Elaborately carved to showcase the glorious wealth that the age of exploration brought to the Portuguese empire.

The world's oldest bookshop still in operation.

Legacy of the earthquake that nearly wiped Lisbon off the face of the Earth.

A king's pet, a pope's gift, an artist's inspiration, and a tragic shipwreck.

A unique seaside cave where Aleister Crowley faked his own death.

This unreal Portuguese palace looks as though it's made from a pile of different castles.

This eccentrically decorated palace is replete with grottoes, fountains, tunnels, and caves.

One of the few standing Roman lighthouses and a labyrinth of tunnels are a couple of the secrets at this historic castle.

A small window on Via Piella offers a lovely and rare peek at Bologna's lost canals.

Renaissance hospital featuring a rotating door into which unwanted babies were dropped.

Walk through a fairytale in Tuscany.

The world's most active stratovolcano is almost always erupting.

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation.

France's most famous cemetery, with some of its most curious tombs.