See how paper is made the old-fashioned way.

Depending on the region's rainfall, this church may be partially submerged.

St. John the Baptist's forearm is housed in this remote 11th-century monastery.

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.

One of the world's oldest olive trees, thought to be over 2,000 years old.

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

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

A temple dedicated to the 13th-century Alevi Turkish dervish credited with bringing Islam to the Balkans.

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

In this town's main square resides a statue of none other than the 43rd President of the United States.

A museum dedicated to secret surveillance.

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

What happens when you cross a mayor and a painter?

Bronzes and busts that once stood in the city's main squares are now relegated to a small hidden courtyard.

Once the fallout shelter of a dictator, this sprawling bunker is now a combined history museum and contemporary art gallery.

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.

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

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

This beautifully preserved Ottoman house is steeped in history.

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

Nestled at the southern end of the Bay of Vlore in Albania resides ruins that contain Illyrian, Greek, and Roman influences.

One of 200 religious buildings recognized as a “culture monument.” 

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

One of the best examples of a Byzantine period monument in Albania.