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

This astonishingly geometric cave has inspired everyone from Jules Verne to Pink Floyd.

The most iconic structure in Scotland has been home to bishops, colonels, and Sean Connery characters.

This tiny getaway tucked away in an uninhabited Scottish valley isn't your ordinary teahouse.

The former home of Norway's greatest romantic composer.

St George's Leprosy Museum depicts the gruesome afflictions of those suffering from the disease.

A favorite with sightseers, this Norwegian funicular provides easy access to a stunning view of Bergen and its environs.

Stay overnight in the world's most sleekly designed rabbit hole, free of charge.

The burning of this 12th-century church kicked off a campaign of Norwegian Black Metal terror.

One of the most breathtaking railways in Europe also takes one of the steepest climbs, from fjord to mountain plateau.

This centuries-old hotel hides a network of secret cellars and passages once used by smugglers.

Every May, townspeople welcome summer with a bizarre pagan parade led by a man wrapped in garlands.

As part of an 800-year-old tradition, a man parades through town covered in a suit made out of spiky burrs.

The church and nearby castle are all that remains of a medieval village, mysteriously abandoned.

An intricately carved Viking church overlooks a glistening fjord.

A Viking-style brewpub named for a Norse sea giant, in the heart of fjord country.

Longest road tunnel in the world features an air treatment plant and the illusion of daylight.

This handsomely carved wooden church is more than 800 years old.

A microbiologist-chef is slinging noodles with hyperlocal Nordic ingredients.

Housing the famous Norwegian ice-defying 19th century polar exploration ship.

One man's exploration of the human form, including the bizarre and delightful "Man Attacked by Babies."

The first American department store, and home to the largest operating musical instrument in the world.

The design of this beautifully crafted building was inspired by Norwegian glaciers.

Across the Pacific in a raft, a museum dedicated to Thor Heyerdahl's now legendary expedition.