This Arabesque Italian castle was built with a primitive, if ingenious, air-conditioning system.

The pristine waters crossing this forest form a hidden waterfall among the dense vegetation.

A fortified medieval basilica on the Caelian Hill preserves extraordinary frescoes and one of Rome's most beautiful hidden cloisters.

The city of Palestrina was built around this magnificent terraced sanctuary dedicated to the pagan goddess Fortuna.

This church carved into the rocks is full of enchanting stone statues.

One man's quest to fix his toilet unearthed over 5,000 artifacts spanning more than 2,000 years of history.

Geometry and mystery come together in an epic show of octagonal masonry.

This amazingly well-preserved villa just outside Pompeii boasts rare examples of ancient Roman paintings.

The abandoned ruins of a failed resort hide on this verdant, picture-perfect island.

A fairytale-like medieval church perched atop a rocky cliff on Italy's "Coast of the Gods."

Nestled in the hills of Tuscany are gorgeous, multicolored hot springs.

This seaside Italian village doesn't just look Escher-esque, it actually inspired the mind-bending artist.

This hydrochronometer was invented by a Dominican monk and is a prime feature in this garden.

Roman-era ships unearthed...

Southern Italy's spinning top village.

Overlooked amid the tourist bustle of Florence, this museum is dedicated to the craft of stone inlay.

A young Italian couple has been locked in an embrace for over 6,000 years.

Before there were doorbells this bronze ear was installed for visitors to announce their arrival.

People have been living in the cave houses on this Italian hillside since the Neolithic era.

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.

This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

An ancient artistic garden parlor full of hidden water wonders.

Romans built the world's tallest artificial waterfall in 271 BC.

A complex, nine-layer maze on the grounds of a Venetian doge's playground.