CIOCIARIA CULTURAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES.
2025 & 2026 - May & September
ADVENTURES THROUGH CIOCIARIA AND MOLISE
IN THE WILD HEART OF ITALY.
Follow us off the beaten path, into the extraordinary
For curious, cultured travellers.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH. INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY.
Meet the Ciociarian culinary creatives, organic producers & vignerons and local artisans who have been the inspiration for our Antica Australis journey, and explore the layers of ancient Samnite & Roman and Medieval history of Ciociaria in central Italy with us.
We have hand-crafted our itineraries from ten years of on-ground personal research and our groups are guided by our great Ciociarian friends who are local archaeologists, academics, culinary artisans, artisanal producers, hiking guides and art historians.
We re-design our on-ground itineraries bespoke for every single tour group. No experience is ever the same. This is born from our passion and belief in supporting the continual evolution of the regions we are visiting, to align with the personal adventures our curious & cultured travellers are seeking, and to revel in the glorious spontaneity of this ancient regions.
Paolo & Kelly PICARAZZI - antica australis | Antica Travel Co.
An immersive 7-night/8-day cultural travel experience through the undiscovered regions of Ciociaria & Molise in central Italy - just an hour south of Rome, it’s a whole world away. Follow us off the beaten path, into the extraordinary.
All-inclusive package for AUD$6,597* per person based on double occupancy. Single Supplement AUD$1,167*.
For our May 2025 & May 2026 travel experiences you will be staying in a unique boutique accommodation in a lovingly-restored 19th century Belle Époque villa with fine-dining restaurant, and stepping out into the main piazza of one of Ciociaria’s most charming villages encircled by the walls of a 1,000 year old castle.
Package includes pick up from Rome at a designated hotel and return.
Tour groups limited to maximum 10-12 guests.
Please note that our small group travel experiences require a minimum of 6 guests to be confirmed.
* Note this is the 2026 Package Cost. All 2025 Ciociaria Travel Experiences fully booked. Reservations open for May & September 2026. Taking enquiries for 2027. September itineraries to be determined.
TOUR DATES:
MAY & SEPTEMBER tRAVEL PACKAGES for 2025: FULLY BOOKED
MAY tRAVEL PACKAGES for 2026:
Sunday 3 to Sunday 10 May - NOW FULLY BOOKED
Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 May - a few places available
SEPTEMBER tRAVEL PACKAGES for 2026:
Sunday 20 to Sunday 27 September - reservation requests open
Sunday 27 September to Sunday 4 October - reservation requests open
We are also registering interest for May & September 2027. Feel free to make an enquiry.
EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
[FOR THE MAY 2025, AUGUST 2025 & MAY 2026 TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. SEPTEMBER 2025 & 2026 TO BE REVEALED!]
o Hosted by Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of award-winning cultural dining experiences Antica Australis & Antica Travel Co. cultural travel experiences.
o Staying in a restored 19th century Belle Époque villa in the charming tiny village of Picinisco in the Val di Comino (Comino Valley) wrapped in the arms of the Apennines.
o Unique boutique accommodation – rooms with a view! Double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, overlooking the Comino Valley. Private roof terrace and garden.
o Continental breakfast is included with tea and coffee; seasonal fruits; and bread, pastries, yoghurt and conserves all made in-house.
o All breakfast, lunches & dinners provided - except one free evening for a dining adventure of your own choice.
o Welcome Lunch on arrival in the villa garden, with welcome prosecco.
o A day of exploring the Comino Valley’s cheesemakers, winemakers and an incomparable local fine-dining restaurant dining experience.
o Day trip to the hilltop town of Veroli for a Roman Cuisine Cooking Class & Lunch, followed by a guided archaeological walking tour.
o Secret private dining experience in a farmhouse hosted by Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of Antica Australis.
o Private guided art history tour of the stunning 8th-15th century frescoes of Subiaco Monastery, followed by lunch in the monk’s refectory.
o Cycling adventure by e:bike to an abandoned village, cheesemaking class & al fresco lunch - with a free evening to return to your favourite village dining spots.
o Magical Mystery Tour to Molise, a fascinating nearby region – the real Wild Heart of Italy. Guided tour of ancient Samnite archaeological ruins and fine-dining experience.
o Visit to historically significant hilltop town of Anagni, once home to Roman Emperors and several first Popes and boasting an impressive Cathedral with a frescoed crypt.
o Farewell Dinner in a nearby picturesque village.
