While millions of international tourists flock to Quintana Roo each year, the state remains home to hidden gems that fall well under the radar. In Quintana Roo’s south, right near the border with
Despite being one of the most powerful Mayan cities in history, Calakmul only attracts a fraction of the attention of sites like Chichén Itzá. Located deep in the jungle about two hours by
The region of Río Bec, situated in modern-day southern Campeche, was among the most prosperous and densely populated parts of the Mayan world. No less than 45 Río Bec sites have been discovered in total,
Deep in the jungle, about 50 km southeast of Campeche, lies the once-mighty city of Edzná, one of Mexico’s most under-appreciated Mayan ruins. Known for its unique five-story pyramid, the site is not
The are a few different ways to enjoy a day trip to Progreso from Mérida. One option is to relax on the beach, explore town and grab some food before heading back home.
Located about 50 km south of Mérida, Mayapán could be considered the last of the great Mayan capitals. But despite its historical importance, the site remains well off the tourist trail. What makes Mayapán unique is
Kabah is one of several Mayan sites in the Puuc region, named after the nearby Puuc hills. But many visitors only see Uxmal, which is a shame, as sites like Kabah have much
Located 62 km south of Mérida, Uxmal is one of Mexico’s most outstanding archaeological sites. Not only are its structures monumental in scale, but many are adorned with some of the most beautiful
Mexico is full of fascinating archaeological sites, while the country is home to dozens of charming towns designated by the government as Pueblo Mágicos (Magic Towns). But there’s no place quite like Izamal,
Located 25 km north of Valladolid, Ek Balam only gets a fraction of the crowds of nearby Chichén Itzá. But it’s easily one of the region’s most remarkable sites. Not only can those
As crowded as it can get, a visit to Chichén Itzá quickly reveals why the ancient Mayan site is so popular. As the most dominant city in the Yucatán throughout the Early Postclassic period
While Tulum may be one of Mexico’s most-visited archaeological sites, it’s hardly the largest or most spectacular. But what makes visiting the Tulum ruins truly special is their stunning seaside setting. Out of all the
Situated 42 km northwest of Tulum, Cobá, known for its towering pyramids, was once the prominent city-state of the eastern Yucatán Peninsula. And today, visiting the Cobá ruins is a must for those basing themselves in
When looking at lists of the top Mayan sites in Mexico, the San Gervasio ruins will seldom get mentioned. And perhaps justifiably so, as the site lacks the magnificent pyramids or relief carvings
Not many people realize that one can find ancient Mayan pyramids right in the heart of Cancún’s Hotel Zone. As far as Mayan ruins go, San Miguelito isn’t much to write home about, but
Like many parts of Serbia’s Vojvodina region, Sremska Mitrovica is a charming town full of classical architecture. But beneath its surface lie the ancient remains of the Roman city of Sirmium, which even
Felix Romuliana is one of the most overlooked yet significant Roman archaeological sites in the Balkans. Archaeologist Felix Philipp Kanitz, who studied the site in the 19th century, even called it one of
As you’ll discover throughout your travels along Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, just about every city has a walled Old Town. Usually, as is the case with Budva or Kotor, they’re bustling with museums, souvenir
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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.
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
When visiting the very oldest temples of Angkor, it’s clear that their art and architecture were already very refined. Obviously, the civilization didn’t just spring up out of nowhere. But who was there
Though the Khmer Empire lasted for several hundred years, we only have one single firsthand account from a foreign visitor. When the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan visited in the year 1296, Angkor Thom
The late 12th century Angkor temples of Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Kdei make up what are known as Jayavarman VII’s ‘triad temples.’ Each temple, in fact, represents a member of the
In Part One, we covered the evolution of Angkorian architecture from the 9th century Roluos temples up to the refined gem of Banteay Srei. Here, we’ll cover the remainder of Khmer architectural styles,
Few places on earth captivate the imagination quite like Angkor. As stunning as the Angkor temples are today, you can’t help but picture what things must’ve looked like 1000 years ago as you
The part of Thailand known as the North Central Plains has a lot to offer archaeology and history lovers. It is, after all, the home of Sukhothai, widely considered to be the birthplace
Sukhothai is one of Thailand’s most important historical and cultural sites, boasting some of the country’s most impressive ruins. The ancient temples span from the 12th to the 16th centuries and blend together a myriad