Places Chouxie Wants to Go

Crossing a suspension bridge above a forest is the only way to reach this 12th-century monastery.

This ancient Roman bridge and aqueduct still stands as a wonder of classical construction.

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.

This crucial gathering spot along the "hippie trail" still displays old notes between traveling beatniks and backpackers.

Climb a steep hill in 90 seconds on the second-oldest urban subway in the world.

Housed in an old British jail, this spot serves up Georgian, Russian, and Ukrainian specialities with a side of Turkish history.

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.

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

A section of the long chain that blocked enemy ships from entering Constantinople.

The eclectic home of a leading Turkish architect is a gorgeous piece of eye candy.

This half-forgotten fortress was constructed by the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople.

A sixth-century Byzantine cistern hidden below a modern carpet store.

An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.

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

Step back in time and witness the fall of Constantinople.

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

Turkish adventurer antiques in the heart of the Grand Bazaar.

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

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

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.

The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

These ancient pecked images are among the oldest and best-preserved in Mongolia.