FULL DETAILS OF MAY 2025, AUGUST 2025 & MAY 2026 ITINERARY BELOW. SEPTEMBER 2025 & 2026 ITINERARY CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT.
NOTE:
May is Springtime in Ciociaria, with the Apennine Mountains covered in wildflowers. It’s the perfect time for cheesemaking and foraging in the mountaintop forests. September is Autumn, providing an ideal experience of local harvests & fresh produce as well as being the beginning of the wine vintage plus mushroom & truffle season.
The weather in the Apennine Mountains in both May & September is around 18-25 degrees Celsius, sunny days and a little cooler in the evenings. Note that the villages of Ciociaria are hilly and some streets can be quite steep - you will need to have an average level of fitness to enjoy walking around.
We very purposefully select low season tourism seasons to host our guests in Ciociaria, to help contribute to the sustainability of the region - and it’s a much more intimate and relaxed experience with our locals. Please note that our Ciociarian guides speak in their local dialects, with Paolo providing translations.
MAY 2025 & 2026 ITINERARY OVERVIEW*
DAY ONE - SUNDAY
Pick up from designated hotel in Rome at 11am and transfer to the village of Picinisco in the Ciociaria region (1.5 hours), high up in the Apennine mountains. An al fresco Welcome Lunch on the garden terrace of the 19th century Belle Époque villa where we will be staying, followed by a casual orientation walk and complimentary Prosecco in the piazza to toast the start of our Ciociarian adventure. Dinner at a local trattoria specialising in Ciociarian cuisine and artisanal pizza, with local house wine inclusive.
DAY TWO - MONDAY
We will be exploring the Comino Valley and meeting some of its fabulous local producers. This includes a visit to a family dairy farm where they have been shepherding indigenous Ciociarian sheep and making cheese for nine generations, followed by a wine tasting and casual lunch at a local organic vineyard which is reviving ancient indigenous vines of the region. This includes a hosted tour through the property’s historic restored borgata (small family village). An evening of fine dining in our Belle Époque villa, local wines available for purchase.
DAY THREE - TUESDAY
A day trip to the fortified hilltop town of Veroli, featuring a four-hour cooking class learning how to make some Roman classics with local Chef Laura Quattrocchi. After lunch, we will take a private guided tour with a local archaeologist & academic, exploring the history of Veroli which involves the Samnite-era fortress walls around the city, the ancient Roman Gate, the Church of Saint Mary Salome and the Medieval Quarter. It also icludes a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Veroli underneath the main piazza to view the original Roman Forum and Mithraeum (Temple of Mithras). Dinner on our return to Picinisco is a private dining experience in a farmhouse hosted by Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of Antica Australis.
DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY
A guided art history tour of the frescoes of Subiaco Monastery - built into the side of a cliff (and on top of Emperor Nero’s summer palace) the 1,000 year old Monastery winds down the mountain through the centuries featuring frescoes from the 8th to 15th centuries. For lunch we will join the monks and pilgrims in the Refectory, house wine inclusive. On the way back we will make a stop in Guarcino to visit the one of the region’s most famous and impressive Ciociarian specialty produce stores - full of cheese, salumi, prosciutto, biscuits and wine! Dinner at a delightful and traditional Ciociarian locanda, house wine inclusive.
