Places RogueTraveler Wants to Go

An abandoned quarry hides an open-air gallery of huge sculptures, some made from the rubble of 9/11.

Legend has it that this bronze orb, which sat atop an ancient Egyptian obelisk, once held the ashes of Julius Caesar.

A rather vulgar example of the transition from Latin to the Italian vernacular.

The spot where the fascist dictator made some of his most famous speeches including declaring war on Britain and France.

This statue is the only female representation of Rome's "talking statues."

A mysterious chasm in the heart of the ancient Roman Forum, the Lacus Curtius was once believed to be a gateway to hell.

The ruins of the largest gladiatorial school in Rome are largely hidden under modern streets.

An ancient Roman temple first dedicated to an emperor's wife is now a church.

This ancient Roman prison is decorated with an upside-down cross not as blasphemy but as saintly tribute.

The engineering wonder and pleasure dome of a much-maligned emperor still holds undiscovered secrets.

A statue representing a lost Roman profession that was vandalized for centuries.

This subterranean shrine beneath a bike rental store celebrates the iconic Italian scooter.

This ancient market is often referred to as the oldest shopping mall in the world.

An alchemist's “magic door” stands in the middle of a Roman park.

This Roman arch marks the location of an ancient gate at one of the Seven Hills of Rome.

An expansive collection donated by an heirless nobleman formed this admission-free civic museum.

A forgotten "city of water" underneath the famous Trevi district.

The martyr's wax-enhanced skeletal remains lie preserved in a glass case in the Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.

This former Roman Catholic Church still contains the embalmed hearts and organs of 22 popes.

The remains of this 2nd-century Roman temple are incorporated into a modern building.

One of several skulls claiming to belong to the beheaded St. John the Baptist is on display at this Roman church.

An 18th-century post box used to alert the church of sick and ailing foreign pilgrims.

When this 400-year-old fountain fell into disrepair, officials covered the mess up with what looks like a giant soup tureen.

This room of wonder is full of relics, from knights in armor to rare works of art.