Places Nick Wants to Go

A former top secret nuclear fallout shelter now operates like a hotel stuck in the Cold War.

Mummified monks and the accidentally interred, in a 17th-century crypt.

Underneath the city that invented pilsners are a series of historic tunnels that have been storing beer for centuries.

Massive installation of Europe's negative stereotypes.

The bar where "The Great Train Robbery" was planned was once a nexus of high society and low morals.

Originally built for London’s cab drivers, this bright green hut now serves anyone a hot drink or meal.

This pub has roots dating back to 1430 and serves as the setting for multiple Charles Dickens stories.

Once a train station along the Great Eastern Railway this vibrant coffee shop and bar is where members of London’s creative class mingle.

Order bagels and lox from an iconic Jewish delicatessen with nearly a century of history behind it.

Eat and drink at a pub older than the Magna Carta

Named for the Yoruba word for Lagos, this craft brewery draws on European beer-making and West African palm wine-fermenting techniques.

The oldest surviving “eel, pie, and mash” shop in London is renowned for its infamous jellied eels.

Housed in a 1912 architectural masterpiece, this outlet of the Golden Arches is a real beauty.

This historic structure has been used as a mosque, a barracks, a prison, a school, and a bakery.

Scars of this building's past life as a violent prison still cover its walls.

Since 1969, this restaurant has served up dishes typical of Istanbul's Greek diaspora.

Tear apart fatty, gently charred lamb chops with your bare hands.

Savor sheep milk yogurt at the last of Athens' dairy bars.

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

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.

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

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.

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

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.