This series of Armenian caves held the oldest brain, shoe, and winery in the world.

The most visited pilgrimage site in Armenia once held a saint in a pit for 13 years.

A scenic canyon with thick forests and historic ruins.

A geological oddity topped with a 2,000-year-old pagan temple.

This everlasting lightning storm may be the world's largest generator of ozone.

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

Brawny guys rolling around in oil is the oldest regular sporting event besides the Olympics.

This Turkish cave boasts some rather bizarre associations with the King of Mount Olympus.

This eatery re-creates dishes from the Ottoman Empire so you can dine like a sultan.

The best-preserved ancient theater in the world.

Fantastic lake on the heart of a fault line.

Standing proud atop a Turkish bluff, this Ottoman palace has retained its grandeur despite being abandoned for centuries.

An ancient church on a tiny island covered in stone bible stories has controversially been turned into a museum.

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

Once described as the "Eagle's Nest," this ruined ancient city rests on a remote mountaintop.

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

An abused and forgotten metropolis, abandoned for centuries.

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.

One of the largest sand dunes in the world is nicknamed the "Scary Mountain" due to its steep slope and sharp incline.

The world's largest frame offers spectacular views of the city's past and present.

Over the dunes of the Empty Quarter, the mysterious music of the desert.

Feed it cash, get your very own gold bar.

A preposterously luxurious hotel with gold-plated iPads, Rolls Royce chauffeurs, and a staff that trains by watching "Downton Abbey."