Located only twenty minutes from Pescara, Chieti is a pleasantly provincial hillside town. A magnificent Gothic cathedral looms over Chieti, offering fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. The local Archaeological Museum (Museo Nazionale Archeologico di Antichità) is particularly intriguing. It is situated in a villa surrounded by a park and contains various archaeological finds, such as Roman statues and tombs.

This stunning building from the 1910s was once a bathhouse for the affluent people of Pescara, as well as a liqueur distillery. Today it houses one of the best and most innovative art spaces in the city, hosting regular exhibitions, live performances and conferences. Its fancy name, 'Aurum - La Fabbrica delle Idee', means 'Gold - The Idea Factory'.

Step back in time at the wartime air-raid shelters and experience the sights and sounds of Britain’s Home Front. Visitors can walk through original tunnels, carefully re-equipped to show what daily life was like during the 1940s, and follow the stories of locals through clear, well-curated displays and an audio guide. First opened in 1939, the shelters were the largest purpose-built civilian air-raid shelters in the country, originally designed for 3,850 people and later expanded during 1940–41 to hold up to 6,500. Cut directly into the sandstone cliffs beneath the town centre, the mile-long network offers a rare look at wartime engineering and civilian life. The site reopened in 1996 as a visitor attraction after restoration by Stockport Council and has since become one of the town’s most important museums. Today, it works as both a memorial and an educational space, giving a direct sense of how communities lived through the air raids.

The National Park on ‘Eua offers one of the best walks in the South Pacific. Hike through pristine forests, rugged coastlines, caves, chasms, and waterfalls, with panoramic views along the way. Listen for the distinctive cry of the ‘koki, the red-breasted musk parrot, unique to ‘Eua. This 7-hour trek is perfect for fit nature lovers and adventurers, but it’s not recommended for children under 12. A guide is essential. You can reach ‘Eua by a two-hour ferry from Nuku’alofa or an 8-minute flight.