The Middle East is misunderstood by most people who’ve never set foot there. It’s not just one big desert with some ancient ruins—it’s fast-moving, deeply complex, and wildly different from place to place.

You’ve got hyper-modern cities like Dubai, ancient sites in Jordan that look straight out of a movie, and markets in Istanbul that have been running for centuries.

The hospitality is next level, the food is addictive, and the history is layered so deep you’ll never reach the bottom.