Kosovo’s capital of Pristina is seen by many travelers as a place to pass through quickly. As atmospheric as the city center is, it has relatively little to offer tourists. But what often
The Kokino Observatory, one of North Macedonia’s most impressive and enigmatic sites, is also one of its most overlooked. Recognized by NASA as one of the oldest astronomical observatories in the world, the
The ancient city of Stobi is an obscure archaeological site in an already overlooked country, North Macedonia. But while few have heard of it, it’s larger and arguably more impressive than the better-known Heraclea
The imposing granite hill on which Marko’s Towers were built can be seen from all over the city of Prilep, North Macedonia’s fourth-largest. But while the towers date back to the Middle Ages,
Heraclea Lyncestis, founded over 2,000 years ago, is North Macedonia’s most well-known archaeological site, largely due it well-preserved mosaics and ancient theater. At just 20 minutes on foot from central Bitola, visiting couldn’t
No trip to North Macedonia’s lakeside city of Ohrid would be complete without visiting Sveti Naum Monastery. Also known as St. Naum, the scenic monastery is situated about 29 km south of town,
Gjirokastër is undoubtedly one of Albania’s most endearing historical towns. But not many visitors realize that there were once large cities on the valley floor that thrived throughout the Hellenistic and Roman eras.
Situated within a vast and scenic national park, Butrint is easily the top archaeological site in Albania. The site is home to ruins from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras, in addition to well-preserved medieval
Apollonia, located near the modern city of Fier, is one of Albania’s most prominent archaeological sites. It was once a thriving port and renowned center of learning, with Emperor Octavian himself having studied
Durrës, just an hour from Tirana, is Albania’s most developed and crowded beach town. But whether or not the party atmosphere is what you’re looking for, the city also happens to be one
An easy day trip from Tirana, Krujë Castle was the base of operations for Albanian national hero Skanderbeg. As fantastical as it may sound, the military commander went undefeated against the Ottomans throughout his
Few countries in the world have as huge a variety of historical and archaeological sites as Turkey. The country contains significant ruins from every era of human civilization, from the world’s oldest Neolithic
Hattusa gets relatively little attention compared with Turkey’s other ancient cities – probably due to its remote location. But as the capital of one of the Bronze Age’s most dominant empires, its historical
Situated 160 km east of Ankara in the central Anatolian plains – a region where few tourists venture – is a largely ignored yet highly significant ancient site. Alaca Höyük was inhabited for thousands
Few ancient cities have captivated the imagination of the masses like Troy. The focal point of Homer’s epic poems, the city is so strongly associated with mythology that many have long doubted its
Ancient Pergamon is among the most interesting yet underrated Greco-Roman archaeological sites of Turkey. Once a major independent kingdom during the Hellenistic era, the city continued to thrive during Roman times. Today, the
The ancient Ionian ruins of Priene, the Temple of Apollo at Didyma, and Miletus are three important sites that lack the crowds of nearby Ephesus. And given their proximity to one another, they’re
Ephesus is one of Turkey’s best-preserved archaeological sites, and also one of its most important. It long served as the capital of Roman Asia Minor and it was the empire’s most thriving metropolis
Izmir Province’s Selçuk is best known for being the town closest to the ruins of Ephesus. But Selçuk’s city center is also home to a unique collection of historical sites of major global importance. As
Despite being one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in Turkey, Aphrodisias remains off the beaten path for most visitors. If you’re looking for something on par with Ephesus but without the crowds, Aydin Province’s
Pamukkale, one of Turkey’s most popular travel destinations, is an enormous site comprising of two main sections: the travertine pool terraces and the Roman spa town of Hierapolis above them. In the following
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