This palatial spiral staircase was so unusual the name "snail" was given to the noble family who built it.

100 year tradition of fist fights, marked by marble footsteps.

This winding road through an Italian canyon may be the most scenic drive in the world.

This bronze boar's snout has been rubbed to a golden sheen by visitors seeking good fortune.

A sunken idol welcomes parishioners to Davy Jones' Locker.

Virgil's many-mouthed gateway to the underworld.

The location of the last witch trials of Italy, known as "The Salem of Europe."

David Sedaris called it "The greatest shop in the world."

Pilgrimage site for star-crossed lovers.

The abandoned "Ghost Mansion" was left to decay in the mountains of Northern Italy.

This giant middle finger statue sends an unambiguous message to Italy's bankers.

This enchanting 600-year-old tree is so magical it inspired the beloved tale of Pinocchio.

This quaint Italian town keeps losing ground as the sides of its plateau slowly erode.

Over 50 exquisite hand-painted Renaissance maps decorate a Medici storage room.

Five candy-colored villages on the Italian Riviera.

The skull of the patron saint of lovers lies in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin—maybe.

An ossuary built in 1210 to collect bones from the Ospedale Maggiore of Milan.

The doodles of a genius line the walls of a secret room under the Medici Chapel, where they were hidden for nearly 500 years.

Sitting on an Italian hilltop is this surreal fortress built by the mad inventor of electrohomeopathy.

A large grotto built in the 16th century amidst Florence's famous Boboli gardens.

Hidden in an Italian forest is a completely homemade amusement park that has taken a lifetime to create.

The glowing blue Nymphaeum of Emperor Tiberius.

According to the local folklore, the myriad colors of this lake are the result of a lovelorn wizard's blunder.

Geothermal waterfalls in Tuscany.