deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was rescued from Italian partisans by German paratroopers led by the infamous Otto Skorzeny.

But fate and great light presented us an exceptional photo opportunity instead. Along the road that snakes back through the open range to L'Aquila is the home of a herd of wild horses... some of which stepped out and blocked our path.

With light fading and the magnificent and surprisingly docile horses cooperating, we were able to get off more than 30 shots before the sun setting below the horizon made further photography impossible. Our visit to the hotel would need to wait for another visit to the region.

The return drive to the Villa Danilo got us back to our rooms well after midnight. The Gran Sasso National Park is located in the northern part of Abruzzo and the hotel is in the south, along the border of the neighboring region of Molise.

After sleeping in Sunday morning, it came as no surprise that Leonardo had a full day's activities planned. And we would not be behind the wheel. We'd be in the kitchen with Chef Gianfranco, who was preparing a number of regional specialties for us to sample for lunch.

Leonardo juggles an incredible schedule that involves his surgical residency in Pescara, his tour enterprise... and both a cooking school and a photography program in conjunction with several hotels in Abruzzo, including the Villa Danilo. Catering mostly to the British, these