Originally envisioned by King Ludwig II to rival Versailles, Herrenchiemsee's "New Palace" remains half-gilded for lack of funds.

Unsurprisingly, Holland is home to one of the most magnificent flower gardens in the world.

Once a prosperous mining village, this tiny Taiwanese town is now overrun with cute cats.

The highest peak in Wales is said to be the final resting place of a giant killed by King Arthur.

The highest peak in all of England is plagued by dangerously fickle climate shifts.

This Balinese sea temple is thought to be guarded by the hundreds of monkeys that live around it.

High atop a Mexican rainforest mountain, this ancient pyramid once drew pilgrims countries away.

A 19th-century time capsule of travel, fiction, and historic texts still available to the public.

A jaw-dropping "megalibrary" that turns book-browsing into a geometric adventure.

The highest peak in Northern Ireland is topped with a stone tower and haunting burial mounds.

This old Estonian mine has been kept like a sprawling time capsule of the local shale industry.

The highest peak in the United Kingdom has a history of physics, specters, and a pilgrimage of strange objects.

This lovely little bridge hidden in a Switzerland gorge is essentially a fairytale.

This star-shaped military outpost is now simply trying to protect itself from neglect.

Once the private home of China’s most legendary tycoon, getting inside this stunning mansion no longer requires an elite pedigree or acts of daring.

This castle-fortress is a living example of the transition from medieval defenses to modern fortifications.

This Russian religious complex is a Frankenstein's chapel that includes influence from almost all the major faiths.

This logic-defying 16th-century Tudor manor still stands to the delight and astonishment of onlookers.

Hide from the tourist hordes in these relatively unknown, and unguarded lava caves.

Pull up and have a drink at a museum filled with hundreds of years worth of shipwreck artifacts.

Earth's tallest volcano is sacred to Native Hawaiians, and home to a dozen world-class observatories.

According to the local folklore, the myriad colors of this lake are the result of a lovelorn wizard's blunder.

Take a steam-powered ride straight out of the past on this Appalachian rail line.

Thanks to modern navigational tools we now know that the true prime meridian runs through a park next door.