The top of society once luxuriated in this world-class hotel, which continues to impress, even in ruin.

This grisly effigy displays an early Christian martyr who was skinned alive and beheaded.

A spiritual sanctuary in a natural cave.

Geometry and mystery come together in an epic show of octagonal masonry.

One of Catholicism's four major basilicas has a series of papal portraits that are said to predict the end of the world.

A lavish 16th-century mansion filled with spectacular staircases, fantastic frescoes, and gorgeous gardens.

Remnants of a 4th-century church with vivid medieval frescoes and ancient sarcophagi hide beneath this old basilica.

Artistic tombs, monuments, and a beautiful "Hall of Fame" lurk inside this cemetery.

An eccentric artist's abode in this small Italian town has been transformed into a surreal temple of mosaic madness.

An open-air museum in a mountain valley features works designed to blend in with—and disintegrate back into—their natural surroundings.

Behind medieval walls in a corner of bustling Palermo is a breathtaking former mosque once inhabited by a wolf-taming hermit.

The ruins of an abbey believed to have been founded by Charlemagne in the 9th century.

Crumbling ruins of the thermal baths that once attracted royals and aristocrats from throughout Europe.

A volcanic old faithful, Stromboli has been erupting continuously for the last 2000 years.

This park on the outskirts of Rome boasts two ancient Roman aqueducts and a medieval tower.

In a city that boasts four separate inclined cable railways, this is one of the busiest funicular lines in the world.

Also known as the Square Colosseum, this building is a prime example of fascist-era rationalist architecture.

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

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

A fairytale-like medieval church perched atop a rocky cliff on Italy's "Coast of the Gods."

Eighteen mummies have stood guard behind the altar of this tiny church since 1833.

The only remaining arch of the oldest stone bridge in Rome stands in the middle of the Tiber.

A madman's personal garden filled with 1,000 sculpted heads.

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