The Cathedral of Salamanca has a number of unusual carvings but none so surprising as a modern astronaut.

The iconic boulevard is the perfect place to catch sight of a bicycling skeleton, a levitating Satan, or a chef with his head stuck in a pizza.

A vista of the city and sea from atop the little-known viewing deck on an unassuming Columbus statue.

The 2,000-year-old Roman columns are hidden within Barcelona's Gothic Quarter.

Spain's unique Mosque-Cathedral has been a place of worship for both Muslims and Christians throughout its history.

Spain's stunning solar energy plant.

The final resting place of the great navigator, or maybe his brother.

Construction of Barcelona's iconic (but controversial) church is expected to be completed in 2026—a century after the death of its architect.

This macabre masterpiece of a mural is one of Francisco Goya's "Black Paintings."

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

An ancient Viking village in North America that predates Columbus by 500 years.

Akureyri is home to an oversized can of one of Iceland's favourite beers.

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

This stunning concert hall has become a symbol of Iceland's national recovery.

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

These ominous lava formations were said to be an entrance to the netherworld so of course they inspired a famous metal band.

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

The most powerful waterfall in all of Europe.

This elegant arc of a waterfall marks a religious turning point.

Richard III supposedly disposed of his nephews' bodies here in an effort to seal his claim to the throne.

A 300-year-old tea shop that brought tea to the English people, not to mention the Queen herself.

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.