A narrow, serpentine spit of sand is constantly eroded and rebuilt by competing currents.

Fine dining 20 feet below the surface in the Indian Ocean.

This serene, turquoise lake in an extraordinary nature reserve showcases a rare natural phenomenon.

This castle was once an Italian horror cinema star.

An enormous sinkhole that local lore attributes to the anger of the Virgin Mary.

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

Hidden in a high mountain cave, this hermitage dates back to the ninth century.

The remains of this medieval Roman road and lookout towers dot the rugged coastline of southern Lazio.

The Roman Emperor's lost summer home and grotto full of enormous sculptures sit along the Italian seashore.

A Roman temple perched over an Italian town, forgotten several times over.

A town saturated in Italian rationalist architecture was once marshland drained by Mussolini.

The city of Palestrina was built around this magnificent terraced sanctuary dedicated to the pagan goddess Fortuna.

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

A magnificent waterfall is also home to the remains of a Roman hydraulic engineering system.

This monastery set over a holy cave contains the oldest known painting of Saint Francis of Assisi.

This small hermitage on Mount Scalambra was built near what some believe is the miraculous imprint of Saint Benedict's hand.

The “Sistine Chapel” of the Middle Ages merges 11th-century science and religion in wondrous hues.

Although their purpose is unknown, these ancient Roman supporting arches showcase Hellenistic ingenuity.

Only three columns survive from this ancient temple in the town of Cori.

The ruins of this Roman temple dominate the small city in southern Lazio.

Ruins of a 10th century church tucked away deep in a botanical garden.

A medieval stronghold rising over the ruins of ancient Roman villas along Rome's southern coast.

An old watchtower from the 16th-century now watches over sulfur springs and one of Lazio's last coastal woodlands.

Hidden within this iconic mountain are a set of World War II bunkers once used by German forces.