Trisulti church, near Collepardo

Collepardo is a small commune and town located in the Lazzio region in Italy in the province of Frosinone. The town is located close to Rome and Frosinone. The area of Collepardo is 25 sq. km and the population is close to 950.

Collepardo is not really a tourist destination; however, several people who visit Rome and Frosinone come to Collepardo as a day excursion. The economy of the town is based on agriculture and production of olive oil. The locals in town have a laid back lifestyle and the village like atmosphere is what attracts many people to Collepardo.

Getting to Collepardo

Collepardo is located quite close to Rome and Frosinone. Visitors can get a bus to Collepardo from either of these cities from the main bus stations. Buses generally leave for Collepardo every few hours and the tickets are available at the station. Collepado is also well connected to the other smaller towns in the province through the state buses. The easiest way is to drive down to Collepardo from Rome or from Frosinone, the drive only takes close to an hour to reach the town. The road leading up to the town is quite scenic so driving down is convenient as well as enjoyable.

Moving Around the Town

Collepardo

Collepardo is a very small town; there are only a few places to visit, which are all concentrated close to the historic center of the town. Those who have their own cars can easily drive around the town. Exploring the town on foot is also quite convenient and easy since the streets here are very traffic free. The local buses in Collepardo cover the main quarters of the town and connect it to the neighboring towns of Alatri and Fiuggi as well as to Frosinone so visitors can travel by these buses too.

Attractions in Collepardo

The Monastery of San Dominico and San Nicola

The monastery is located close to the charterhouse Trisulti. The ancient monastery was founded by San Dominico in 996 and is one of the oldest in the region. On the opposite side of the valley is the monastery of San Nicola which was also founded around the same time by San Dominica. The latter was used to house a community of women in the monastery. The monasteries have been destroyed since years; however, the ruins can be visited by tourists.

Shrine of Cese

Certosa of Trisulti

The shrine of Cese is located close to the monastery and is dedicated to Our Lady of Cese. The small shrine is located inside a beautiful Grotto at a picturesque location overlooking the mountains and valleys. The shrine has been beautifully maintained. It has a plain and a simple façade and the interiors are also kept elegant and understated.

Certosa Trisulti

Certosa Trisulti is a very famous and a large monastery located amidst lush forests and is a National Monument. The old monastery was founded in 1204 by Pope Innocent III and is one of the most interesting places to visit in Collepardo. Inside the monastery is a beautiful church which has been decorated with several precious art works collected over the centuries. There is also an old pharmacy inside the monastery which had been used in the 13th and the 14th century. The monastery also has an old State library which has a collection of more than 25,000 books and volumes as well as some rare documents.

Botonical Garden

The botanical garden of Collepardo is being maintained by WWF. The garden has a large collection of wild plants, flora and fauna of the Emici Mountain. It also has several rare species of plants and trees, most of which are being protected from extinction.

Museum Delle Erbe

Collepardo

Museum Delle Erbe is the museum of herbs. The museum is one of the few museums in the world in this genre. It has a large collection of medicinal herbs, equipments, tools and processing methods that have been used for extracting herbs. There is also a lot of information on the different types of herbs grown in this region and their uses and medicinal properties. For those who are interested in nature, the museum would be quite an interesting place to visit.

Stay and Accommodation

Collepardo is a very small town, so there are only a few hotels and bed & breakfasts. Because of its proximity to Frosinone and Rome, most people prefer to stay there and come to Collepardo only as a day excursion. There are a few hotels and bed & breakfasts in Collepardo and one camp site where visitors can rent tents and sleeping bags. The two most well known bed & breakfasts in Collepardo are Maison Dina and Grandpa's House Fernando. Other than these, there are a few old villas and homes where the locals rent out rooms to tourists occasionally.

Eating in Collepardo

There are very few restaurants and pizzerias in Collepardo, most of which are family run. The restaurants in town are quite small and have a relaxed family like atmosphere. The food served is mostly Italian and typical regional dishes that the locals like to eat. Most restaurants would serve good quality wine and use fresh local ingredients and cheeses. Some of the well known places in Collepado that are popular among the locals are Capofiume, Certosa, By Vittorio, the squirrel and Pizzeria Da Paolo. Other than these, there are a few bars in town where light appetizers are available.

Shopping in Collepardo

There are not many places in Collepardo where visitors can shop. The shops and old markets in town are mainly where the locals do all their shopping. The weekly markets in town are the best places to find some good locally made products like wooden artifacts, sculptures, some old antiques, jewelry and other items. Visitors who come to Collepardo can visit some of the shops in the historic center of the town to find something to purchase. Mainly, visitors prefer to purchase olive oil bottles from Collepardo since there are several different varieties of olive oil available here.