30 Odd Attractions to See in Europe

These unusual abodes can be found throughout the Itria Valley of Italy's Puglia region. You will find the highest concentration of trulli (the plural form of trullo) in Alberobello-all sporting the structures' signature conical roofs. The homes were popular among rural workers, with part of their appeal purportedly coming from the fact they could be disassembled in a hurry-helping the resident avoid paying tax.

The purpose-built set of a 1980 musical film starring Robin Williams and Shelley Duval, the Popeye Village is both a weird and wonderful place to visit. (What, you don't remember that movie?) Sure, Popeye may have been a massive flop, but you won't mind one bit when you're snapping selfies by the cute cartoonish buildings on the gorgeous coast of Malta.

Tucked inside an idyllic bend of the aquamarine Aaire river, Bern is as beguiling as cities in Switzerland get. It's celebrated for its windy medieval streets and romantic arcades, but it's also well-known for a weird statue of a brutish man shoving babies into his mouth. Built in the 1500s, the Kindlifresser Statue's precise meaning has been lost to the fog of history, and perhaps that's a good thing.

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's just a startling depiction of a man dangling high above a Prague street. The "man" in question is supposed to be Sigmund Freud, said to be contemplating whether or not to hang on for dear life or just let go. Predictably, this sculpture has led to a handful of alarmed people calling for help.

At long last, someone has put all the plaster schnozzes in Sweden in one place. Yes, on the campus of a prestigious university in Lund, there is a collection of over 100 plaster noses-ranging from famous historical figures to everyday Swedes. You'll also find academic displays on the topic of the human nose and, one would assume, plenty of handkerchiefs.

The Sedlec Ossuary chapel in Kutna Hora had a serious problem on their hands. Due to the holy chapel's popularity as a burial site, they simply had too many skeletons and too little space. They decided to do what anyone who has an excess of skeletons would do: turn the dead into decorations. Stop by to see human bone chandeliers, candelabras and absolutely nothing from IKEA.

The massive Postojna Cave in Slovenia is loaded with otherworldly sights, but its "baby dragons" might just be oddest. These blind salamanders (Proteus anguinus) slither in the cave's dark waters and have become beloved national treasures. The strangest part? Since their skin is translucent, you get the pleasure of seeing their organs from the outside.

How do you show your support for a politician with the last name Elis? By painting his surname on a giant rock, of course. And how would one easily troll such a display? By altering the rock to say "Elvis" instead. This is precisely what happened in 1962 near Aberystwyth, Wales. Strangely, the Elvis Rock has gone on to become a beloved roadside attraction.

Steadfast in its commitment to help visitors discover invisible life, Micropia is the world's only museum dedicated to micro-organisms. A visit here will teach you that there's probably more microbes out there than you ever imagined and that nearly everything you come across is, in fact, teeming with life. You might want to pack extra hand sanitizer.

If you're a sucker for oversized utensils (and aren't we all to some degree), make your way to Vevey. Here, you can spot a giant stainless steel fork sticking out of Lake Geneva. "The Fork" isn't just some frivolous art installation, it serves to promote the nearby Alimentarium-the world's first museum dedicated to global eating habits.

The truth is that the real man who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula-Vlad the Impaler-may not have ever lived in Bran Castle. But that doesn't mean it isn't a weirdly worthwhile addition to any Romanian road trip. The creepy citadel is truly located in Transylvania, and that seems to be enough for the hordes that descend upon it every day.

You would think that the site of a nuclear accident would repel visitors. Nope, in Ukraine they show up in droves to visit Chernobyl-arguably Europe's most macabre attraction. Take a guided tour of the area where one of the worst nuclear meltdowns in history went down and learn all about the effects of radiation.

The world's oldest condominium, Pheasant Island belongs to France half of the year and Spain during the other half. This tiny island located in the middle of the Bidasoa River was the place where the two countries signed a treaty in 1659, and the shared custody of the island was included in the terms of that agreement.

If you want to tack a trip to Mars onto your European vacation, then head to the remarkable Rio Tinto river in southwestern Spain. As a result of mining in the area, the river has been turned a color best described as a shade lighter than blood red. While you definitely won't want to take a swim, you will walk away feeling like you visited a different planet.

