A downtown filled with nearly deserted historic buildings was revived as a pastel paradise.

A journey begins with a single step, and for many, the road-trip of a lifetime started at this Chicago intersection.

This historic Illinois "Muffler Man" has been converted from axe-touting lumberjack to rocket-wielding space ace.

While he no longer has an eatery to give him context, this off-brand Paul Bunyan still holds his giant hot dog with pride.

The strip club's VIP lounge is actually a rare repurposed Futuro House.

An oddities shop that dabbles in the deathly and beautiful.

These former theme park figures have a new lease on life outside a water plant-turned-restaurant.

Read a book with a glass of wine at this classically restored bar.

Catalonia Tradition: Beating the hollow Christmas log until it defecates in your fireplace.

A vista of the city and sea from atop the little-known viewing deck on an unassuming Columbus statue.

The studio of Catalonia's most famous theatrical designer remains exactly as he left it.

This former Baroque palace on the historic Calle Montcada is a rare architectural gem and was once the meeting place of an aristocratic scholarly society.

The 2,000-year-old Roman columns are hidden within Barcelona's Gothic Quarter.

Bask in the 19th century grandeur of an eccentric Freemason millionaire's private gardens.

This mansion oasis contains gardens, sculptures, and fountains just off the busy Plaça Kennedy in Sant Gervasi.

On the wall of this medieval walkway, a symbol of the Spanish Inquisition.

A beautiful little museum hidden away in the heart of Barcelona holds a treasure trove of Ancient Egyptian artifacts

This stunning iron gate designed by Modernist architect Antoni Gaudí is filled with mythic symbolism.

This historic hotel invented the chocolate brownie.

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

This holy goods emporium is where priests go for a little retail therapy to outfit their churches.