Ciociaria - in the Wild Heart of Italy™

The Valle di Comino area of Ciociaria is renowned for its organic and biodynamic farms & vineyards, and for its’ Transhumance practices of husbanding flocks of sheep & goats and small cattle herds up in the mountain meadows of the Apennines during the summer months. This is a thousands of years old tradition, deeply connected to the ancient Sanniti [Samnite] civilisation of the Bronze Age and still vibrantly practiced today.

Our hand-crafted May itinerary focuses on complete immersion in the Valle di Comino of Ciociaria during Springtime, as well as a unique day trip to the neighbouring region of Molise, which was intertwined with this part of Ciociaria during the Bronze Age.

You’ll be staying in an ancient Ciociarian hilltop village overlooking the Valle di Comino. We stay in the same place, in the same village for the entire duration of this immersive slow travel experience, to provide you with an experience of ‘living like a local’ with plenty of free time to enjoy nature walks and aperitivi evenings in the village piazza.

Home for the week is an 18th century aristocratic Palazzo, hosted by the descendents of the noble family who built it in the 1700s. You will be living in a spacious Junior Suite with its own marble bathroom, enjoying breakfast daily on a private garden terrace overlooking the Valle di Comino.

We spend the first two days of our journey together in our home village and valley to share an understanding of the incredible layers of history we are standing on before we venture out further to explore. The Valle di Comino is a fascinating time capsule of history brought to life - we dive in from the Bronze Age and the conquering of the valley by the ancient Romans in 300 BC, on to Medieval times and the Risorgimento during the 1850s unification period of Italy.

We will be taking you off the beaten path and into the extraordinary, providing you with intimate access to the local producers, vignerons, shepherds, artisans and culinary creatives who make the Valle di Comino magic shine.

You will be meeting the people who bring their connection-to-place vividly to life through their heritage and personal experiences. We provide live translation as they share their stories with you in their own local dialects. It’s a unique behind-the-scenes opportunity to discover the charm of Ciociarians: their generosity, naturally warm hospitality and infectious sense of humour.

Highlights of our 8-day/7-night May itinerary include two day trips and a specially curated event for our guests. Pick up and return from Rome at a designated hotel 15 minutes from the centre of Rome and close to Fiumicino airport is included in your Experience Package.

MAY ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS:

+ iconic Ciociarian dining experiences - from traditional to contemporary and fine-dining.

+ a guided archeological tour to uncover the Sanniti [Samnite] and ancient Roman origins of our home village.

+ learning to make ricotta cheese with a Ciociarian shepherdess on a local family farm.

+ meeting the last cioce-maker of the Valle di Comino [artisanal traditional footwear of Ciociaria]

+ wine tasting experiences at local organic & biodynmaic vineyards specialising in reviving indigenous varietals.

+ a long table Ciociarian wild dining experience in a 19th century farmhouse villa.

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PLUS:

DAY TRIP: to a stunning clifftop Benedictine Monastery, covered in floor-to-ceiling frescoes from the 15th to 8th centuries. Includes a lunch in the refectory with fellow pilgrims.

DAY TRIP: to the neighbouring region of Molise, including exploring a little-known Sanniti archeological site in Molise with one of Italy’s leading experts, meeting one of the last coppersmiths of the ancient city of Agnone, and for complete contrast - a contemporary aperitivi tasting lunch in a design bottega.

CURATED EVENT: a Cooking Experience with a Fine-Dining Chef in a 500 year old farmhouse on a vineyard, learning how to prepare dishes for a Ciociarian aristocratic picnic. Chefs Table Lunch, followed by a tour of the organic vineyard & winery and wine-tasting experience.

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PLUS MUCH MORE!

More detailed itinerary highlights provided to those who request to join our Priority List, with no obligation to book.

CHARMING CIOCIARIA:

Say it with us: <CHO-SHA-RIA>

It means ‘The Land of the Cioce Wearers’. It’s not even this hidden region’s real name, that’s been lost in the mists of time. Hidden within the greater Lazio region that surrounds Rome, for thousands of years the borders of Ciociaria have existed in the hearts, minds and souls of Ciociarians. A people proudly descended from some of the original Italic tribes of central Italy - the Ernici & the Volscii, who settled what is now known as Ciociaria. Cioce are handmade leather footwear which were worn by shepherds and villagers in the hilltop villages and mountain meadows of this part of Lazio up until the early 20th century. At the point of the Apennines a natural border forms with Ciociaria between the neighbouring regions of Abruzzo and Molise. It became the National Park of Lazio, Abruzzo & Molise in the 1920s - but up here is where the first concept of a united nation of Italic tribes under the name ITALIA first formed over 3,000 years ago, as 12 Italic tribes throughout central Italy joined forces to defend their treasured land against the invading ancient Romans. In 300 BC they lost, but their spirit lives on. This is the story we share when you travel with us through the Wild Heart of Italy™ - the ‘hidden’ regions of Ciociaria & Molise.

Limited Departures for 2027

We operate only a small number of Antica cultural travel adventures each year to maintain the integrity of the experience and our local relationships within each region.

Most of our journeys are filled early through our Priority Lists and via recommendations from prior guests.

We open reservations approx. 12 months in advance to accommodate this.

RESERVATIONS:

Our Priority List receive advance notification of limited places opening on our micro-group travel experiences. Once reservations open, an AUD$1,000 non-refundable [but fully transferable] deposit is required to secure your place.