An ancient Egyptian temple sits within a modern European museum.

A late-medieval Dutch castle with trick fountains in its whimsical water gardens.

Devious political maneuvering and four ancient, working telescopes are central to the world's second-oldest observatory.

Home to the world's oldest functioning orrery.

A true Valhalla for cactus and succulent lovers.

A luxury hotel housed in a former 15th century Gothic church.

Its town washed away centuries ago, this lonely tower by the sea tells the tale of a mermaid and a curse.

The tallest waterfall in the Netherlands is a lovely, stepped feature that is only 50 feet tall.

Tucked away in the Leiden city hall are a group of works by famed artist MC Escher.

This miniature take on the Kremlin is one Dutch man's retirement project.

A 'living museum' in Leiden, the oldest of its kind in the Netherlands.

The former home of a mad diplomat is said to still be marked in bloody, arcane scrawls.

The giant scales in this museum can still tell if someone is one of the devil's brides just by weight.

Hidden within a Netherlands crater is a stone bed that lets those who lie in it see the sky as a curved surface.

The attic of a four-century-old canal house hides a clandestine church.

Inspired by "The Starry Night" this Dutch bike path turns into a glowing work of art each night.

Established in 1638 to battle the Black Death, Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is a treasure trove of rare flora.

Peek through a transparent pyramid and drink in the mountain made of books.

A floating cat sanctuary on an Amsterdam canal.

The world's first zoo for microbes collecting the horrible and wonderful things living on and around us.

Cat art as far as the eye can see.

The world's only museum devoted to the wonders of fluorescence.

A replica of the decorated wooden pillars Viking sailors threw overboard when finding new places to establish a settlement.

This tiny cabin was home to one of Iceland's most famous painters and was the only land he ever owned.