This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.

This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.

This millennium-old site reflects a time when sugar was a treasured commodity.

These ruins by the Dead Sea is where John the Baptist met his untimely end.

This restored eighth-century palace is a shining example of ancient Umayyad architecture.

This ancient stone necropolis is in danger of disappearing.

Just outside of Jordan's capital lies an ancient castle and intriguing caves dating back to the Copper Age.

A bathhouse from the second Islamic Caliphate decorated with frescoes of constellations, pleasure gardens, and naked ladies.

Concentrated around the Dead Sea, these surprising canyons are filled with coursing water, fish, and even crabs.

The world's oldest map of the holy land gives us a fragmented glimpse of the layout of biblical nations.

Known as the "Valley of the Moon," this Jordanian wadi is one of the most amazing desertscapes on Earth.

This exceptionally well-preserved ancient marvel also houses a small museum dedicated to Jordanian folk tradition.

The most gigantic, swoony, intimidating trio of fingers in all of antiquity.

Gladiators battle and chariots race daily in the ruins of a once-great Roman city.

A more chill but no less fascinating version of the famous ancient archeological site.

An ancient capital city that dates back 3,000 years old and harbors many surprises.

Oldest Protestant church in the Middle East, designed to resemble a synagogue.

The only quarter of the Old City not dedicated to a major world religion.

The feminist fashion collective centering Palestinian craftsmanship and radical transparency.

A guitar mounted on a wall in Temple Bar honors the Irish musician.

The modern birthplace of Irish freedom.

The mummified heart of a saint lives on in this church—after a brief hiatus when it was stolen.

Experience what life was like in Ireland during the Viking and medieval ages.

The gorgeous library at Trinity College is home to remarkable treasures of Irish identity.