The animals wander freely amid this gorgeous stretch of nature.

This no man's land slicing through the island is strewn with abandoned relics of another time.

One of the oldest and largest castles in the world.

This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint's tomb.

A surprising and unconventional mosque hidden in the subsoil of Istanbul.

This historic hotel preserves many treasures from its heyday hosting passengers on the Orient Express.

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.

This shuttered power plant is now Turkey's first industrial archaeology museum.

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet your wish will be granted.

The legendary luxury train passage is commemorated with a charming museum inside its former eastern terminus.

This ancient city - home to nine civilizations - is soon to be buried under 200 feet of water.

Carvings in Turkey's Marble Road may have directed ancient Romans to a hidden brothel.

The ancient latrines of the Greeks, in all their public glory.

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

The most metal church of all time was built in record time because of an international, pious pissing contest.

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.

These tombs were built into the side of a mountain so that ancient angels could reach the dead.

One of the holiest Shi'i shrines in Iran honors the life and death of a learned noblewoman who became a saint.

This 17th-century structure is a beautiful testimony to traditional Persian architecture

A historic trade hub teeming with gorgeous architecture, colorful goods, and vibrant designs.

This ancient fortress in Iran was once the oldest and largest treasury in the world.

The hottest, driest, and most scenic desert on Earth.