Ranked as the smallest town in the Castelli, with a population of just 4,000, Colonna remains one of the most charming villages in the area, offering culture, nature, and history to its visitors. I was recently there for work, but I constantly found myself wandering off to explore the town—a testament to just how captivating it is.
Colonna features a Renaissance villa, Baroque churches, and a past that reaches back to ancient times. But perhaps the most striking—and certainly the most contemporary—element of the town is its collection of large murals and decorated shop shutters scattered throughout the streets, each one telling a piece of Colonna’s history and traditions in an outdoor art experience.
Via della Chiesa Vecchia “La Lavannara” (The Laundress) – a young girl wringing out a cloth, representing the many girls who once gathered with their mothers at Piano della Fontana to wash clothes.
“Il Muro dei Mestieri” (The Wall of Trades)
Top left is Gina ’A Scopina (Gina Iavicoli, 1922–2007), who used to sell fusaja—lupin beans wrapped in a paper cone- a few steps away from the mural. Below her is Ustacchiu (Eustachio Trivelli, 1903–1972), a shoemaker whose workshop was located on Via Cavour in the 1930s and ’40s. He later moved his business to the Maranella district, where he worked until 1955
“Le femmine della vigna ” (The women of the vines). The grape harvest.
In addition to this open-air gallery, Colonna offers many historic and cultural points of interest. One of the highlights is the Church of San Nicola di Bari, which houses a work by Carlo Maratta and frescoes by Duilio Cambellotti. There, I met the sweetest nun, who explained the frescoes and the restoration work carried out after World War II. Another must-see stop is Palazzo Colonna and its clock tower (currently undergoing restoration).
If you wanted to add nature to your visit, Colonna offers walking paths through vineyards, olive groves, and chestnut woods. Award-winning wineries can be found within the municipality and just outside its borders. I’m proud to know some of these wineries, such as Eredi dei Papi and Cifero to name a couple, as we are all members of Donne del Vino. Contact them for visits and tastings.
During my visit, Mayor Fausto Giuliani, an exceptionally cultured man, gifted me a copy of his book Colonna Ieri e Oggi (“Colonna Yesterday and Today”), a journey through 120 years of the town’s history, documented through photos, postcards and maps.
Colonna may be small, but it is rich in beauty and soul. A network of local businesses has created three easy-to-follow itineraries: cultural, murals, and nature, which you can explore either on your phone or by following the tourist signs around town. Visit this little gem for yourself—you’ll be surprised by how much it has to tell.