DAY FIVE - THURSDAY
A countryside adventure by e:bike to explore a picturesque abandoned village, before cycling to the villa of one of the region’s best cheesemakers for a ricotta cheese-making class. Long lunch on the outdoor terrace of a 19th century English Liberty-style villa, house wine inclusive. After cycling back to Picinsico, you will have a free evening to dine where you choose.
DAY SIX - FRIDAY
A magical mystery tour to Molise, just across the Apennines from Ciociaria and together with Abruzzo these three regions formed the original Wild Heart of Italy during the ancient Samnite civilisation (pre-dating the ancient Romans). We will be taking you to museums, art-deco coffee shops, as well as the bell foundry that makes the bells for the Vatican and a visit to the last remaining coppersmith in the town of Agnone - which has been famous for its copper since the Bronze Age. Lunch at a local trattoria specialising in traditional cuisine, with house wine inclusive. This will be followed by a guided tour of an ancient Samnite archaeological site. Dinner at a fine-dining restaurant of the region, wine available for purchase. Late return to our village in Ciociaria (approx. 10.30pm).
DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY
Visit to the town of Anagni, once home to Roman Emperors such as Marcus Aurelius and several of the first Popes. Includes a visit to the 12th Century Crypt underneath Anagni Cathedral to view the frescoes of ‘the Sistine Chapel of the Medieval world’ and also the Palazzo of Pope Boniface VIII who was Ruler of the Papal World from 1294 to 1303. Paolo will also be taking you to our favourite pasticceria (pastry shop) for a traditional selection box to eat along the way as you stroll the cobbled streets. Al fresco lunch on the terrace of the main piazza. Some free time on our return to Picinisco to rest, before our Farewell Dinner at a contemporary Ristorante & Enoteca in a nearby village.
DAY EIGHT - SUNDAY
Breakfast and return transfer to Rome. Depart 8.30am and arrival in Rome approx. 10.30am.
*ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE:
Please note that Ciociaria is a developing tourism region and not everything always follows the exact flow of the itinerary. Trust that we will cover all the itinerary highlights, expect the unexpected and embrace a little spontaneity as we go along!
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS:
Vegetarian preferences and certain allergies can be catered for. Please note this is a remote region and we will be unable to cater for any additional dietary requests such as gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan.
RESERVATION TERMS BELOW.
RESERVATIONS TERMS
Places are strictly limited and a transferable deposit of AUD$500 per person is required to secure your place on reservation.
If you change your mind within 30 days of your reservation payment being received, your deposit is refundable with written notice. Following this you will be able to transfer it to an alternative travel experience date if you need to change your initial reservation.
For our May packages, 50% payment (less deposit) is required six month prior to your travel experience [November] with final payment due three months prior [March].For our September packages, 50% payment (less deposit) is required [March] with final full payment due [June].
Please note that our small group travel experiences require a minimum of 6 guests to be confirmed.
More details on our Terms & Conditions will be provided on reservation.
ITINERARY INCLUSIONS:
o Return transfers from Rome. All transfers within itinerary.
o All breakfast, lunches & dinners provided (most with house wine inclusive) - except one free evening for a dining adventure of your choice.
o All day trips & museum entries.
o We have also included tips for our transfer drivers & dining experiences as part of your package.
EXCLUSIONS:
All flights, Rome accommodation, laundry, selected bottles of wine and personal discretionary spending are the responsibility of individual guests.
YOUR HOSTS
Husband and wife team, Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of award-winning Ciociarian locanda and cultural dining experience Antica Australis
Paolo is a Ciociarian native and is descended from the Ernici & Volscii tribes of Víteliú and is deeply connected to the land. He also understands each of the dialects of the region, which enables our local producers, artisans and wine-makers to share their stories in their own way and words, with Paolo providing translation.
Australian-born Kelly has a background in sustainable and cultural heritage tourism. Kelly was noted as one of the global ‘100 Inspiring Women Travel Founders’ by Travel Massive in 2020.
Antica Travel Co. is the cultural travel experience subsidiary of the Antica Australis cultural dining experience.