Monaghan Vacations Inc

Train travel

Like most of Europe, often trains are the easiest quickest and most reasonable way to travel around Italy and Abruzzo.

It possible to reach most Italian or European destinations in the shortest time possible on trenItalia's elegant and fast trains while relishing excellent services on board and at the stations:  These high speed trains are the Alta Velocità (high-speed) Eurostar Italia trains.

• For fast connections between Italy's most important cities with stylish, modern trains: Eurostar Italia Trains (ES*).
• Local connections among Italy's towns and cities: Eurostar City  Intercity (IC) trains.
• Night connections can be made along Italy's main axes with the Night Trains. Customers can also use the International Trains EuroNight EN trains in the Italy sections.

Then there are the regional trains which tend to be more relaxed and stopping at many picturesque village and hamlets. The train from Pescara to Rome is a wonderful way to see some of the mountain landscapes of Abruzzo. The regional trains include:

• local trains which generally circulate within a single region, stopping at almost every station en route, connecting them with the larger towns. They usually provide only 2nd class seats. No smoking rules apply on board.
• The direct trains can circulate both within the regions and their bordering regions; they travel at faster speeds than the local trains and stop at fewer stations.
• The inter-regional trains move beyond regional boundaries to more distant locations, often key tourist hot spots. These more seasonal trains can therefore be irregular and circulate at weekends only, or during certain periods of the year.

The official TrenItalia web site can help you with timetables, maps and on line ticket purchases.

Pescara is the major train hub for the Abruzzan regions. Trains to the north Bologna, Milan and Vence and to the south to Bari and Brindisi pass through Pescara Stazione. Trains to and from Rome also originate in Pescara.

Monaghan Vacations encourages you to use the train system to explore Abruzzo. Its fun. Its easy. Its convenient.

Cottage in Abruzzo

Monaghan Vacations provides the discerning traveller with a luxurious holiday experience in one of the world’s most beautiful, inspiring locations.

We’ve a totally refurbished a 200 year old Abruzzan stone farmhouse that’s been designer decorated in a deluxe modern Italian style.

The cottage sits in the wild beauty of Abruzzo’s Gran Sasso National Park surrounded by the craggy mountain tops often snow covered.

The National Parks abound in cool green forests, crystal clear lakes and mumoring waterfalls. The forests are criss crossed with well preserved hiking paths and horse trails. In some cases mountain biking is also allowed.

Across the rolling valleys of sunflowers and vineyards are the historic hilltop towns of Penne and Vestea. Ancient stone houses, narrow cobbled streets and wide piazza's lined with cafes. Here you can sit at outside tables shaded by candy striped umbrellas, savoring your espresso or the campari soda waited on by tuxedo clad waiters.

The cottage is within 3 acres of gardens and olive groves. It has a private swimming pool, bocce court and all-weather tennis court. Uniquely the cottage has an outside wood burning pizza oven.

The two floor cottage has three double bedrooms  with stunning views of the mountains. On the ground floor is the eat in kitchen, separate dining room and a large living room with Bang and Olufsen sound system and HDTV. If you must keep in touch we have  installed internet access.

The cottage is not just comfortable it is ultra luxurious. You wont find heavy rustic decorations here! The cottage is airy and modern, in keeping with Abruzzo’s clarity and perfection

Croatia

One of the advantages of Abruzzo is its proximity to the glorious coast of Croatia. From the main ferry terminal at Pescara you can cross the Adriatic in hours and get to the Croatian hot travel destinations of Hvar Split and Drubrovnik.

The high speed ultra modern catamaran ferries will speed you across the calm seas to another world. You can take your car or simply walk on. The fares are usually less than 100 Euro return. Sit back with a drink and watch the world go by. You will arrive in Croatia in around three hours. If you want to enjoy your Croatian break even more we can arrange a 50 foot luxury yacht with professional skipper to take you sailing around the Croatian Islands.

Take a day or two, then catch the high speed ferry back to your luxury Abruzzan cottage in Vestea.

All the latest information about ferries to Croatia and even on line bookings can be found here at the SNAV web site (italian only)
SNAV Ferries

Air Connections

It is so easy to get to our luxury cottage in Vestea.

The region's main airport at Pescara is only a 20 minute drive from the cottage in Vestea. The Airport has offices of all the major car rental companies.

It is a smaller airport, so there is very little wait for your baggage and the security lines are easy. The autostrada runs alongside the airport entrance so you are on your way to a luxurious cottage vacation in a jiffy.

There are direct flights from:

• Rome
• Milan
• London
• Frankfurt
• Munich
• New York
• Paris
• Toronto
• Brussells
• Turin
• Barcelona
• Split

The complete airline service schedule in english can be found at the Pescara airport's web site here:
pescara airport

Castelli - Ceramics

CASTELLI.
Just minutes from our cottage in Vestea is this small village, rising on a rock dominated by the impressive GRAN SASSO mountain. It is a favourite destinations for tourists and art lovers as its the worldwide known Abruzzese capital of ceramics.

At the Art Institute and the Ceramics Museum you can follow a local artisan during the whole ceramics making process. The town also has the Church of St. Donato, whose modest external appearance is deceptive as, on entering the church, everyone admires the trussed ceiling entirely decorated with sixteenth century polychrome bricks with coats-of-arms, arabesques, human figures and animals painted on ceramic.