Places toniamonkey Wants to Go

One of the oldest medical collections in Europe focusing on rare surgical instruments.

These mammoth-yet-narrow crevasses in the Earth are perfect for taking an otherworldly swim.

Since the 1700s, this old barrel has acted as a post box that relies on the kindness of travelers.

Building this tragically pointless stone barrier cost the lives of the prisoners made to build it.

This maximum-security prison was abandoned to make way for a national park.

In this pristine Ecuadorian hippie town, residents remain active well into their eighties and nineties.

This small uninhabited island offers Galapagos-like biodiversity.

This Ecuadorian cemetery is home to a jaw-dropping topiary wonderland.

These unusual stone structures are actually fish traps crafted by an ancient civilization.

This research hub in the Amazon Rainforest is perched amid one of the world's most biologically diverse landscapes.

The remains of an ancient settlement in one of the oldest archeological sites in South America.

Home of the "true" equator.

An elaborate shrine dedicated to the four corners of the world unfortunately misses its mark.

The gondolas let you glimpse a bird's-eye view of one of the world's highest capital cities.

Legend says if this neo-Gothic basilica is ever officially completed, the world will come to an end.

An abandoned Ecuadorian prison that once held ex-presidents and notorious con artists is now a carceral museum.

A short volcanic hill in Quito doubles as a stellar observation point of an iconic statue.

This historic street in Quito is known for its seven stone crosses—and one presidential assassination.

This 12-inch-tall wooden sculpture of a winged Virgin Mary has inspired much devotion and countless replicas.

Quito's historic, main square dates back to the 16th century.

It took 160 years to complete the most ornate church in Ecuador.

This overlooked, beautiful convent hides an original Hieronymus Bosch among its many treasures.

One of the most historic cemeteries in Quito is an eclectic mix of architectural styles and famous tombs.

The world's tallest aluminum statue is also the world's tallest image of a winged Virgin Mary.