One of seven Jewish catacombs in Rome and one of only two open to the public.

This medieval Italian town is a sheer (and beautiful) cliffside defense.

Eco-village hidden in the foothills of the Alps that created a massive system of psychedelic underground temples.

Filled with goldfish swimming in a shallow pool of sea water, this ancient crypt is more wishing well than burial site.

A Nesting Doll of Churches.

The martyr's wax-enhanced skeletal remains lie preserved in a glass case in the Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.

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

One of several skulls claiming to belong to the beheaded St. John the Baptist is on display at this Roman church.

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

Skulls from the plague of 1656 and World War II bombings are united by a cult dedicated to caring for the ancient dead.

This sword isn't waiting for a king to pull it out. It was placed there by a saint.

These "anatomical machines" are only one of the many strange items in this Italian crypt.

This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.

This domed temple was built in a hidden cave mouth as a refuge for sinners seeking absolution.

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

A collection of objects supposedly singed by the hands of souls in purgatory.

The once forbidden "secret cabinet" of erotic art from excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

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

This 16th-century monastery has been turned into a surrealist architecture compound.

The largest and most famous wax anatomical collection anywhere in the world.

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

An Italian hillside ghost town.

The engineering wonder and pleasure dome of a much-maligned emperor still holds undiscovered secrets.

As can be expected from a centuries old church built in a canal city, the undercroft of this house of worship is beautifully flooded.