Of its coastline, Lord Byron once wrote, “At the moment of the creation of our planet, the most beautiful merging of land and sea occurred at the Montenegrin seaside”—and it seems the poet is seemingly not alone in that thought: Over the years, the country’s steep shorelines, uncrowded beaches, and picturesque, historic villages have drawn everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Sophia Loren, looking for quiet and fewer crowds.

It might seem impossible to find vaulted ceilings and chandeliers in a NYC subway stop. But that wasn't the case in 1904, when this Rafael Guastavino-designed station opened directly below City Hall.