One of the oldest family businesses in Reykjavík serves lamb-based hot dogs.

Twisted girders are all that remain of an Icelandic bridge that was wiped out by a combination of volcanic heat and glacial floods.

The picturesque birthplace of Icelandic democracy is drenched in the blood of its brutal past.

Iceland's tribute to its thankless civil servants.

This fairytale-like structure is the last turf church ever constructed in Iceland.

This tiny museum's sizable collection is jammed into a former underground public toilet.

An encyclopedic collection of mammal penises.

One of the tallest buildings in Iceland, and perhaps, the most visually impressive.

Iceland's largest lagoon is home to stunning multi-colored icebergs.

If a glacial river suddenly diving into a sheer chasm via a dramatic, multi-stage waterfall isn't peak Iceland, it's certainly close.

This valley of hot springs and boiling mud pots is home to the record-holding "Geysir," which originated the English word.

An LED art installation composed of 600 poles wrapped in kimono fabric.

This museum showcases the art of ancient sword-making.

Gargoyle head that brings good luck.

The big toe of this towering monument to a Croatian national hero is worn from years of superstitious rubbing.

This picturesque monastery at the base of a cliff is a peaceful oasis open to all visitors.

Bridge that died in war and was resurected.

These historic defenses ensured the city within would survive hundreds of years of occupations, sieges, and invasions.

See how paper is made the old-fashioned way.

At this 16th-century monastery in rural Bulgaria, visitors can also spend the night.

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.

A magnificent, glittering building tucked into a tiny Bulgarian mountain town.

The remarkably well-preserved final resting place of a powerful ancient Thracian king.