The chalk-white travertine terraces of Pamukkale are the most peculiar-and most popular-sight in all of Turkey. These supernatural-looking natural pools are the result of underwater hot springs and can be seen from miles away. While technically located in Asia, day trips to Pamukkale are available from the European side of Istanbul.

Back in school, there always was something fascinating about fluorescent highlighters, wasn't there? Well, one Amsterdam man has turned his fascination with fluorescence into one of Europe's most bizarre museums. Electric Ladyland puts on display his love of all things fluorescent in the form of trippy artwork and stones that transform when held under ultraviolet light.

You'll find plenty of kitschy "torture museums" in Europe, but they'll usually leave you frighteningly underwhelmed. Not this macabre museum in Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber, as it details the actual crimes that took place and the punishments that were doled out throughout medieval Europe. Expect plenty of bloodcurdling and educational exhibits.

They say it's "better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all", but what would they say about having a memento from an old relationship on display in a Croatian museum? The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb houses artifacts from relationships gone awry: some touching, some humorous and some positively heartbreaking.

For some reason, the Belgian capital of Brussels is home to a few strange statues whose subjects are, well, peeing. The "Big Three" are Manneken Pis-a beloved statue of a little boy dating from the 1600s that sprays water into a fountain; Jeanneke Pis-a modern statue/fountain of a young girl answering nature's call; and Zinneke Pis-a statue of a dog lifting his leg, because why should animals be left out of the fun?

Barcelona is known for bright sunshine, colorful architecture and an overall zest for life. But if all that fun stuff gets old, just head on over to the Hearse Museum. Here, you can walk among dozens of antique vehicles that delivered people to their final resting place in addition to displays that shed light on our relationship with death.

Of course, there's a David Hasselhoff museum in Berlin. You'll find this shrine to everybody's favorite KITT-car driving, late-night burger eating lifeguard in the basement of the Circus Hostel. Here, you can peruse paraphernalia that spans his career at your leisure, but be forewarned, any hassling of "The Hoff" is seriously frowned upon.

While Ireland was in the throes of a terrible famine, one woman sprung into action. As a means to employ the local poor, Katherine Conolly commissioned this strange structure, which still stands outside of Dublin to this day. Stop by to see an odd obelisk and series of stone pineapples.

When life gives you boulders, just build around them. That's the mantra in the Portuguese mountain village of Monsanto. Stop by this scenic spot to see giant rocks used as roofs and some even affixed with front doors. If for some reason this stony village doesn't sweep you off your feet, the sweeping views of the countryside most certainly will.

While you can admire authentic art almost anywhere in Europe, apparently, taking in fakes can be just as fun. Visitors peruse walls full of expertly-crafted but just plain phony portraits and learn about all the lurid details of the fake art trade at this offbeat museum in Vienna.

This collection in Oslo is the largest sculpture park in the world designed by one artist. While the works of Gustav Vigeland are certainly thought-provoking and offer a fascinating insight into the human form, you might just remember it more for screwy scenes like a man being "attacked" by babies.

Enter this unusual structure in Northern Poland through a "rooftop" window before doing your best Lionel Richie impression strolling (or dancing if you are so included) on the "ceiling". And if the topsy-turvy house isn't enough for you, next door you will find the Guinness-certified longest piece of wood cut from one tree.

Move over turducken and jump back jackalope, there's a new member of the freaky-and-fictitious animal kingdom: the Finnish Posankka. This statue of a marzipan pig and rubber duck mash-up stands in the town of Turku and has become a beloved local mascot. Stop by at Christmas to see him sporting a Santa's hat.

The brainchild of local swimmers who wanted a place to rest in between breaststrokes, this house perched on a boulder must be seen to believe. The rocky residence started out as wooden planks plonked down on the rock, but a roof and walls were added later to provide shelter from the sun.

At first glance, this bizarre park in Bomarzo bears little resemblance to the Italy of your dreams. Dig a little deeper though and you'll discover that the spooky stone structures on display were commissioned by a heartbroken, bereaved prince and put in place by a renowned Renaissance architect.

This diminutive post used to house a police officer who would keep an eye on the crowds inside London's Trafalgar Square. While no longer in service, it still makes for a fun stop and photo-op. Watch out for brooms though, as the station now serves as a storage closet for city cleaners.