CRAC DES CHEVALIERS SYRIA

Described by TE Lawrence as the finest castle in the world, this hilltop Crusader fortress might be 800 years old but, like a good botox treatment, stands tight and taut against the ravages of time. Its the classic blueprint of a medieval castle, its thick outer walls separated from the inner structure by a moat dug out of the rock. Inside, its a minitown, complete with a chapel, baths, a great hall and a Gothic loggia.