14 Forbidden Destinations In The World

Area 51 is a secret Air Force base in the Nevada desert, U.S.A. which remains unknown and restricted to the public. The base is hidden deep into the desert and is surrounded by mines and defences to keep people out. There are many theories to suggest that Area 51 contains captured alien technology, like a UFO. Despite being restricted, the area around Area 51 is a popular tourist destination.

The Sentinelese have lived on this secluded island for 60,000 years, having no contact with visitors, authorities or tourists. They have been known to fire arrows and throw rocks at people approaching the island, as they warn off outsiders. The Indian Government declared it off limits.

This island between Venice and Lido in Northern Italy has been used over the years to bury the dead. The island became a quarantine colony in the 14th century for victims of the Plague and in the 19th century, Poveglia became an asylum for the mentally ill, where it is believed that were patients were experimented on.

Today the island is only home to ghosts and tortured souls, with tourists and locals banned from visiting the most haunted place in Italy.

There’s a small island off the coast of Brazil which is home to thousands of the world’s deadliest snakes. Their venom is so dangerous it melts human flesh, therefore it’s no surprise that the Brazilian government banned visitors.

The Lascaux Caves in France are covered in old paintings made by early humans, the Palaeolithic paintings are estimated to be up to 20,000 years old. The public have been banned since 1963 as they have been invaded by fungi which are detrimental to human health and human presence is also considered destructive to the works of art.

Despite Buckingham Palace being a major tourist destination, there are some places that are strictly forbidden to the public which includes the Queen’s Bedroom. However in 1982, one man managed to get past the heavily guarded palace and broke into the bedroom!

This Russian town is completely close off to visitors; founded in 1979 the town is believed to be home to a nuclear missile site –although no one really knows. This sign in Mezhgorye ironically translates to "Welcome," as the town is guarded by two battalions that keep prying eyes out!

Centuries of secrets remain a mystery within the vaults of the Vatican in Rome, from important scriptures to state papers and letters. Only the highest qualified scholars and educators are allowed in the vault and have access to the secrets that it keeps hidden.

North Brother Island in the US is one of the mysteries of New York City. The abandoned island used to be the home of Riverside Hospital in the 19th century; it treated patients for diseases and later World War II injuries, before being used as a facility for drug addicts.

In 1960 the hospital was closed and left to crumble, with the site believed to be haunted. Today black-crowned night herons nest there and the public are forbidden from visiting.

Thirty years ago, a nuclear disaster happened in Chernobyl, Ukraine, sending radioactive clouds into the air. Soviet military officials declared an Exclusion Zone within a 18-mile radius of the plant, turning the city into a ghost town. Tourists can get special permission to go, but it's near impossible as the radiation level is still dangerously high.

Many people enjoy island-hopping in Hawaii, but there’s one mysterious island they won’t have been to. Nicknamed “The Forbidden Island,” Niihau has been owned by one family for more than 150 years, and has been kept off limits to the outside world.

It is often difficult to spot, but the island is believed to be stunning. The island is enjoyed exclusively by its residents, who whom are descendants of those who lived there before the island was purchased in the 1860s.

Only a few people know the secret formula behind the Coca Cola recipe, it’s a heavily guarded secret and so the company has a high tech vault that holds the recipe.

Heard Island is one of the most remote islands in the world, found somewhere between Madagascar and Antarctica, it actually belongs to Australia. The island is known for its two active volcanoes, but is covered in a blanket of ice. Inhabitants include seals, birds and four types of penguins, but humans are not permitted to visit –not even for science.

Fort Knox is an army reserve in Kentucky that holds US national treasures and a large portion of gold reserves. It’s defended by 30,000 soldiers and a stream of attack helicopters, the gold vault is also protected by 22-ton blast-proof doors and no visitors are allowed.