Places Rainer Heer Wants to Go

An abandoned 17th-century baroque hunting lodge with a wonderfully strange architectural plan.

This former fascist summer camp was abandoned for decades.

A rambling museum which honors the beauty in everyday objects.

A tree that defies gravity grows in an ancient ruin.

This medieval hilltop village was abandoned at the end of the 19th century, after existing for more than 500 years.

The bright red cars take travelers through breathtaking Tuscan scenery.

This church carved into the rocks is full of enchanting stone statues.

This precariously perched fortress was once ruled by a crow-worshipping baron.

One of the most well-preserved castles in Italy also contains a rare medieval example of a port fortification.

The world's largest bamboo labyrinth is a living demonstration of the plant’s immense potential.

This breathtaking monastery was established by Saint Benedict himself 1,500 years ago.

The mountaintop inspiration for Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose."

The abandoned ruins of a failed resort hide on this verdant, picture-perfect island.

A spiritual sanctuary in a natural cave.

A medieval fountain lined with 99 unique stone faces whose origins and meaning remain unknown.

A cave in southern Italy adorned with thousand-year-old Biblical frescoes existed in obscurity until fairly recently.

One man's quest to fix his toilet unearthed over 5,000 artifacts spanning more than 2,000 years of history.

Water and windows define this defensive Italian well.

A factory director designed what was the world's longest suspension footbridge in 1923 so his employees could get to work safely.

During World War II, the Shroud of Turin was secreted to this remote southern Italian complex.

Machismo turned on its head: the lady's hand goes to the dude with the bigger brain.

A stunning bridge that appears as if it's lunging to the shore, and has a legend of a devilish architect.

The sinister ruins of one of the worst dam failures of the 20th century lie in this astonishing alpine setting.

Crossing this suspension bridge feels like walking through the sky, a fitting tribute to the head of the Apollo program.