Places crisscrass Wants to Go

This ancient monastery complex was transformed from an island to a peninsula when the lake was partially drained.

Pettah's beautiful floating market was once a stinky canal in a sketchy industrial area.

The railway carts travelers to central Athens's highest peak, which offers stunning vistas of the city.

A fantastical 13th-century fortification sandwiched by a modern hotel in central Brussels.

An outstanding piece of retro Sci-Fi architecture built into a sacred mountain.

Gnarled canopies of pink and purple wildflowers arch over the trail to the summit.

In Faroese legend, this sinister horse-shaped beast lures unsuspecting passersby only to drown them in the lake.

This historic little railroad runs through some of the most beautiful scenery in Germany.

This volcanic cave lake is essentially hard proof that Iceland is the most magical place on Earth.

This elegant arc of a waterfall marks a religious turning point.

Largest private bird collection in Iceland, formed from a tragic accident.

These ominous lava formations were said to be an entrance to the netherworld so of course they inspired a famous metal band.

A little-visited waterfall in an otherworldly landscape.

This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs down onto the beach.

A trash dump made beautiful by nature's power.

This narrow Ghent alleyway is an officially sanctioned street art tunnel.

Sculpture designed by Turkish artist and professor Mehmet Ali Uysal.

This abandoned Belgian fortress is purposefully being left to nature.

A marble Lucifer hides behind the pulpit of this Gothic cathedral.

Part modern art project, part traditional chapel, this see-through church is only substantial from the right angle.

The "stairway to heaven" lookout tower was built to resist weather, arson, and the laws of physics.

This Belgian theme park began as a refuge for bored church children and was closed down when a boy lost an arm.

A rare example of World War I trenches from the British front.

In an area where the remnants of WWI are discovered on a regular basis this preserved frontline trench may be the most amazing.