A Lycian city of the dead carved into the hillside of Southern Turkey, complete with startlingly human touches.

Hidden just under the waters around this Turkish island are the ruins of a once great city.

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

In this historic region, homes and churches are carved into ancient volcanic rock formations.

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.

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

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

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

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

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.

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

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

Sparkling, calcite-covered skeletons of children who may have been sacrificed to appease an angry god.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

This symbolic piece of New Orleans architecture is also home to a few ghastly stories.

By day this New Orleans square is for pedestrians, but by night it is a kingdom of kittens.

The second oldest continuously operating bar in Louisiana.

The curiosities and wonders of pharmacy in a delightful historic building.

A 200-year-old bar in the historic French Quarter refuses to give up its place in history, nor its role in securing ours.

An old-timey wax exhibition campily depicting New Orleans legends and scandals.

This New Orleans statue of a portly figure in a goofy hat pays homage to a classic of satirical literature.

This bar named after the world's first mixed cocktail was home to one of New Orleans' most notorious politicians.

An impressive collection of dollhouses and an homage to the frog-leg canning industry.

Despite the ever pressing encroachment of urban sprawl this grand New Orleans manse still stands.