This stunning mountain lake was named for a pair of tragic lovers whose statues stand at the center.

This fascinating museum in an old water tower holds the world's largest collection of Vodou artifacts from western and central Africa.

This small town in Germany was once a center of peppermint production, and has the museum to prove it.

This gilded emblem was once stolen by a Cookie Monster impostor, who demanded a charitable ransom for its return.

Twelve sweet, nutty, life-sized statues are housed in this second-story shrine to almond paste.

A typical crusty old museum this isn't.

Flowers have mysteriously appeared on her effigy every day for the last 150 years.

This disused church, left to the elements of the Arctic Circle's forests is open for exploration.

A little-known sculpture park of contemporary environmental art in a Lapland forest.

A replica of the home of a famous fictional troll family.

Hidden deep in a forest is this geological wonder carved by glaciers.

In the Hugging Tree Forest, lingonberry marshmallows, hot chocolates, and the best campfire lattes north of the Arctic Circle come to you.

Menacing or in memoriam, the Silent People and their meaning are left to interpretation.

A Swedish town came up with an out-of-the-box way to eliminate the bloodthirsty insects.

The tallest lighthouse in the Nordic countries was also the site of a bloody World War II battle.

Hundreds of signs pointing to the birthplaces of current Helsinki residents form stalactites on the ceiling of the cave-like Kamppi metro station.

On a small island, a replica of a Finnish village from the Iron Age.

The last permanent exhibit dedicated to the Soviet leader.

If you visit Santa's village, you can get your passport stamped to show you crossed into the Arctic Circle.

Roughly 17 million letters to Santa have found their way to this Arctic Circle post office.

Quality time with reindeer in the stunning scenery of their natural Lappish habitat above the Arctic Circle.

A small island dotted with old, historic Finnish buildings.

This irregularly shaped sea fortress has defended not one but three different sovereign states.

A lovingly curated curio shop in which the taxidermy wear newspaper party hats, and peanut shells are spread across every surface.