Antica Australis | Al Jazeera Al Hamra
Presenting as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival in the UAE this February 2025.
Antica Australis was established with an overarching vision to create a blueprint for contributing to the economic and social revival of heritage villages through an unparalleled destination dining experience.
Our concept is transferable to anywhere in the world with exceptional local produce. In 2025, we will be hosting pop-ups in the UAE & Italy. We hope you continue to follow us and join us in our favourite secret corners of the world!
“The dedication, passion, sustainable ideas, narrative and sophisticated slow-food culture...the whole experience was from another universe.” RAKART guest 2024
THANK YOU
Firstly, a huge thank you to our loyal Antica followers in Australia who supported us through five incredible years in regional Australia in the heritage village of Carcoar. We have made some truly genuine connections and friendships, much love to you all.
It was a wild five years in Carcoar though - bushfires, a global pandemic & lockdowns, mice plague (this was actually the worst bit…), international borders re-opening and half of Australia’s population hanging out in Europe for the last two years, a major health scare - and then to top it all off, a young bloke in a ute crashed into our beloved 1927 haberdashery store the night before our lease ran out and took out the entire front verandah.
Yes, we took it as a sign!
ANTICA X RAKART 2025
We are now heading to the UAE to present Antica Australis as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival. This is one of the most charming art festivals in the entire world, with no exaggeration. It has to be experienced to be believed.
Paolo presents an Italian/Emirati fusion menu for our festival events, inspired by the organic produce we have been given permission to source from the private farm of the Royal Palace. More details on the festival website - tickets are on sale soon.
ANTICA TRAVEL CO.
We have been blown away by the interest in joining us in Ciociaria for our off-the-beaten-path cultural travel adventures through Paolo’s home region, this is a dream come true for us!
We hosted our first exploratory tour this September with four amazing Antica guests, who helped us road-test the itinerary so we could make some tweaks. The revised itinerary with thanks to their feedback is a beauty! Take a look here »
Our two September 2025 travel dates are now fully booked, but we’ve had a last-minute cancellation due to illness for our 11-18 May 2025 Ciociarian cultural travel experience.
We have space for a couple to join us - if you jump in quick, you will win a free room upgrade to a Master Suite in a 19th century Belle Époque villa on its own floor with ensuite bathroom and access to a roof terrace.
Reservations are also now open for our May & September 2026 travel experiences.
» You can also follow the Antica Travel Journal on Substack for updates.
BESPOKE GOURMET CYCLE TOURS
This year we partnered with fellow Australian tour operator, Colin Bransgrove of Bespoke Cycle Tours to co-design and co-host Ciociaria’s first international groups of cycling tourists. It was wildly successful, and we will be hosting another group this September 2025.
“ITALIAN LIFESTYLE IMMERSION - I have been on a bicycle holiday in Italy five or six times before with various local providers. This Ciociaria experience was head and shoulders above any previous ones - and in this, I include the standard of the bikes, the quality of the eating and food experiences, the excursions, and the unheard of joy of hardly any tourists and very little traffic!” Louise Barretto, September 2024
The bespoke cycling itineraries have been designed for both keen and amateur cyclists, with touring and e-bikes available. Our cycling routes have been carefully planned for us by local cycling professionals to focus on quiet, country roads - with a focus on stopping at historic sites of interest and food & wine recharges!
Colin Bransgrove leads the cycling tours, with Italian cycling guides accompanying him and a support van is with our groups at all times for safety. We host the various culinary adventures of this tour and are with the groups at all times too.
Our Ciociaria Bespoke Gourmet Cycling tour groups stay in a 1,000 year old Monastery in the town of Veroli and a 16th century Palazzo in the mountaintop village of Atina to experience the countryside and mountains of two very distinct districts in Ciociaria. The itinerary also includes a guided hike through an ancient Ciociarian forest.
There are still a few places for the 7-14 September 2025 tour group if you’re quick - don’t miss out! Reservations close end of February.
Bookings are made direct with Bespoke Cycle Tours.
“Not all those who wander are lost.” J.R.R Tolkien
NEXT STOP CIOCIARIA!
We let our lease run out, we sold all our furniture and kitchen equipment, sold our lovely little VW Polo, gave away most of our possessions, and have packed two (relatively) small bags to emigrate to Italy! Yes, we are now on our way.
We have no idea of what we are doing, but we couldn’t resist it.
This is how Antica Australis in Carcoar began, it makes sense to continue the story.
…watch this space for a new potential iteration of Antica Australis | Ciociaria in the near future.
CHI CI AMA CI SEGUA [who loves us follows us]
We were asked recently how we planned to maintain the essence of our unique dining experience as we expand globally:
“Through a focus on the integrity of our concept - passionate slow food & local, organic and artisanal produce with vibrant storytelling. Delivered personally - we are our brand.”
Thanks so much for being part of the Antica journey.
Paolo & Kelly x
» Follow our Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival adventures on TikTok!