Places James Gage Wants to Go

This abandoned Greek island was the last active leper colony in Europe.

An endless sea of white conical domes.

This ancient structure is widely thought to be the oldest intact pyramid in the world.

An ancient city exhumed from the depths of the ocean.

This magnificent Crimean estate was once a playground of the Russian elite.

A castle perched precariously over the Crimean Sea.

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

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

Over the centuries, this island paradise has done it all, from providing monks with ecclesiastical respite to sheltering an exiled Leon Trotsky.

Take respite inside this jaw-dropping church while climbing the volcano where Georgia's Prometheus was once chained.

A scenic canyon with thick forests and historic ruins.

Modern-day cave dwellers carve elaborate homes out of volcanic debris.

A deadly ancient portal to the underworld.

Ancient rock-cut tomb? Definitely. That of a great Median king? Unlikely.

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.

9th century Abbasid mosque, damaged in modern warfare.

Celebrated as a center of civilization, the remains of the ancient city have been nearly destroyed by greed, egoism, and war.

Naturally protected city carved from a rock face.

These Egyptian statues have survived for 3,400 years and were an acoustic wonder of the ancient world.

One of the most well-preserved temples of ancient Egypt.

More than 100 monumental tombs carved into rock are preserved at this ancient Nabataean site in the Arabian Desert.

Breathtaking Byzantine paintings cover the inside of this 12th-century church.

The deadliest diving spot in the world is also a stunning geological marvel.

After this one-of-a-kind palace was built the architect's hands are said to have been cut off to keep it that way.