A short guide to exploring seven charming hilltop towns and villages in Italy's central Lazio region and how to get there on day trips from Rome.

Bomarzo

This mediaeval town in north Lazio is best known for its fantastical Parco dei Mostri or “park of monsters”. Designed by Renaissance architect Pirro Ligorio with the aim of astonishing visitors, this wondrous park features grotesque mythological sculptures and fountains, including the gaping Orcus, Hannibal's elephant, Pegasus the winged horse and a disorientating leaning house.