Places G Pike Wants to Go

Decorated with a staggering 1,380 ladybugs, the installation has turned what was once a grim, forgotten nickel mine into a landmark and a statement.

Climb into Albania's communist history while enjoying a spectacular ocean view.

In the heart of Tirana, this underground nuclear bunker has been transformed into a museum.

Gigantic water vessel, permanently grounded in Southern Albania.

A scenic UNESCO site that doubles as a habitat for various forms of wildlife.

This abandoned prison was so notorious that its name has become a metaphor throughout Albania.

Once a safe haven for locals engaged in blood feuds, this 400-year-old fortified tower is now a museum showing what life was like for those lying in wait within its walls.

According to a local legend, this old castle could only be built after a woman was immured in the walls.

The largest Roman amphitheater in the Balkans once held over 20,000 people, but managed to lay hidden for hundreds of years.

The elliptical citadel resisted the advance of the mighty Ottomans several times, thanks to the military prowess of the "Dragon of Albania."

Hundreds of thousands of concrete bunkers crowd Albania long after the fall of Communism.

This ominous Albanian fortress houses tanks and downed planes as a reminder of their victories over Western imperialism.

An Albanian monument to the Communism that nearly crushed the country is now a crumbling wreck.

A naturally beautiful, seemingly bottomless deep blue spring.

A medieval bridge stretches over a sulfur-rich river that leads to year-round natural hot springs.

A towering sword embedded in the ground commemorates the legendary Slavic ruler.

The inverted pyramid design of this station stands out amid Bratislava's urban landscape.

A cableway for car transport.

The largest fountain in Bratislava.

This Slovak bridge is known both for its connection to a national uprising and its UFO-shaped eatery.

Since 1999, this bakery has been turning out the dreamiest tortes in the Slovenian capital.

Deep underground, the rusting remains of a German water pumping station from World War II.

This former railway facility is the oldest in Slovenia, and now houses a museum showcasing the history of steam locomotives.

This was the second largest mercury mine in the world and one of the oldest preserved mine complexes in Europe.