Up strikes the band. Up gets everyone to dance. Did you know line-dancing is a way of life in Abruzzo ? Babies learn how as soon as they can walk. Now, I’m not qualified to judge whether the line-dancing taking place before me in the middle of the road through Ascigno is step-for-step identical to the line-dancing you’ll see in some down-home stomperama at Alligator Joe’s in Amarillo – and it is a tad incongruous – but you have to wonder whether line-dancing in Abruzzo and the US developed simultaneously and spontaneously – or whether it’s just another Italian (or rather Abruzzese) import that’s taken America by storm.

Line dancing ? In Abruzzo ?

Abruzzo festa – invariably terrific. Abruzzo music – invariably not.

But just this once, on that warm October evening…we heard a band who were so outstandingly and blindingly good, they held us – and everyone else within earshot – happily spellbound.

Don’t get the idea that Abruzzo festa and sagre – the feasts, fairs and festivals for which the region’s renowned – only take place in the summer. They’re a year-round attraction – as you’ll find when your’re staying at our Abruzzo villas for two. And one of the very best took place last week in neighbouring Casoli…

Lanciano’s extraordinary Notte Bianche – ‘White Nights’ – is on the A-List of Abruzzo festa. Starting off the festivities is Il Maestrogiurato – an extravaganza of pageantry in full medieval costume. But the heart of Notte Bianche is a dazzling and deafening firework display that starts at 4am – yes, 0400 – on September 14 each year. It’s worth disrupting your body clock and heading for Lanciano to become part of the experience.