Bomarzo

Take a regional bus from Viterbo railway station (check with the schedules). The bus route starts at the Riello /p.zza G.Bruno bus terminal, but the closest bus stop to the railway station is v.le Trieste /N.Sauro-Gorizia. A journey take about 1/2 hour. Alternatively the same bus but in the opposite direction could be caught at the Orte Scalo railway station.

Get off at the 🌍 via Cavour stop at a small roundabout at Bomarzo. Walk downhill 400 m northwards via to the historical centre of the village. At the tiny piazza Matteotti turn left a bit uphill into the village until you come to the back facade of the Palazzo Orsini next to a small parking lot.

From the Rome-Florence A1 Autostrada leave at Attigliano and follow signs to Bomarzo.

• 🌍 Sacro Bosco (Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo) (disregard a road sign at the entrance to the historic centre as there is a shortcut. Instead at the small parking lot next to the Palazzo Orsini take a pedestrian come-down. Descend downhill until you reach a small road which leads towards the park. For more detailed directions check with this Italian page). Apr-Aug 08:30-19:00; Sep-Mar 08:30-sunset. The Park of the Monsters is the main Bomarzo's attraction. It is also referred to as the Sacred Grove or Monsters' Grove. It contains many strange larger-than-life sculptures, sculpted in the large lumps of volcanic rock that littered the area. It was put together by Pier Francesco Orsini in the 1570s. The many monstrous statues have, in their time, entertained princes and princesses and provided inspiration for poets, novelists and painters, including Salvador Dali. There is even an opera called “Bomarzo”. Single €10, children (4 to 13 years) €8. (updated Nov 2016)

During the 19th century and into the 20th the garden became overgrown and neglected, but in the 1970s a program of restoration was carried out. The garden is today a major tourist attraction and is guaranteed to entertain children who may be getting a bit fed up with medieval hill towns.

Statues and fountains include Pegasus, Hannibal’s Elephants, an Orc, a dragon attacked by dogs, a turtle with a giant woman on its back, a two-tailed mermaid, a giant and Aphrodite, an ogre’s head as the “Mouth of Hell” and many more. There is also a strange little house which leans sharply to one side and is great fun to go inside. Carvings of acorns are all over the place, presumably a reference to the Della Rovere family that owned the local castle (Rovere meaning oak in Italian).

• 🌍 Palazzo Orsini. A big Renaissance palace dominates the old part of the village. It doesn't seem to be open to the public but it's worth a have a bit of a walk once you're there. (updated Nov 2016)