Zedekiah's Cave (King Solomon's Quarries), Jerusalem

Venture beyond the city wall between the Damascus and Herod's gates, and you'll stumble upon Zedekiah's Cave, a quirky natural formation that doubled as a quarry during the Second Temple era. Descend its well-lit, stepped pathways into a grotto 200 meters deep under the Old City. While the stone interior might not win any awards for excitement, the experience is certainly memorable, especially if you're not claustrophobic.

Known also as King Solomon's Quarries, this spot allegedly provided the raw materials for Jerusalem's important buildings right up to the early 20th century. Legend has it that around 587 BC King Zedekiah tried to make a sneaky exit to Jericho through this 'tunnel' during a Babylonian invasion. Spoiler alert: he didn't exactly make a grand escape, even if that narrative is true. Nebuchadnezzar's gang caught up with him, pulled off a gruesome family massacre, and hauled him off in chains to Babylon, not before putting out his eyes.

Tip:
Opposite lies the East Jerusalem Central Bus Station. Behind it, you'll find Gordon’s Calvary, home to the Garden Tomb. Resembling a skull with its two "eye sockets", this site features Jeremiah’s Grotto (not accessible to the public), traditionally believed to be the place where the biblical prophet Jeremiah penned his book of Lamentations foreseeing Jerusalem’s fall to Babylon in 605 BC.