Garden Pilgrimage: Parco dei Mostri

An unconventional garden full of 500-year-old carved monster sculptures, plus more wildly eccentric Italian gardens for your summer travels

Commissioned in the 16th century by the duke Pier Francesco Orisini, the eccentric, macabre and utterly fantastical Gardens of Bomarzo—or Parco dei Mostri or Sacro Bosco or sometimes even Villa of Wonders—is the oldest sculpture park in Italy. 500 years! While it’s certainly no secret, it’s not exactly a conventional tourist attraction either. If you’ve never heard of it, buckle up, because it’s a real treat.