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Land Rover Eco Home Adventure
Opening your eyes in the middle of the night - just to turn to the other side - and catching a glimpse of the first light of day timidly advancing behind Mount Sirente is perhaps one of the most beautiful things that can happen.
On one side, the snow-capped peaks of the mountains painted by dawn, and on the other, a medieval stone village dating back more than six hundred years. This is how one wakes up in a "one-room hotel" under the open sky in the heart of Abruzzo, the fourth stop on the JLR Defender Eco Home experience in partnership with Airbnb.
Twenty-four hours exploring one of the most remote places in Italy aboard the most iconic symbol of four-wheeled adventure, the new Land Rover Defender. This is the idea behind the innovative travel experience introduced by Jaguar Land Rover for the summer: to discover the most unspoiled locations in the country as invisible tourists, becoming one with the surrounding space.
The adventure begins in Goriano Valli, a small village with only eighty inhabitants perched on the Abruzzo mountain. Here enters the true travel companion that guides the experience in the area: the new Land Rover Defender, in the Pangea Green color that perfectly matches the palette of the picturesque landscapes admired through the window. With the rear tailgate closed, reminiscent of the iconic silhouette of the historic off-road vehicle, the ascent begins towards Pagliare di Tione. An agrarian-pastoral village dating back to the 1400s located in the middle of the valley, overlooking Mount Sirente on one side and Gran Sasso on the other.
It is here that for the fourth stop of the tour in Italy, the Defender has brought the suite for the night - an eco-home: a fully autonomous structure made with eco-sustainable materials that fully reflects Land Rover's green values. Furnishings crafted entirely from grape waste, finishes in recycled plastic, and autonomous energy with solar panels and low energy LED lighting. Before entering the bedroom, a small patio overlooking the stone houses of the medieval village welcomes you at the entrance. The gaze continues onto the queen-size bed in the bedroom, furnished with purifying fabrics created with a new material designed to reduce environmental impact. A small yet complete space offering every service that a five-star stay can provide: exclusivity, relaxation, nature, hospitality. From authentic Italian espresso from the new Lavazza a Modo Mio Smeg located within the structure, to the Australian cosmetics of Grown Alchemist featuring body care products made exclusively from natural ingredients.
The day continues aboard the off-road vehicle as we descend into the valley, heading towards the first adventure of the day: a trek through the forest trails accompanied by Ambra and Rosa, two local donkeys raised with all the love in the world by Saskia, a caretaker of more than thirty animals on a nearby agriturismo.
The walk along the old mule tracks continues to the heart of the Sirente Velino Regional Park, reaching the tower of Goriano Valli, the only well-preserved structure of the ancient fortified settlement.
After the walk, the evening appointment is at the Paneolio restaurant in Poggio Picenze for a tasting of traditional Abruzzese dishes. The culinary excellence of the area is reimagined by chef Eugenio Masci's vision, presented in dishes that speak of the place while looking towards the future, accompanied by a hospitality that tells of all the passion behind it. Goodnight upon returning to the eco-home comes under a starry sky that rivals that visible in the middle of the sea. And waking up is the sweetest with a breakfast of local products greeting guests on the outdoor patio of the cabin.
The time has come to take the wheel. The morning opens with an off-road test drive aboard the new Land Rover Defender and the magical experience of exploring Abruzzo concludes with living this land beneath four wheels, in a driving experience guided by adventure at the highest expression of comfort. A mobile cradle that combines the charm of tradition with the innovation of technology in a driving experience that is both welcoming and stimulating.
The best way to conclude a luxury experience that unites two similar and complementary worlds: the hybrid engine of the Defender and the sustainability of the Eco Home.
Twenty-four hours that feel like a lifetime, in the best possible sense.