The burning of this 12th-century church kicked off a campaign of Norwegian Black Metal terror.

An intricately carved Viking church overlooks a glistening fjord.

Home to three historic ships from the age of Vikings.

A serpentine highway twists and turns over the treacherous Norwegian Sea.

A tiny church on a man-made island in the Adriatic.

A curious cave church carved into the face of a cliff.

These historic defenses ensured the city within would survive hundreds of years of occupations, sieges, and invasions.

A curious little museum dedicated to the furry feline in the cat haven that is Old Town Kotor.

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

This celebration of Latvia’s freedom and independence avoided demolition over half a century of Soviet occupation.

This charming Latvian lane doubled as Baker Street on the Soviet Union’s version of Sherlock Holmes.

The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

Flamboyant architecture from the turn of 20th century.

Lithuania's outdoor sculpture trail of wooden folk art.

Open-air museum with a large collection of Soviet-era statues.

This micro-nation may be some sort of prank, but its constitution sure seems official.

A narrow strip of land is home to the tallest migrating dunes in Europe.

An old hill fort covered in over 100,000 crosses is a symbol of Lithuanian nationalism and beliefs.

Twisted girders are all that remain of an Icelandic bridge that was wiped out by a combination of volcanic heat and glacial floods.

The picturesque birthplace of Icelandic democracy is drenched in the blood of its brutal past.

Three columns of volcanic rock shoot out of the ocean.

If a glacial river suddenly diving into a sheer chasm via a dramatic, multi-stage waterfall isn't peak Iceland, it's certainly close.

This valley of hot springs and boiling mud pots is home to the record-holding "Geysir," which originated the English word.

Walk in the footsteps of the gods and straddle two tectonic plates.