This natural Icelandic fissure allows divers to swim right between two volatile tectonic plates.

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

This tumultuous Icelandic lava field looks so alien European researchers want to use it as a stand-in for Mars.

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

A sulfuric martian landscape that looks far better than it smells.

In Northeastern Iceland lies something of an oxymoron: a steaming desert.

Instead of solid circles, the stoplights in this northern Icelandic town have glowing red hearts.

One of the oldest family businesses in Reykjavík serves lamb-based hot dogs.

A monument dedicated to the civil uprisings that took place during the Pots and Pans Revolution.

An encyclopedic collection of mammal penises.

This stunning concert hall has become a symbol of Iceland's national recovery.

Iceland's tribute to its thankless civil servants.

This tiny museum's sizable collection is jammed into a former underground public toilet.

A whimsical European-style chateau that calls the coast of Chile home.

Built for the 1962 World Cup, this fully functioning botanical clock is still ticking.

This iconic hilltop church doubled as a lighthouse in the 19th century, guiding ships into the port of Valparaíso.

Pivotal home of Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda.

What was once a unique system of urban elevators is turning into a mechanical ruin.

This was once the center of the Birdman cult, and is now a World Heritage Site.

A volcanic crater that visitors can look inside.

The world's most remote airport.

The largest stone moai on Rapa Nui.

This large round boulder is said to emit spiritual power, but it may just be magnets.

An unusual and beautiful form of mass transit serves the city's steepest neighborhoods.