10 Fascinating Places You’re Not Allowed to Visit

Joe Scott of Answers With Joe takes a look at the ten most interesting places around the world where the public is forbidden to tread.

Today it feels like the whole world has been explored, but there are still a handful of places around the world that are off-limits to humans. Today let’s look at 10 places you’re not allowed to visit.

These places include the Lascaux Cave in France, which was closed to the public in 1963; North Sentinel Island off the coast of India, which is home to an isolated indigenous tribe who are not friendly to visitors; Poveglia, an island off Italy that is said to be haunted by the victims of a torturous doctor; The Vatican Apostolic Archive, which is not completely off limits, but extremely prohibitive nonetheless; Snake Island (Ilha da Queimada Grande) off of Brazil, in which the name says it all; and North Brother Island in New York City, which was home to Riverside Hospital where Typhoid Mary was treated.

Also explained are Room 39 in North Korea, Metro 2 in Moscow, Surtsey Island in Iceland, and the Chapel of the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.