Patara, located on the coast of western Antalya Province, was one of the most prominent Anatolian cities of antiquity. And today, Patara Ancient City is the perfect place for travelers to relax on
Tucked away from southwest Turkey’s popular beach resorts is an eerie attraction like no other. The Kayaköy ghost town is not merely a collection of several abandoned buildings, but several hundred. And today, the
A sunken city, ancient sarcophagi, a Byzantine fortress and scenic turquoise bays are all part of the Kekova Island boat tour, an easy trip from Kaş or Demre. The excursion shouldn’t be missed
The overlooked town of Demre is worthy of your attention as you make your way across Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Once a thriving city and prominent member of the Lycian League, Demre was known
Olympos is one of Antalya Province’s most popular tourist towns, albeit with an altogether different vibe from your typical beach resort. Instead of highrise hotels, you’ll find simple rustic accommodations, while the town
The ruins of Antalya Province’s Phaselis can be fully explored in under an hour. But the site is also home to multiple beaches, completely unspoiled by high-rise hotels or restaurants. Today, the seaside location of the
While it may lack the scenery of mountaintop Termessos or seaside Phaselis, Perge is one of the best places to get a feel for the layout of a Greco-Roman city. What’s more, is
Just outside of Turkey’s summer tourism capital Antalya is a wholly unique and often overlooked archaeological site. Termessos, built at over 1,000 meters above sea level, was just one of two Anatolian cities
Çatal Höyük, located 52 km southeast of Konya, was a Neolithic settlement founded over 9,000 years ago. Inhabited continuously for over a millennium, it was one of the largest settlements of its time.
Millions of years ago in Cappadocia, the ash spewed forth by local volcanoes hardened into a soft stone called tufa. In addition to forming the region’s breathtaking landscapes, tufa deposits also extend far
In the late 1990s, residents of the ancient town of Halfeti, situated on the east bank of the Euphrates, found themselves in a dire predicament. The Birecik Dam was set to flood the
Due to its isolated mountaintop location, Mt. Nemrut’s mysterious stone sculptures and massive artificial mound managed to elude visitors for centuries. But for the past few decades, visiting Mt. Nemrut has been considered
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Şanlıurfa Province, home to sites like Göbekli Tepe and Harran, has plenty more to see within its borders. Following a morning visit to Karahan Tepe, I arranged
Located within the Tektek Mountains, just east of the Harran Plain, is a site that changes everything we thought we knew about prehistoric civilizations. Karahan Tepe (or Keçili Tepe, as it’s locally known)
While not much of ancient Harran survives, its atmosphere remains imbued with a sense of magic and mystery. The Mesopotamian city was a former dwelling place of Abraham and home to Anatolia’s first
Dubbed the ‘Zero Point of History,’ the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, one of the world’s oldest temples, changed everything we thought we knew about prehistoric peoples. The 12,000-year-old temple complex reveals that not only
Originally built at the border between the Roman and Persian empires, Dara now lies just beside the modern-day border between Turkey and Syria. Located 30 km southeast of Mardin, Dara Ancient City is
Few tourists make it to Van, and even fewer visit the ancient castles of Hoşap and Çavuştepe. But for archaeology and history lovers, that’s a big part of their appeal. If you’re willing to
While most ancient fortresses in Turkey only require a few hours to visit, think of Van Castle as a full day outing. Not only is the fortress massive, but it also has a
The small city of Doğubeyazıt, situated alongside Turkey’s border with Iran, is home to one of the finest examples of Ottoman palace architecture. The opulent Ishak Pasha Palace stands at the crossroads of civilizations
Currently situated within Turkey’s borders, the ancient Armenian capital of Ani is one of the region’s most interesting archaeological sites. Once home to 100,000 people, Ani was among the medieval world’s most magnificent
The ancient Egyptians built over a hundred pyramids, with over 30 of them belonging to pharaohs. But most people only know just three. And while one would think that the iconic pyramids of
Aswan’s main attractions might not be able to compete with those of Luxor or Cairo. But that’s not to say the city has little to see. While many use Aswan as a base
Within easy reach from central Aswan are two Nile River islands that Egyptian history lovers shouldn’t miss. Elephantine Island was always of special importance to Egyptian civilization, as it’s from where the god
The region of Nubia was home to some of ancient Egypt’s most scenic temples. Philae, a Greco-Roman temple dedicated to Isis, isn’t just remarkable for its stunning island location, but also for its
During his 67-year reign, Ramesses II completed more construction projects than any other pharaoh in history. But the rock-cut Abu Simbel stands out from all the rest. One can’t help but feel tiny
The temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, both dating back to the Ptolemaic period, are the two most popular landmarks in between Luxor and Aswan. Edfu is widely regarded as Egypt’s very best-preserved
While Aswan is just a few hours from Luxor by rail, the land between the two cities is home to a myriad of ancient wonders. During my travels, I opted for the slow
Widely regarded as one of Egypt’s most beautiful and best-preserved temples, Dendera was established during the Greco-Roman era. But construction was taking place at the spot since at least the Old Kingdom. An
