The crumbling remains of a 19th-century textile factory.

This lake was sacred to the Sabine people who constructed a temple here on a floating island.

This deceiving white sand beach gets its brilliant hue from the chemical discharge of a nearby factory.

Legend says the only thing buried within this magnificent tomb was a dog.

This crystal clear water basin feeds the Lao river and powers a hydroelectric power plant.

This decaying complex from the early 1900s was once the site of massive iron and fluorite mines.

The ruins of this medieval castle overlook the lake of Piediluco in what was once a sacred forest.

Ever loyal to Roma, the small village of Albe in the Abruzzo region carried on until an earthquake did it in.

Turtles swim in a pond surrounding a classical temple in this lush park in Vicenza.

When occupying Nazi troops detonated a mine below, medieval frescoes were revealed in this small cliff-side hermitage.

Though they look like Hobbit houses, these semi-underground stone structures were built for winemaking.

This uniquely designed bridge served as the city gate for Comacchio.

The ruins of this medieval castle now stand as a monument against all wars.

This archaeological site built into a tuff outcrop is filled with rock dwellings, the ruins of a medieval castle, and a necropolis.

According to a local legend, this bridge was constructed by an astrologer with the help of the devil.

Climb the dead electric pylons of Messina.

A masterpiece of modern architecture that caused quite a stir in Paris, recreated in Bologna half a century later.

These unique "earth pyramid" clay columns can be found in ravines around the village of Tirolo.

According to Greek mythology, this natural spring is the home of a freshwater nymph.

This Roman amphitheatre was also the location of the first gladiator school.

This castle was once the home of one of the most powerful women of the Renaissance.

The home of a neoclassical master is now a shrine to his chosen art style.

The eerie ruins of this feudal fortress witnessed the execution of 60 conspirators in 1387.

Its look is severe, but its location, isolated on a hill in the middle of the countryside, is particularly scenic.