Bomarzo Caprarola and Calcata

Pick up at your hotel at 9:00am and drive to the northern side of Rome. First stop will be Bomarzo (about a 1 hour drive) were you can visit the “Monster Park”. This garden is an extraordinary sight. With its strange, disturbing sculptures (taken from Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso) it was created by Vicino Orsini, Duke of Bomarzo, to rival Caprarola and the Villa Lante.

Afterward, continue to Caprarola where you can visit the famous Palazzo Farnese. Initially intended to be a fortress by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, its construction started in 1525, and was later transformed by Vignola into a magnificent palace. Antonio Tempesti, Giovanni Il Vecchio, Giovanni Antonio Da Varese, Raffaellino da Reggio, Giacomo Del Duca and Jacopo Bertoia worked to realize this magnificent summer residence.

Two bridges connect the palace to the immense Italian Garden and to the park on the back side of the palace. The Summer and Winter gardens encircle the Palace. Fountains, grottos, nymphaea, and numerous statues enrich the way between hedges and large staircases.

Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

On the way back to Rome, stop at Calcata. This very old village, once an outstanding center of the Faliscans, is now one of the best kept, picturesque towns in the region.

Return to Rome at around 05:00pm.

This tour length is 8 hours in total and is conducted by an English-speaking driver/guide that will not enter sites but drive you around and show you places, pointing out things while explaining what they are, as well as stopping at the places which require a visit and helping you access them.