Places G Pike Wants to Go

Home of the first female Hungarian poet, where her secret writing lay hidden for over a century.

17th century palace once a meeting place for politicians.

Nine centuries-old fortresses guard the walls of this medieval Romanian city.

Gigantic Romanian salt mines used to heal respiratory conditions.

Check out engineering marvels of the past at this unintentionally retrofuturist museum.

A medieval church built up to defend its village.

A Romanian church built from one single oak.

The European towns of Brașov and Râșnov each have proud signs reminiscent of the Hollywood sign.

This communist behemoth is the heaviest building in the world and a legacy of a brutal regime.

One of the oldest churches in Romania is believed to have been built on the site of a pagan temple.

Even drowned in an ocean of toxic waste, the remnants of this Romanian village stand tall.

This snug medieval lane is one of the narrowest streets in the world.

Once an opulent Art Nouveau hotspot, the Constanța Casino is one of Romania's most beautiful abandoned buildings.

No one knows who built this strange cave of worship or exactly why.

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

A giant portrait of an ancient king looms over the river.

The legendary cliffside castle of three-time Voivode of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler.

The possible imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler here earned the medieval castle its nickname, "Dracula's Castle."

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.

Moss and stone turn this waterfall into an otherworldly liquid veil.

This massive underground salt mine now holds a sci-fi theme park in its depths.

This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.

These dilapidated planes are now a canvas for graffiti artists.

This 3,800-year-old site contains markers used to study the movement of the sun and moon and create a lunar calendar.