The skull of the patron saint of lovers lies in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin—maybe.

2300-year-old Roman road connecting the empire.

The only "Egyptian" pyramid in Europe and the legendary tomb of Remus.

The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient cult.

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.

Rome's semi-secret peephole vista is also a former Crusader stronghold.

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.

The doodles of a genius line the walls of a secret room under the Medici Chapel, where they were hidden for nearly 500 years.

Legend says this mysterious stone head belongs to a woman who was petrified by an alchemist.

A medieval weapon rumored to have been used by the brilliant poet himself.

This bronze boar's snout has been rubbed to a golden sheen by visitors seeking good fortune.

The middle finger of modernity.

A large grotto built in the 16th century amidst Florence's famous Boboli gardens.

Renaissance villa and gardens complete with a tormented colossus.

The only visible reminders of an elaborate engineering project that kept the tower from reaching the tipping point.

A massive natural rock arch gives the Tuscan mountain its own window to the sky.

The bomb-ravaged remains of of a colossal Neptune.

Five candy-colored villages on the Italian Riviera.

A sunken idol welcomes parishioners to Davy Jones' Locker.

These four fountains are said to have healing properties, with a glass of the 'miracle' water being given to Louis XII of France.

This cathedral hides a sculpted dog that determines your fate and an unexploded shell from World War II.

Milan's duomo is covered in beautiful carving including a curious "dinosaur-like" beast.