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These UNESCO World Heritage sites in Lebanon, Scotland, and Ethiopia are all worth the trip.

Our AFAR cofounder reconnects with a beloved city and discovers what’s new and notable from Istanbul to Cappadocia.

Discover centuries of history, cave hotels, and some seriously good meze across the country.

The U.S. may be known for its national parks, but these 10 in other countries―from Costa Rica to China―are worthy rivals.

The best way to enhance your perspective? See a new place from above.

Dare we say, it is the most kid-friendly place of all time.

In Matera, Italy this cave has been keeping people sheltered for 7,000 years and is now home to the first luxury hotel in the area.

A thousand years ago in this bizarre desert land of Cappadocia, Turkey, people carved into the soft lava rock and created monasteries, living quarters, and churches. Mamy of the churches’ frescos are still vibrant and beautiful, don’t miss the Dark Church.

If you go to Cappadocia, Turkey, the Göreme Open Air Museum is worth a visit. The museum is a collection of cave churches carved out by Orthodox monks from about 900 AD to 1200 AD. The monks really went all out to try and make the cave churches look and feel like “real” churches. A few of them are carved in the floor plan of a typical church and others have faux architectural features like columns and arched, vaulted ceilings. All of the churches have painted frescoes, some more beautiful and elaborate than others in design. Undoubtedly, the most beautiful of the cave churches is the Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise) which dates back to the 12th century. The church is so named because there is only one small window, opposite the apse, that light can shine in through. Because of the relative darkness, the colors of the frescoes, which depict scenes from the New Testament, are as vibrant today as they were centuries ago. Until the 1950’s, the Dark Church was used as a pigeon coop and apparently, it took 14 years to scrape all the poop off the frescoes. Even though the frescoes have been restored, one sign of damage has been left untouched and that is the gouged out eyes of the figures. It’s believed this was done by the Turks who are superstitious of the “evil eye.” The Open Air Museum is located a short a 15-minute walk (1.5 km) from the village of Göreme and a short taxi ride (6.5 km) from the town of Ürgüp. Practice taking photos in low light before you go!

Immerse yourself in natural and cultural wonders as you uncover an enchanting landscape of ancient rock formations and underground cities.

If you only get to ride in a hot air balloon once in your life, do it over Cappadocia, Turkey. Amazing. Cappadocia is surreal when seen from any angle. The region is peppered with strange pointy stone spires that rise up toward the sky, in pastel colors and lacy cutouts. The columns are spectacular when viewed from the ground. But, floating in the wicker basket of a hot air balloon, looking across Cappadocia’s landscape, is otherworldly. The balloons are launched before dawn so that you are well underway before the sun’s rays begin to lick the mountains. When that golden orb eventually breaks onto the scene, the sight is breathtaking. In this photo, I caught the sun shining through a nearby balloon. Any photographer worth her salt is pumping adrenaline, furiously snapping pictures as fast as the camera can stand it.

After a long hot day exploring Cappadicia, head to Sunset Point and watch the sun go down. Vendors sell tea, fresh squeezed OJ, and dried fruits, or bring your own picnic and rest among the many pillows they’ve set up. The sun sets around 8pm in July and is quite a show and it lowers over the wild landscape of this region.

When you travel to the Cappadocia region of Turkey you have to stay in a cave hotel. Sleeping in a room carved out of the area’s ‘fairy chimney’ rock formations is inherently cool. When you realize that your room is also literally cool—even in the midday heat—you suddenly have a better understanding of the clever ways people managed to live in a challenging environment for centuries. The hotel’s best feature might be the terrace, where you relax on pillows and eat a Turkish breakfast of apricots and yogurt as you watch dozens of hot air balloons rise from the valley below. From $76. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.

55 Luftballoons took off before the sun came up over the stunning landscape of Cappadocia Turkey. The landscape was beautiful to see from above, however I think I was more in awe of a sky full of balloons which felt like such a unique experience.

Cappadocia, Turkey is filled with thousands of dwellings carved into the soft lava rock. The Uchisar Castle is the largest and is easily explored. Go to the top for an incredible vista and run around its many stone pillars, caves, and one-time homes for people over a thousand years ago.