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

An eccentric artist's abode in this small Italian town has been transformed into a surreal temple of mosaic madness.

Nestled in the heart of Milan is a real wunderkammer of morbid curiosities.

This entire town moved to a safe location after it was devastated by an earthquake, but the remains of the original town are still around.

A line of abandoned, alien-like fortresses dot the mountains of North Italy.

A madman's personal garden filled with 1,000 sculpted heads.

Crumbling ruins of the thermal baths that once attracted royals and aristocrats from throughout Europe.

A sulfuric hellscape in southern Italy.

These delicate sand pyramids look like naturally occurring gothic spires.

A stunning cemetery famous for its extraordinarily delicate & lifelike mourning sculptures.

This Italian dam is covered in salt-hungry goats who manage to scale its almost vertical face.

This winding road through an Italian canyon may be the most scenic drive in the world.

An Italian ghost town that fought obscurity, until a mysterious illness brought it to its knees.

Crossing this suspension bridge feels like walking through the sky, a fitting tribute to the head of the Apollo program.

This shining multicolored metro station deep under Naples is said to be the most beautiful in Europe.

An abandoned Roman salami factory has found new life as an art space home to 200 squatters.

This Italian foot path winds through the mountains via 52 individual tunnels.

Dug as a secret royal escape route, the tunnel became a wartime bomb shelter and dumping ground for vintage cars.

Medieval town turned hippie commune, once home to the secret foreskin of Jesus Christ.

Eco-village hidden in the foothills of the Alps that created a massive system of psychedelic underground temples.

Giant, pink stuffed rabbit on an Italian mountain.

Filled with goldfish swimming in a shallow pool of sea water, this ancient crypt is more wishing well than burial site.

Crushed coral and crystals give the sand its signature coloration.

This giant middle finger statue sends an unambiguous message to Italy's bankers.