Located in the province of Frosinone, about 60 kilometres from Rome, the village of Paliano is a place of remarkable fusion between architecture and nature, overlooking the Sacco Valley at the foothills of the Prenestini and Ernici Mountains.
It was in the 17th century that the village experienced its period of maximum splendor, marked by the construction of the Ducal Palace and the Collegiate Church of Sant’Andrea, the burial place of the Colonna family.
Of the same period is also the Fortress that dominates the entire valley of the Sacco River, serving as a high-security prison today.
The village still has a well-preserved defensive wall with three entry gates and offers a Museum Route that allows visitors to appreciate the historical events of this town.
Palazzo Colonna, completed around 1666 under Cardinal-Prince Gerolamo, is of particular interest.
Interesting are the Museum of Weapons, a flagship galley from 1571, the Torture Room, the Wine Museum, and the Exhibition of Banners.
La Selva Nature Reserve is a botanical and ornithological oasis created and founded by Prince Antonello Ruffo of Calabria.
A typical dish of Paliano is “pataccaccia,” a pasta made with water and flour in the classic form of maltagliato, and the long gnocco, also known as “co’ra de soreca.”
Other specialties include pancotto, castrato alla tedesca (German-style lamb), spelt with pork rind, honey mustard, panunto (a type of bread), acqua cotta (cooked water), stortini (a type of pastry), yellow brick pizza with chicory and herbs, syrup-soaked donuts, and Christmas gingerbread.