On the shores of Lake Garda, the ruins of a Roman villa that allegedly belonged to the poet Catullus.

Featuring the last fully walkable parapet walkway in Europe.

Suffocating dogs was a common spectacle in the fumes of this noxious cave.

Known for centuries as the famous Roman emperor's burial place, this monument is actually something else.

A beautiful discovery site of prehistoric burials.

The now-abandoned Fascist summer colony served a dark purpose during World War II.

This 6th-century church has the largest and best-preserved collection of Byzantine mosaics outside Constantinople.

This peculiar Italian elevator runs both horizontally and vertically.

Next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a cemetery home to ancient sarcophagi and disturbing murals.

This skeletal, unfinished Gothic church once housed a miraculous masterpiece by Raphael.

A rather vulgar example of the transition from Latin to the Italian vernacular.

Before it was buried by volcanic ash, this fast-food restaurant fed the hungry hordes of ancient Rome.

This tiny islet has somehow housed an ancient temple, two monasteries, a church, a fortress, and a restaurant.

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

The wreckage of a tragic plane crash is on display at this museum devoted to a famous Italian conspiracy.

The former home of an Italian artist is now a shrine to his ambitious works.

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

A dead saint, a deadly poison, and a mysterious holy ooze.

This ancient Roman arch misled treasure hunters for centuries.

These hut foundations are believed to be the residence of Romulus, founder of Rome.

This ancient walled garden turns fog into food.

The pristine waters crossing this forest form a hidden waterfall among the dense vegetation.

Buried next to Pompeii, this lesser-known Roman villa was the opulent vacation home of Emperor Nero's wife.

This scenic fortress dates back at least 2,400 years to the time of Magna Graecia.