At the base of towering limestone cliffs in the desert of Deir el-Bahari stands one of Egypt’s most elegant and enigmatic structures: the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. Blending into the cliffs like it was born from them, this three-tiered masterpiece tells the story of a woman who ruled like a god—and made sure the world would never forget it.

In the far northwest of the United Kingdom, where jagged mountains slice through clouds and mists cling like secrets, there’s a place that feels almost too magical to be real. The Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye are a string of small, impossibly clear waterfalls and blue-green pools, tucked into the foot of the Black Cuillin mountains.