Abydos is perhaps Egypt’s most ancient necropolis, having been used for important burials since Predynastic times. The city was a popular pilgrimage spot for thousands of years, and pharaohs from all eras of Egyptian
Luxor (or Thebes) was the religious capital of Egypt throughout the entire New Kingdom period. Accordingly, this is where most of the important nobles’ tombs from the era can be found. And many
The Valley of the Kings, in use for around 500 years, is where most rulers of Egypt’s New Kingdom era were buried. The tombs were carved into the limestone hill of Al-Qurn in
In ancient Egypt, the west side of the Nile River was synonymous with the setting sun, completion and death. That’s why, in addition to the tombs themselves, numerous pharaohs built elaborate temples here
In ancient Egypt, the temple was much more than a place of worship. Each one could be likened to a multidimensional book with a focus on a particular teaching. This interpretation was developed
Karnak, the largest temple ever built by the ancient Egyptians, was in constant use for over 1,500 years. It was in a perpetual state of construction, which is quite fitting, as Karnak Temple
The Middle Kingdom pyramids of El Lahun and Hawara aren’t on most travelers’ radars. In fact, the whole Middle Kingdom period (1975-1640 BC) itself often gets largely ignored. The era hasn’t left us
The lost pyramid of Meidum is well off the beaten path for most tourists. And as it appears today, it hardly even resembles a pyramid at all. But this was possibly Egypt’s first-ever
About a kilometer across the desert from Abu Sir lies Abu Gorab, home to a Sun Temple erected by 5th Dynasty pharaoh Nyussere. While not in the greatest condition, it’s nevertheless one of
The pyramid field of Abu Sir is situated in the desert between Giza and Saqqara, right next to the modern village of the same name. The Abu Sir pyramids are synonymous with the
The Giza Plateau, home to Egypt’s largest pyramids and the Sphinx, needs little introduction. But few visitors are aware of just how much else there is to see beyond the main highlights. While
So many aspects of the Giza Plateau are shrouded in mystery. The 4th Dynasty pyramids represent the apex of Egyptian engineering. But they were built quite early on in Egypt’s history. For the next
In between Djoser’s Step Pyramid and the Great Pyramid of Giza, a king named Sneferu made a name for himself as Egypt’s greatest ever pyramid builder. Snefuru, who took the throne in 2575
Saqqara is, without a doubt, one of the most fascinating and important archaeological sites on the entire planet. But being just a short drive away from the Giza Plateau – arguably the world’s most
It’s widely regarded as the world’s very first pyramid. And, for that matter, the first-ever major stone structure. And now, over 4600 years after its construction, Saqqara’s Step Pyramid continues to make headlines.
Cave houses, stone circles and underground passageways. These are just a few of the things awaiting visitors in the mysterious region of South Armenia, a place where relatively few venture. From the scenic
If ancient pagan temples, rock-carved monasteries and otherworldly geological formations are what you’re after, Armenia’s Kotayk Province is home to all three. Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery and the ‘Symphony of the Stones,’ all
Though much of Yerevan was constructed throughout the 20th century, the city is much, much older. In fact, Armenia’s capital just recently celebrated its 2801st birthday! That makes it one of the oldest
Uplistsikhe is as fascinating to visit as it is difficult to pronounce. The ancient cave city may be as old as 3,000 years, and it long served as a major religious center of
Designed back in the 1850’s, Central Park often tops the list of places to see in NYC, with millions visiting each year. But if you’re the type who generally avoids crowds and touristy
Long before the first European settlers arrived, the Ohio region was home to some of North America’s most advanced civilizations. As they left behind no writing, we know relatively little about them. But
Many Americans are shocked to learn that their country is home to an ancient pyramid that stands as tall as 100 feet. Mysteriously, the fascinating history of Cahokia and its Monks Mound pyramid
When most people think of ancient ruins in Thailand, they picture the old Siamese capitals of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. But one of the country’s most impressive stone temples is also one of its
Mostly built in the 12th century, Phnom Rung was one of the Khmer Empire’s most important temples outside of Angkor. Later on during the reign of Jayavarman VII, it was even a prominent
Sarawak’s Santubong Peninsula, just outside of Kuching, was a thriving international trading port long before the establishment of Sarawak itself. Nowadays, the peninsula is most famous for the outstanding Sarawak Cultural Village, an
Not many people who visit Chiang Mai are aware that the city has its own set of ruins, known as Wiang Kum Kam. While not comparable to the glorious ancient capitals of Sukhothai
Built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century, Banteay Chhmar was likely far more than just another temple. Scholars now believe, in fact, that it functioned as the Khmer Empire’s ‘second city’
Beng Mealea, as we call it today, remains shrouded in mystery. Despite its large size, it’s not mentioned in any of the Khmer Empire’s inscriptions. Therefore, we don’t know when it was built,
In the year 928, King Jayavarman IV decided to move the capital of the Khmer Empire from Angkor to Koh Ker, around 60 kilometers away. To this day, scholars have no idea why.
Amongst the Khmer Empire’s hundreds of temples, no more than a handful were ever built on mountaintops. Of these, Preah Vihear is the largest. Its layout is also unusual, making it one of
Despite being the only car on the road, we were moving at a snail’s pace. The large potholes were more like craters. Not too long ago, though, no roads to Preah Khan of