📍 Distance from Cà del Bocca: about 207 km, 2 hours 35 minutes by car to Caprarola
⏱️ Time needed: a full day (Caprarola to Bomarzo about 40 minutes)
🗺️ Where: Lazio, in the Tuscia area near Viterbo, at the foot of the Cimini Hills
Two 16th-century masterpieces just a few kilometres apart, perfect for a day trip. In Caprarola, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese had Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola build the magnificent pentagonal Palazzo Farnese, which towers over the whole town. In Bomarzo, Prince Pier Francesco “Vicino” Orsini created the Sacro Bosco (Sacred Grove), the famous Park of the Monsters: a wood filled with huge sculptures carved out of the rock.
What to see
Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola
- The Scala Regia, a spectacular frescoed spiral staircase.
- The circular courtyard at the heart of the pentagon.
- The frescoed rooms, including the famous Hall of the World Map (Sala del Mappamondo).
- The Renaissance gardens behind the palace.
The Sacred Grove of Bomarzo
- The Ogre’s Mouth, the giant face with its gaping mouth.
- The Leaning House, built tilted on purpose.
- The elephant, the dragon fighting lions and many other fantastic figures.
How to get there from Cà del Bocca
Caprarola is about 2 hours 35 minutes away, via Perugia and Terni: it is best to set off early. From Caprarola to Bomarzo it is about 31 km, 40 minutes. Both routes are shown below.
From Caprarola to Bomarzo
Tips for your visit
- Opening hours change with the seasons: check the official websites of Palazzo Farnese and the Sacro Bosco before you go.
- Visit Palazzo Farnese in the morning and the Park of the Monsters in the afternoon: the wood is shady and pleasant even in summer.
- Wear comfortable shoes at the Sacro Bosco: the paths are unpaved.
- Children love the Park of the Monsters.
Stay at Cà del Bocca, your base for day trips
Two self-contained apartments in the countryside of Anghiari, the ideal base for exploring Tuscany and Umbria.
