A chain of 16 wondrous lakes formed as a result of the gradual dissolution of soluble layers of bedrock.

A musical instrument played by the sea.

Where the lovelorn find a home for their sentimental keepsakes.

This Transylvanian church has changed its denomination four times.

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

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

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

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

Something's watching you.

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

One of the most controversial statues in Romania is an emperor with no clothes.

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

Romania's triumphal arch looks out over Bucharest.

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.

Sofia's legislative center is continuously reinventing itself.

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.

A striking symbol of the Bulgarian capital.

Bridge that died in war and was resurected.

The first mosque in the world to receive electricity.

Inat Kuća, or "House of Spite," is more than just an oddly named restaurant.

Oriental bazaar in the heart of Sarajevo.

The place where World War I began.