Ruined 11th century abbey built by King David I in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Overlooked by many, the two famous Scottish warriors guard the main gate of Edinburgh Castle.

This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.

The most loyal of little dogs, or a Victorian era publicity stunt?

Touching this 18th-century Scottish philosopher’s toe allegedly conjures good fortune.

A strange rock with a sinister reputation lurks within the crimson waters of this Scottish glen.

Largest lake in Great Britain measured by surface area.

This astonishingly geometric cave has inspired everyone from Jules Verne to Pink Floyd.

A small island abbey is the final resting place of many medieval Scottish monarchs, including the real Macbeth.

A wunderkammer of gold and silver reliquaries and ancient saintly bones.

The most iconic structure in Scotland has been home to bishops, colonels, and Sean Connery characters.

Macabre astrological automaton clock dating to the late 1400s.

A copy of the famous statue can be found in this Florence piazza, along with one of the most breathtaking views of the city below.

The middle finger of modernity.

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

A chain of 16 wondrous lakes formed as a result of the gradual dissolution of soluble layers of bedrock.

Four-story slides send people whizzing through the math department at this Munich university.

The taxidermy remains of the first brown bear to enter Germany in 170 years.

A small square plaque marks a failed assassination attempt that could have changed history.

This century-old cinema house has a marquee that has been hand painted by a single man for over 25 years.

King Ludwig I's collection of beautiful women.

The ruins of this gorgeous clifftop castle look like something from a fantasy novel.

The heads of two giant mythological water horses honor Scotland's horselord past.

One of Amsterdam's narrowest houses is located right across the canal from its widest.