WILD HEART OF ITALY. VEROLI & VAL DI COMINO.
CIOCIARIA CULTURAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES.
2024 & 2025
Meet the Ciociarian culinary creatives, local producers, vignerons & local artisans who have been the inspiration for our Antica Australis journey, and explore the layers of ancient Samnite, Roman & Medieval history of Ciociaria in central Italy with us.
We have hand-crafted the itinerary from ten years of on-ground personal research and our groups are guided by our great Ciociarian friends who are local archeologists, academics and art historians.
Paolo & Kelly PICARAZZI - antica australis | Antica Travel Co.
An introductory 7-night/8-day cultural travel experience through the ‘undiscovered’ region of Ciociaria in central Italy - just an hour south of Rome, it’s a whole world away.
Inclusive package for AUD$5,997 per person based on double bedroom. Single Supplement $890.
Unique boutique accommodation in a 1,000 year old Benedictine monastery in the hilltop village of Veroli.
Package includes pick up from Rome at a designated hotel (to be advised) and return.
Tour groups limited to maximum 10-12 guests.
SEPTEMBER tRAVEL PACKAGES for 2024:
Sunday 8 to Sunday 15 September. FULLY BOOKED [Bespoke Ciociaria Gourmet Cycle Tour]
Sunday 15 to Sunday 22 September. FULLY BOOKED [Bespoke Ciociaria Gourmet Cycle Tour]
Sunday 22 to Sunday 29 September 2024 - FULLY BOOKED
MAY tRAVEL PACKAGES for 2025:
Sunday 11 to Sunday 18 May. RESERVATIONS HAVE JUST OPENED
SEPTEMBER tRAVEL PACKAGES for 2025:
Sunday 31 August to Sunday 7 September - two places available
Sunday 7 to Sunday 14 September - FULLY BOOKED [Bespoke Ciociaria Gourmet Cycle Tour]
Sunday 14 to Sunday 21 September - FULLY BOOKED [Bespoke Ciociaria Gourmet Cycle Tour]
Sunday 21 to Sunday 28 September 2025 - FULLY BOOKED
September is Autumn in Italy, providing an ideal experience of local harvests & fresh produce as well as the beginning of the wine vintage season during low tourism season. The weather in the Apennine Mountains will be 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!
Scroll down for more details on your Ciociarian cultural travel experience itinerary and images.
IMAGES ABOVE:
Scenes from Monastero di Sant Erasmo - the 1,000 year old Benedictine monastery in Veroli that will be our home for the entire Ciociaria cultural travel experience.
EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
o Unique boutique accommodation in a 1,000 year old monastery with private terraced garden overlooking the valley below. Double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.
o Fortified hilltop town of Veroli with breathtaking scenery and layers of ancient history from the ancient Samnites & Romans to Medieval era.
o Cultural & Gourmet experiences hosted by Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of Antica Australis & Antica Travel Co.
o Guided tour of Veroli with local archeologist, including a visit beneath the main piazza to view ruins of the town’s original Roman Forum.
o Ciociarian forest hike along a riverway with waterfalls and a shepherd’s picnic lunch.
o Fresh produce Market Day immersion experience with visit to local pasta-making shop and cooking demonstration lunch.
o Artisanal silver-smithing workshop.
o Medieval Monastery visit and a private guided art history tour of frescoes, followed by lunch in the monks’ refectory.
o Day trip to local olive oil and wine producing village. Lunch at a local trattoria, house wine inclusive.
o One free evening to experience the local trattorias & wine bars of Veroli at own pace.
o Day trip to historically significant hilltop town of Anagni, once home to Roman Emperors and several of the first Popes and boasting an impressive Cathedral.
o Friday night gelato & bar hopping in Paolo’s home village of Isola del Liri, a stunning valley village location with a waterfall in the centre of the Medieval centre.
o Day trip to the Val di Comino (Comino Valley) for organic wine-tasting experience at a local vineyard and a private long lunch at an 18th Century villa.
IMAGES ABOVE:
Scenes from Veroli.
ITINERARY OVERVIEW*
DAY ONE - SUNDAY
Pick up from designated hotel in Rome at 11am and transfer to Veroli in the Ciociaria region [1.5 hours]. Al fresco lunch on the garden terrace of Monastero di Sant Erasmo where we will be staying, followed by a guided walk with a local archeologist through the medieval village of Veroli (once also an important fortified Samnite site and ancient Roman town). Includes visit to the museum underneath the main piazza of Veroli with the remains of the original ancient Roman forum.
