | Donato di Nunzio
Degli Olmi
A ‘Rewilding Europe’ Experience
Discover wildlife in the Italian Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo. This is the untamed heart of the Apennine Chain. With its adjacent regions of Lazio and Molise, it is one of the most protected areas of Italy. Only two hours by car from Rome or Naples, the Parco Nazionale is the truly magnificent ‘green heart’ of Europe. With its rugged mountains and fierce valleys, forests, crystal clear rivers, and glacial lakes. The climate in the Parco is ideal for relaxation and peace in nature.
In the middle of it all is Hotel degli Olmi***. It is located in Villetta Barrea, an attractive and enchanting town at the centre of this natural paradise. Pescasseroli, the historical cultural capital of the Parco Nazionale, is located nearby.
The hotel offers impeccable service, with Chef & Owner Donato di Nunzio at the realm. Donato is trained by three Michelin-starred chef Niko Romito, so you can expect excellent, pure Italian gastronomy. His alluring warmth and comforting hospitality are the natural fruition of thirty years of this family-run hotel.
“Our family has recently renovated our third-generation establishment, located in the heart of the Marsican brown bear’s habitat. By visiting us, you’ll have the chance to experience local mountain traditions and enjoy immersive outdoor activities.”
Rewilding Europe
Who would have thought you could watch wild wolves and bears in their natural surroundings, just an hour and a half out of ‘The Eternal City’ Rome? Extensive beech forests are many centuries old and probably among the oldest in Europe. Among the enormous trees and their mossy stems live large populations of wild herbivores like red deer, roe deer and wild boar. In many places, these species share their habitats with large herds of unfenced horses and cattle and represent the wolves' primary prey.
The most charismatic and famous inhabitant of the mountain forests here is the Marsican brown bear, an endemic subspecies to the region. Rewilding Europe actively works to restore natural processes and landscapes, creating spaces where wildlife and ecosystems can flourish again. They work with local partners to support coexistence and ensure a safe environment for bears and people, for example, by installing traffic accident prevention measures.
Chef Donato, owner of Hotel Degli Olmi, is working closely with the team of Rewilding Europe, a non-profit organization that selects large pioneering areas in Europe. They work with their local partners – like Rewilding Apennines in the heart of Italy - to make their vision a reality: to ‘rewild’ Europe
The Package
Bookable April 21 – June 30 or September 9 -October 13, 2025
By booking this experience in these months, you can fully experience wildlife in this area. You are also sponsoring the efforts of Rewilding Europe in the meantime. Take this journey with your partner, colleagues or with your family.
INCLUDED
Day 1: Arrival in Hotel Degli Olmi with a welcome drink and a short presentation by Bearleader in Hospitality, Chef & Owner Donato di Nunzio, followed by a dinner
Day 2: Guided walk with national park guides in the surrounding area. A packed lunch is provided. In the afternoon you can relax by the swimming pool area, followed by ‘apertivo’ and dinner in the evening
Day 3: Visit a local cheese farm in Villetta Barrea with Rewilding Apennines: taste local products, and visit a cheese laboratory. Return to the hotel, relax and enjoy a dinner
Day 4: Return to the airport, stay longer or proceed with your journey
Half board: breakfast + 2 evenings 3-course dinner + one evening 5-course tasting menu (excl. drinks).
EXCLUDED
All extra orders outside the program
Flights or transfer.
OPTIONAL
Transport from Rome airport can be arranged, or you can rent a car
Stay longer.
PACKAGE RATE
Bookable on request from April 21 - June 30, or Sept 9 - Oct 13, 2025.
779 Euros, incl. VAT per couple (double room occupancy)*
579 Euros incl. VAT per person (single room occupancy)
*Pets are not allowed. Triple rooms consist of one double bed and an additional single bed. Quadruple rooms include one double bed and a bunk bed.
Request availability
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This package is exclusively available via Bearleaders. You can also email us on sales(@)bearleaders.com