Places laurathexplorer Wants to Go

The healing properties of this well attracted royals and commoners throughout the Middle Ages.

The colorful stairs are made with marble from the world's major quarries.

These steps offer a breathtaking view of one of Europe's most besieged fortresses.

The U.K.'s first underground railway line is now a lively thoroughfare for runners and cyclists.

The tomb of one of Scotland's bloody historic villains is a magnet for bumbling desecrators.

This king penguin is a knighted brigadier of the Norwegian Army.

Every birth, death, and marriage is recorded in these color-coded leather-bound books.

Sprawled across the Great Hall ceiling are various constellations and images relating to the zodiac.

Overlooked by many, the two famous Scottish warriors guard the main gate of Edinburgh Castle.

A verdant 17th-century-style garden hidden along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

A beautiful Greco-Roman structure houses a well once believed to have healing powers.

An American ghost town hides along a side street in Scotland's capital.

Summer in Scotland begins with a spectacularly wild and colorful event rooted in ancient pagan traditions.

Near the former site of numerous witch burnings, this lavish Edinburgh mainstay pays homage to Scotland's brutal history.

Accessible only at low tide, the deserted island is dotted with World War II ruins.

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.

These tiny effigies are believed to represent victims of Edinburgh’s notorious Anatomy Murders.

This series of Scottish caves has no clear purpose other than baffling historians.

One of the oldest scientific gardens in Britain, containing more than 13,302 plant species in its core collection.

The fountain marks the area where hundreds of accused witches were burned at the stake.

Ruined 11th century abbey built by King David I in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Two standing giants remain as a tribute to Luxembourg's metallurgical past.

This Luxembourg cave is covered in cryptic looking marks left by mining activity.

An expansive complex of subterranean tunnels is all that remains of one of Europe's most formidable medieval fortresses.