Tucked away in the lush forests of northern Lazio, just over an hour’s drive from Rome, lies one of Italy’s most unusual and intriguing destinations: Bomarzo Monster Park. Known in Italian as Parco dei Mostri (Park of the Monsters), this 16th-century garden is unlike any other—part dreamscape, part nightmare, and entirely unforgettable.

This isn't your typical Renaissance garden filled with symmetry and order. Instead, it’s a chaotic, magical labyrinth of gigantic stone monsters, mythological creatures, dragons, ogres, leaning houses, and mysterious inscriptions carved into stone.

Perhaps the most iconic sculpture in the park is the “Mouth of Hell”—a grotesque stone face with a gaping mouth that doubles as an open doorway. Above the entrance reads the eerie inscription: “Abandon all thought, ye who enter here,” a clear nod to Dante’s Divine Comedy. It was this statue in particular that sparked Teresa’s imagination and became the time-travel portal in her novel.

Bomarzo is a "must visit" - listen for all the details about this unusual Bom arzo Monster Park!

Tucked away just around the corner from the bustling Piazza Navona, in the heart of Rome, lies one of the city’s most magical and often overlooked gems: the Biblioteca Angelica. Founded in 1604, this remarkable library is one of Europe’s oldest public libraries, created with a revolutionary vision for its time—free and open access to books and knowledge, regardless of social standing or class. It was a bold idea, and one that continues to resonate today.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the Biblioteca Angelica is its collection of books that were once deemed heretical or forbidden. With special permission from the Pope, Rocca ensured that these banned books—many of which were listed in the infamous Index Librorum Prohibitorum—were included. These works included writings by controversial thinkers like Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei, whose revolutionary ideas put them at odds with the Church.

This is a captivating episode and a step into a magical, true hidden gem right in the bustling center of Rome!

The Glassmaker
Exploring Venice, Murano, and the Art of Glass Beads through Tracy Chevalier’s Vision

Venice, with its dreamy canals and labyrinthine streets, is a city steeped in timeless beauty. But nestled just a stone’s throw away is the island of Murano, a place with an equally rich legacy—one forged in fire, colored in precious minerals, and shaped by centuries of craftsmanship. It is here that Tracy Chevalier sets her luminous new historical novel, The Glassmaker.
As the host of the Flavor of Italy podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tracy Chevalier about her latest novel, The Glassmaker, which has captured the imagination of readers worldwide. From the shimmer of molten glass to the intricate art of bead-making, Chevalier’s novel is both a sweeping saga and an ode to a vanishing world of artistry. If you're fascinated by Italy, women's history, or the centuries-old tradition of Venetian glass, this story—and the story behind the story—is for you.