linguini's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Athens, Greece

Parilissia Iera

An often overlooked ancient site in downtown Athens with substantial history (and nature).
Psichro, Greece

Dikteon Cave

According to myth, Zeus himself was hidden in this cave to escape being eaten by his dad.
Greece

The Oracle of Delphi

The hallucinogenic center of the ancient world.
Athens, Greece

Theatre of Dionysus

Heralded as the world's first theater, these ruins are often overlooked as they reside in the shadows of the Acropolis.
Athens, Greece

The Olive Tree of the Acropolis

Legend says this sacred tree was a gift from goddess Athena.
Athens, Greece

The Athenian Agora

This ancient Greek place of assembly and marketplace is being revealed layer by layer below the modern Athens cityscape.
Heraklion, Greece

Knossos

A minotaur, a labyrinth, and a dubious restoration pull in visitors from around the world.
Vatican City

'The Vision of Constantine'

This equestrian statue of Constantine the Great has been the subject of criticism for centuries.
Vatican City

Vatican City Walls

Historic fortifications form the boundary of Vatican City, but it’s not entirely surrounded by walls.
Vatican City

La Resurrezione

If you want to talk to the Pope you will have to stare down this surreal vision of Jesus rising from a nuclear hell.
Vatican City

Gallery of Maps - Galleria delle Carte Geografiche

Breathtaking and huge 430 year old maps of Italy.
Vatican City

Vatican Necropolis

Hidden beneath the famous St. Peter's Basilica is a veritable city of the dead that may hold the remains of St. Peter himself.
Rome, Italy

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

One of Catholicism's four major basilicas has a series of papal portraits that are said to predict the end of the world.
Rome, Italy

The Dome Illusion

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.
Rome, Italy

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.
Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii Thermopolium

Before it was buried by volcanic ash, this fast-food restaurant fed the hungry hordes of ancient Rome.
Pompeii, Italy

Plaster Citizens of Pompeii

The last moments of the ill-fated Pompeiians, frozen forever in plaster.
Pompeii, Italy

Thermopolia of Pompeii

Ancient snack bar of the Roman Empire re-opened.
Pompeii, Italy

The Brothels of Pompeii

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.
Pompeii, Italy

Stone Phalluses of Pompeii

The walls and streets of the ancient city are peppered with penises.
Erice, Italy

Phoenician Walls of Erice

Tourists to the mountaintop Sicilian town often overlook its ancient fortifications.
Belpasso, Italy

Mount Etna

The world's most active stratovolcano is almost always erupting.
Jaco, Costa Rica

El Miro Ruins

Once the foundation for a mansion, these ruins now offer amazing panoramic coastal views.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

T.H. Stemper Co.

This holy goods emporium is where priests go for a little retail therapy to outfit their churches.