A treasure trove of Renaissance-era funerary art in a Roman church built on top of Nero's grave.

The first Russian Orthodox church in the Catholic city of Rome in almost a thousand years.

Beautiful views and Roman-style statues on the Italian coast.

A beautifully well-preserved ancient Roman villa.

Take a giant yellow bird cage to the top of Elba's highest mountain.

This one-of-a-kind archeological site is home to strange prehistoric ruins, the original use of which is still a mystery.

One of Catholicism's four major basilicas has a series of papal portraits that are said to predict the end of the world.

A modern sliver of architecture in Roma.

The odd depiction of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus is rooted in the Catholic Church's eradication of Catharism.

One of the oldest churches in Romania is believed to have been built on the site of a pagan temple.

This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.

This solitary monastery may hold the remains of Vlad the Impaler (but probably not).

The legendary cliffside castle of three-time Voivode of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler.

A small town Romanian cemetery filled with darkly humorous gravestones.

This massive underground salt mine now holds a sci-fi theme park in its depths.

This abandoned Croatian stronghold never saw a great deal of conflict but it is still a beloved relic nonetheless.

An eclectic art form practiced by untrained masters is celebrated at this museum in the heart of Zagreb's old Upper Town.

An ancient knight and a symbol of the city's freedom.

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

Longest fortress system anywhere in Europe.

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

A musical instrument played by the sea.

The first botanical garden, a feather in the cap of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

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