The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.

Turkish adventurer antiques in the heart of the Grand Bazaar.

This half-forgotten fortress was constructed by the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople.

The eclectic home of a leading Turkish architect is a gorgeous piece of eye candy.

This shuttered power plant is now Turkey's first industrial archaeology museum.

Climb a set of vertiginous stone steps to the top of this impressive ancient edifice.

A surprising and unconventional mosque hidden in the subsoil of Istanbul.

Have tea in a cemetery with a dazzling view of Istanbul.

It's believed that this small church was connected to the Hagia Sophia via a secret tunnel.

One of the newest mosques in a city filled with thousands.

An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.

The legendary luxury train passage is commemorated with a charming museum inside its former eastern terminus.

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.

This futuristic German spa allows visitors to float in a pool of salt water while zoning out to underwater techno.

The final resting place of one of the most influential modern occultists.

The longest hedge maze in the world.

A plaque bearing the names of those who dedicated themselves to protecting Budapest's Jewish population during World War II.

The only natural cave bath in all of Europe.

This off-beat, quirky communism-themed bar isn't afraid to poke fun at its history.

A collection of items from a way of life that no longer exists.

This memorial complex contains several mass graves for victims of the Siege of Leningrad.

The past, present, and future of Russia's signature alcohol is remembered in the world's only museum dedicated to the starchy spirit.

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

The graveyard is filled with beautiful funerary art and boasts breathtaking views of Florence.