If you’re looking for an interesting place to visit on a day trip from Rome, none come more visually fascinating than Bomarzo Monster Park. Officially named Sacro Bosco (literally “Sacred Grove”), Bomarzo is a Mannerist garden that’s so bizarre, and perhaps even frightening, that it’s earned the nickname “Parco dei Mostri” – Park of the Monsters.

Situated just below the Castle of Orsini across a wooded valley in the heart of the Tuscia region, Bomarzo is packed full of monstrous sculptures and statues – all overgrown by surrounding vegetation – that make it a fantastical destination to whisk yourself to. And at just 90 kilometers (55 miles) from Rome, it’s an easy and wildly rewarding day trip.