Beasts and branches swirl in sandstone carvings, interrupted by one strange creature.

Detailed sandstone carvings show an array of symbolism and adorable animals.

Replicas of fossils unearthed during renovation work reveal how this area would have looked millions of years ago.

A rare set of strings by famed instrument maker Antonio Stradivarius is on display in the Royal Palace.

The remains of the second-oldest zoo in Europe can be seen within these library gardens.

This species of wild goat stars in witchy legends and frolics among the park's eerie rock formations.

This lucky bronze frog was gifted to Madrid by a casino.

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

An early work of the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, these swimming pools blend into the beach.

The verdant mossy ruins of a Franciscan monastery lie in the remote Sintra hills awaiting exploration.

A small Portuguese cottage formed between boulders in the countryside.

This fairy-tale, neo-Gothic church in the Azores is a world of magical realism.

The medieval castle built as headquarters for the Pope's secretive Knights Templar.

This gaping hole in the middle of a remote mountain lake looks like a portal to another dimension.

Picturesque intersection of witchcraft and ancient Christianity.

The stunning interior of this Gothic church is covered in ornate gold details.

A submerged village appears when dam levels drop.

This small chapel is built of human bones and decorated with a golden skeleton.

This unreal Portuguese palace looks as though it's made from a pile of different castles.

Houses are tucked between, on, and underneath giant boulders.

This eccentrically decorated palace is replete with grottoes, fountains, tunnels, and caves.

The only urban monument in the world designed by the great surrealist painter Salvador Dalí.

One of the world's oldest universities houses an incredible collection of anatomical models, mummified body parts, and human bones.

A lush indoor jungle fills this bustling Madrid transportation hub.