Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

This hydrochronometer was invented by a Dominican monk and is a prime feature in this garden.

A large statue of Pope Gregory XIII in Bologna was disguised as Saint Petronius to avoid destruction.

A diverse collection of wax, bone, papier-maché and mummified relics.

Stuck in the arcade of Casa Isolani are three arrows of mysterious origins.

This building features dozens of faces along its facade, although one is a bit chilling.

Once known for its horse-powered knife sharpening, this 200-year-old shop offers an array of blades and hard-to-find culinary tools.

A striking memorial recalls thousands of Bolognese men and women killed fighting fascists in World War II.

Legend has it this fountain built to symbolize the Pope’s power hides a strange secret concerning Neptune's manliness.

Over 100 towers were built in Bologna during the Middle Ages, but only 22 survive.

A small window on Via Piella offers a lovely and rare peek at Bologna's lost canals.

A beloved local artist has been honored with this statue of a man emerging from a toilet.

The mastermind behind this palatial hotel perished on the Titanic weeks before its grand opening.

Louise Bourgeois' 30-foot-tall steel spider sculpture.

In the past, Renaissance sex workers were encouraged to entice customers on this bridge.

This Roman statue is missing a limb from when the Venetians stole it from Constantinople during the Crusades.

Go inside to really appreciate this 500-year-old technological masterpiece.

Hanging within this medieval church are the bones of a beast allegedly slain by a fourth-century saint.

This community on a small Venetian island has taken to painting their houses in bright neon hues.

Originally a leper colony, the island is now an Armenian monastery that's home to an incredible manuscript library and eclectic museum.

Venice's island of the dead.

An intricate ceramic tile facade adorns this five-star hotel.

The oldest of Venice's plague quarantine stations, designed to keep the medieval city safe from disease.

Two stone columns flank the grand Venice square, but there were supposed to be three.