Just 10 minutes from Villa Vacanze Valentina, hidden in an oak wood, lies one of the strangest and most fascinating gardens in Europe: the Parco dei Mostri (Monster Park) of Bomarzo, also known as the Sacro Bosco (Sacred Wood).
What to expect from your visit
The park is open all year round. The route is outdoors on uneven ground — comfortable trainers recommended. A visit takes 1.5-2 hours on average.
The story behind the park
Commissioned in the 16th century by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini as a way of working through his grief for his wife, the park remains an unsolved enigma to this day: giants, dragons, a mouth of Hell and a leaning house inhabit the wood in an unsettling silence.
Perfect for...
Families with children, couples looking for something different, photographers: every corner is a perfect composition of nature and 16th-century architecture.