Places christacarroll Wants to Go

The ruins of this monumental city founded by the first Roman Emperor are strangely overlooked by most travelers.

Local lore says two enemy dragons live within these breathtaking mountain lakes.

Cave on extinct volcano, once home to famous mathematician Pythagoras.

This remarkable cave was discovered after a shepherd watched bees enter and exit through a small fissure.

Ancient Greek oracle of the dead.

The ruins of an abandoned medieval city where the last Byzantine emperor was crowned.

This mystical orb covered in strange symbols is thought to have been used in ancient Greek magical rituals.

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

A Bronze age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini might have been the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis.

Giant marble phalluses on the sacred island of antiquity.

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

This legendary city has been a tourist attraction for centuries.

Hidden in a secluded Greek cove is a pristine beach marred only by the rusting smuggler's hulk stranded on its shores.

Perched on a spindly rock spire in a Greek archipelago, this lighthouse would make a perfect wizard's tower.

A spectacular cave and a beguiling lake.

The hallucinogenic center of the ancient world.

A meow-velous tribute to a beloved street cat, made famous on the internet.

A small mountain at the crossroads of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria that some believe was the landing point of Noah's Ark.

This column celebrates Rome's victory over the Goths, and may be the oldest Roman monument in Istanbul.

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

Seven early Christians were sealed into a cave where legend has it they slept unharmed for centuries.

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

The alleged house of the Virgin Mary is tucked away in a park and nature preserve on Mt. Koressos in Turkey and is holy to both Catholics and Muslims alike.

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