Places alessissimo Wants to Go

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

The last standing example of an ancient district's teatime tradition.

Stormy conditions send jets of seawater bursting through holes in the cliffs.

A network of concealed passageways lies within a busy London Underground station.

Local lore says a serpent-like beast lurks in the deep basin below the falls.

A familiar otherworldly creature guards this 12th-century Scottish abbey.

An eerie, little-known Neapolitan museum filled with preserved human remains.

An early work of the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, these swimming pools blend into the beach.

This Tuscan church contains a gallery of over 700 ex-votos depicting near-death experiences.

The romantic botanic tunnel feels like a well-kept secret.

The sinister ruins of one of the worst dam failures of the 20th century lie in this astonishing alpine setting.

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

The bizarre headgear looks like it was made for a fool, not a king.

A galaxy of glowworms—larvae of a gnat—hides deep in the belly of these caves.

This lavish room in a New York City mansion is a rare relic from the end of the Gilded Age.

Suffocating dogs was a common spectacle in the fumes of this noxious cave.

A Milanese café entirely designed by the American director Wes Anderson.

This magical space partly designed by Antoni Gaudi is one of the best examples of romantic gardening in the Mediterranean.

Stumbling upon this whimsical wooded garden is like stepping into an enchanted forest full of philosophical musings.

An abandoned Roman salami factory has found new life as an art space home to 200 squatters.

A stunning hermit's shrine on a steep rocky spur in Northern Italy.

Gorgeous views of Italian mountains and valleys form the backdrop of this unique open-air theater.

This curious building hides eclectic details like medieval gargoyles alongside naked angels and Art Nouveau mosaics.

This enchanting 600-year-old tree is so magical it inspired the beloved tale of Pinocchio.