Pofi: A pretty hill town rises from
the ashes of a volcano
During our 3 ½-year history of doing TraveLazio, we’ve delved into the history of each little town in Lazio. Never, however, have we gone so far as millions of years as we did in the town of Pofi. Perched on a hill and formed on what was an extinct volcano, Pofi sits 65 miles southeast of Rome.
Millions of years ago, giant mammoths roamed these grounds and you can see evidence in Pofi’s superb Museo Prehistorico. But modern Pofi still has its charm as its windy, narrow alleys comprise a medieval center. And piazzas throughout the town have terrific views of the surrounding countryside. Few tourists come here. It is a real Lazio gem.
Things to do
1 • Museo Preistorico Pietro Fedele. It has been around since 1959 and located just down the hill from the medieval center in a simple, undistinguished building. Inside it is rich with prehistoric history from the area. Highlights are mastodon tusks measuring 12 and seven feet long and bones dating back 3.2 million years. There’s a great drawing of a sample village during a prehistoric era and multiple charts showing the evolution of man. Most exhibits have Italian and English descriptions, but it’s open only on weekends.
Info: Via. S. Giorgio 28, 39-07-7538-0380/39-388-864-4122,
Museo Preistorico Pietro Fedele,
museopreistoricopofi@gmail.com,
10 a.m.-1 p.m., 3-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, €2.50.
2 • Centro Storico. Take the windy, stone road up from the parking lot that has a beautiful view of rural Lazio, including the village of Torice.
Go to Piazza del Municipio and enjoy some of Pofi’s most historic buildings. Collegita Santa Maria Maggiore is the church that has anchored the piazza since 1754 after 54 years of construction. The baptistery and central body resemble a Greek cross.
Across the narrow stone street is the long, stone Palazzo Colonna. Built in the 17th century, it was the home of Prince Filippo I Colonna. On the other side of the piazza is the Torre dell’Orologio, a clock tower from 1300. It stands 25 meters (82 feet) and made of local basalt stone. Inside the third level is a 14th century fresco of the Crucifixion. The clock still works but the tower is under refurbishment.
Then have a drink at Hostaria Santa Maria with outdoor seating and astounding views.
3. Il Florovivaismo di Pofi. The area around Pofi is lush with great soil and it is famous for its flowers. Flower pots hang from the walls all through Centro Storico.
On the last Sunday of every April, the town has a flower festival with floral and plant displays from local nurseries. The day-long festival includes live music, food stalls and other activities. The next festival will be April 25, 2027.
Ciociaria: The zone around Pofi infamous for brutal event
Ciociaria refers to the region in southeast Lazio centered around Frosinone, the area’s main town of 43,000 15 kilometers (nine miles) north of Pofi.
Ciociaria was an impoverished area and named for ciocie, a derogatory Roman dialect word for a poor shepherd’s shabby shoes. Benito Mussolini refurbished the area which still carries the Ciociaria name. It also carries a terrible legacy. On the day after the Battle for Rome, when Allied Forces launched four assaults on the Axis armies, Moroccan soldiers known as Gourmiers rampaged through the area raping women.
The victims were labeled marocchinate or “moroccaned.” The incident was made into a book called La Ciociara and also a 1960 movie starring Sophia Loren.
Where is it:
117 kilometers (65 miles) southeast of Rome.
How to get there: Train leaves Rome’s Termini station at 3:42 p.m. and stops at Castro dei Volsci.
Change to a Cotral train which arrives in Pofi at 6:29 p.m. cost is €18-29.
For more information:
Comune di Pofi, Piazza del Municipio 1, 39-07-7538-0013, protocollo@comune.pofi.fr.it.
Where to eat:
Borgosteria F.lli Fiorini, Via Cavour 29, 39-07-7538-0810, Borgosteria, 12:30-2:30 p.m., 7:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday, Tuesday; 7:30-10:30 p.m. Monday, Friday; 12:30-2:30 p.m. Sunday.
In a narrow alley deep in the heart of Centro Storico, this new restaurant is in a romantic setting. The outside courtyard in a garden is lined with wine bottles along a stone wall and a beautiful view beyond.
A creative menu with pastas starting at €13 and meats at €16. Try the ravioli ripieno di coniglio alla cacciatora (rabbit ravioli in a wine sauce). Ask to see the wine cellar inside lava walls. I paid €83 including wine and dessert.
