The Greek War of Independence was declared at this medieval Byzantine sanctuary.

This slumbering beast honors the Bavarian soldiers who died in Greece during a 19th-century typhoid outbreak.

Learn about the sweet, storied legacy of beekeeping in ancient Greece.

This medieval "painted village" is famous for its geometric facades.

A small island with shimmering pink sands, home to loggerhead turtles and rare plants.

The oldest olive tree in Greece has been bearing fruit for at least 2,000 years.

Seventeen oak trees sprout from the roof and walls of this tiny chapel without any visual evidence of roots.

The oldest cemetery of modern-day Athens blends the modern and ancient worlds.

A quirky bookstore hidden beneath a sea of whitewashed Greek villas.

A minotaur, a labyrinth, and a dubious restoration pull in visitors from around the world.

Perched on a spindly rock spire in a Greek archipelago, this lighthouse would make a perfect wizard's tower.

Hidden in a secluded Greek cove is a pristine beach marred only by the rusting smuggler's hulk stranded on its shores.

Monasteries on rock pillars, once accessible only by frayed ropes.

Replicas of Apollo's leonine stone guard cats still line a sacred row in Greece.

This black sand beach was crafted from volcanic explosions including the historic Minoan eruption.

A Bronze age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini might have been the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis.

One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters is still used today, but for less brutal events.

Croatia's towering concrete blossom grows from the site of a World War II concentration camp.

Croatia's "hairy stone" fortress is one of the most well preserved Istrian castles.

Longest fortress system anywhere in Europe.

This picturesque medieval monastery guards a small trove of historic treasures.

This Croatian fairytale castle is slowly falling apart thanks to years of neglect.

Humble beginnings for one of the world's most famous scientists.

The complex has been abandoned since the Croatian War of Independence, barring a stint as a set for 'Game of Thrones.'