Few South American archaeological sites are as stunning as Peru’s Machu Picchu. In the middle of a mountain forest nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, this Inca city uses natural materials to create an aesthetic harmony with its natural surroundings. This site was one of the last sanctuaries for the Inca Empire as it fell to Spanish colonialism. In fact, the Spaniards were never able to find Machu Picchu and it remained hidden until 1911. As a result, it is a notably intact archaeological site although it is threatened by increasing tourism and commercial infiltration. Outside the city, the tranquil Andes Mountains are home to a variety of interesting wildlife, including Peru’s famous llamas. A pair

The Acropolis at Dawn

Settlement and construction on the Acropolis of Athens dates back to thousands of years BC, but most was destroyed by Persians when they invaded Athens in 480 BC. The Greek statesman Pericles led its rebuilding during Athens’ “Golden Age” to create the buildings that stand today, including the Parthenon, the iconic landmark of Greece, and one of the most famous landmarks in Europe. Originally housing a 40-foot-tall statue of the goddess Athena and a treasury, the Parthenon has survived many threats and uses imposed on it over the millennia. It has been a brothel, a Christian church, a mosque, and an armory for the Turks. In 1687, a Turkish gunpowder cache exploded and ruined much of