Holiday apartment in Colonnata: Lardo, marble and the Apuan Alps

Holiday apartment in Colonnata: Lardo, marble and the Apuan Alps

Colonnata combines a distinctive culinary tradition with the history of marble and the landscape of the Parco Regionale delle Alpi Apuane. The geographical production area known as Colonnata for Lardo di Colonnata is a hamlet of the municipality of Carrara in the province of Massa-Carrara. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Colonnata, you can expect a destination where food, culture and mountain landscapes are closely intertwined.

A culinary tradition shaped by marble

In Colonnata, lardo is prepared with aromatic herbs and then aged for six to ten months in marble basins rubbed with garlic. Such marble basins for aging lardo can be found in the village; they date back to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The production and consumption of lardo, together with the culture associated with it, have always been closely linked to the work and lives of quarry workers.

At the Antica Larderia Mafalda lard workshop, an introductory visit includes a tour of a workshop and an explanation of the production processes. The Sagra del lardo is also part of the village's traditional festival culture: for many years, it was held in connection with the festival of Saint Bartholomew and attracted numerous visitors and enthusiasts from various parts of Italy and abroad.

Marble from Roman times to the present day

Colonnata's origins date back to Roman times, when a group of slaves settled there to extract marble. In the village of Fossacava, a large amphitheater-shaped quarry from the Roman period is still preserved today. The Fossacava archaeological site is located in Tarnone on the road to Colonnata.

QR code panels and a 3D video support a virtual tour of marble extraction in Fossacava, from Roman times to the present day. Those who would like to learn about modern-day extraction can also choose an approximately two-and-a-half-hour 4×4 tour operated by Toscana Tour Experience. It includes the Colonnata extraction area and allows visitors to visit several active open-pit and underground quarries.

Hiking in the landscape of the Apuan Alps

From Colonnata, hiking trails lead to the panoramas of the Apuan Alps. The village is situated in the distinctive landscape of the Parco Regionale delle Alpi Apuane, which protects landscapes and biodiversity of particular beauty and quality there. This allows you to spend your days between marble and lardo culture and experiences in the mountain landscape.

The right holiday apartment for your travel plans

When choosing a holiday apartment in Colonnata, you can focus on the themes you want to shape your stay. The Antica Larderia Mafalda workshop and the lardo tradition are ideal for a culture-focused stay centered on food. Fossacava, the Roman history of marble and the 4×4 tour offer different points of focus, while the hiking trails and panoramas of the Apuan Alps turn your attention to the landscape. This allows you to take different ideas for each day into account when planning your trip, without the accommodation itself having to be tied to a specific experience.

For further regional orientation, you can also explore Tresana, Fosdinovo, Aulla, Comano, Mulazzo, Arpiola-pianturcano, Corlaga and Podenzana.

For the broader travel overview: Massa-Carrara.