At the crypt of St. Mary of Eulogies and the Dead you are left alone to ponder mortality among piles of skulls.

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

This hidden Art Nouveau courtyard is an opulent feast for the eyes.

This Venice bookstore has resigned itself to constant flooding by keeping its books in bathtubs and boats.

A 16th-century horror show built in a lovely Italian garden.

This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

Thousands of well-dressed mummies below a monastery.

Skulls and skeletons are omnipresent in this church dedicated to souls trapped in purgatory.

A surreal botanical garden with an even more surreal tour guide.

These "anatomical machines" are only one of the many strange items in this Italian crypt.

Every day is like Christmas on this street where the traditional Neapolitan nativity scene comes to life.

The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead still cares for the skulls at this mini-Fontanelle.

This architecturally eclectic early-20th century mosque was built as a place of worship for the Islamic followers of a Jewish messiah.

An abandoned Byzantine fortress and notorious prison.

A two thousand year old brothel uncovered in Northern Greece.

A little-known park with unusual, half-ruined structures and a mystical energy.

This ancient altar emerges from the thick forests to reveal the mysteries of Etruscan sacrificial rituals.

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

The bust of Romania’s most notorious ruler, Vlad Dracula aka "Vlad the Impaler," keeps watch over the ruins of his medieval court.

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

Some call this eerie forest of crooked trees the "Bermuda Triangle of Romania."

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