Welcome Dinner at a local trattoria specialising in Ciociarian cuisine, with local house wine inclusive.
DAY TWO - MONDAY
Ciociarian forest hike along a mountain river with waterfalls, with shepherd’s picnic lunch in the forest (salumi, cheeses and local wine). We will visit both Trisulti Monastery and the Abbey of Casa Mari on our way back to Veroli.
Casual dinner of pizza on the garden terrace of the monastery, with local house wine inclusive.
DAY THREE - TUESDAY
Walking excursion of Veroli’s fresh produce markets held once a week and a visit to a local pasta shop. Paolo will host a cooking demonstration and light lunch on our return to the Monastero di Sant Erasmo showcasing the fresh local and seasonal produce we’ve discovered in the markets that day. Optional artisanal silver-smithing workshop in the afternoon or free time.
Dinner at a local forest truffle restaurant (set menu with wine exclusive and at own purchase).
DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY
A guided art history tour of the frescoes of Subiaco Monastery [1 hour from Veroli] - 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 15th to 8th centuries as you descend. For lunch we will join the monks and pilgrims in the Refectory, house wine inclusive.
On the way back to Veroli 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!
Back home in Veroli, we will be hosting a very special Ciociarian fine-dining dinner in a private dining room (set menu with prosecco on arrival, additional wine own selection and at own purchase).
DAY FIVE - THURSDAY
A day trip to a nearby borgata (tiny family village) producing organic olive oil and wine. Lunch at a local trattoria, with local house wine inclusive.
On our return to Veroli you’ll have a free evening to make your own arrangements for dinner - choose from a range of local trattorias and small bars with terraces. We will help you decide on your preference and navigate menus and ordering.
DAY SIX - FRIDAY
Visit to Anagni [30 minutes from Veroli], once home to Roman Emperors such as Marcus Aurelius and several of the first Popes. 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.
We will be spending Friday evening in Paolo’s home village of Isola del Liri, a stunning valley village location with a waterfall in the centre of the Medieval centre. Relaxed dinner at a trattoria by the waterfall (wine exclusive), followed by gelato & bar hopping (also at own expense).
On Friday nights the main street of Isola del Liri is blocked to traffic to allow the entire village to promenade and collect in the middle of the street with their friends and visit the many little wine bars along the way. It’s a wonderful experience of living like a local.
DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY
Day trip to the Val di Comino (Comino Valley) for a wine-tasting experience at an organic vineyard reviving ancient indigenous vines, followed by a private long lunch at an 18th Century villa featuring local produce sourced direct from the Comino Valley, local wine inclusive.
DAY EIGHT - SUNDAY
Sparkling Breakfast in the Monastery garden and 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 can be catered for. No seafood is provided as the region is in the mountains. 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, vegan or allergies.
IMAGES ABOVE:
Scenes from Subiaco Monastery, Anagni Cathedral and Val Di Comino.
ITINERARY INCLUSIONS:
o Return transfers from Rome. All transfers within itinerary.
o All breakfast, lunches and dinners provided (excl. one free night)
o All day trips & museum entries, plus optional silversmithing workshop.
o Welcome Dinner @ local trattoria specialising in Ciociarian cuisine, house wine inclusive.
o Wine Tastings at organic vineyards.
o Farewell Lunch in private dining room of an 18th Century villa, local wine inclusive.
o Sparkling breakfast on departure.
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.
STAYING IN ROME:
We recommend staying in Rome for 1-2 days prior to joining us and perhaps another few days following the tour.
We can recommend staying at the Hotel Santa Maria in Trastevere - we personally love it and our guests have enjoyed it too.
You may also like:
The Hotel de Russie (between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps).
Forty Seven Boutique Hotel (near the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum).
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 September packages, 50% payment (less deposit) is required six months prior to your travel experience [March] with final full payment due three months prior [June].
More details on our terms & conditions will be provided on reservation.
YOUR HOSTS
Paolo & Kelly Picarazzi of award-winning Ciociarian locanda Antica Australis in regional New South Wales, Australia.
Named ‘one of the ten best regional restaurants in Australia worth travelling for’ by Travel + Luxury magazine in 2023, we have based our cultural dining approach on the many locandas of Ciociaria run by our dear friends - you will get to meet them all!
Antica Travel Co. is our cultural travel experience subsidiary of the Antica Australis cultural dining experience.
Paolo & Kelly
