Nine centuries-old fortresses guard the walls of this medieval Romanian city.

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.

The European towns of Brașov and Râșnov each have proud signs reminiscent of the Hollywood sign.

A fire once nearly devoured this gorgeous 14th-century Gothic cathedral.

This snug medieval lane is one of the narrowest streets in the world.

A medieval church built up to defend its village.

The possible imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler here earned the medieval castle its nickname, "Dracula's Castle."

This African beach is home to thousands of rare mainland penguins that are known for their annoying voice.

This memorial to the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989 is often compared to a potato on a skewer.

The preserved arm of a third-century sorcerer is believed to have the power to lift curses and spells.

This communist behemoth is the heaviest building in the world and a legacy of a brutal regime.

The bust of Romania’s most notorious ruler, Vlad Dracula aka "Vlad the Impaler," keeps watch over the ruins of his medieval court.

This once-derelict building is now one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

Romania's triumphal arch looks out over Bucharest.

An abandoned saucer-shaped monument in the Bulgarian mountains.

Said to be the only museum in the world dedicated to the most classic of all blooms, the rose.

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

A mountain pass in Bulgaria's Balkan Mountains was the site of four historic battles.

Rebuilt several decades ago, its striking murals prevent it from being reconsecrated as a church.

Outstanding, eerie frescoes and decorations fill this 19th-century monastery.

An homage to the medieval rulers of Bulgaria.

A decaying, yet still functioning, work of communist architecture.

Ruins of an early Roman Christian church dating back to the 4th to 5th centuries.

This tiny Bulgarian town offers a stunning location in the mountains and a storied history.