The only museum with its curator—and her pets—buried inside.

Two stone columns flank the grand Venice square, but there were supposed to be three.

An extensive collection of reliquaries containing the bones of saints housed in the largest Catholic church in Venice.

Cave shrine on Monte Pellegrino.

The small peaceful island off the Venice tourist circuit is where the city began more than 1,500 years ago.

This strange bovine gargoyle is said to have been put in as a passive aggressive form of revenge.

People have been living in the cave houses on this Italian hillside since the Neolithic era.

This palatial spiral staircase was so unusual the name "snail" was given to the noble family who built it.

The "Greatest Sewer" of ancient Rome is one of the oldest sewer systems in the world, and is still in use.

Southern Italy's spinning top village.

The mummified relic of St. Antoninus.

This abandoned island off the Venetian coast has been a radical monastery, a political prison, and a secret Nazi base.

Renaissance hospital featuring a rotating door into which unwanted babies were dropped.

The Pope’s secret escape route.

More sculpture than building, this architecturally significant temple was built on the spot of Saint Peter's crucifixion.

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.

Ancient snack bar of the Roman Empire re-opened.

This winding road through an Italian canyon may be the most scenic drive in the world.

This Roman arch marks the location of an ancient gate at one of the Seven Hills of Rome.

A dismembered holy head stares out from her beautiful reliquary at the St. Dominic Basilica.

100 year tradition of fist fights, marked by marble footsteps.

Secret refuge and museum of the Duke of Florence.

This private skyway is filled with art and was expanded explicitly so that Hitler could appreciate a river.

This hidden Art Nouveau courtyard is an opulent feast for the eyes.