The 15 best historical places to visit around the world

So, whether you’re looking for a short-haul escape to Europe or a chance to tick off a bucket-list destination, those who love history will find plenty to tempt them. From special interest holidays, including archaeology tours, to iconic landmarks, UNESCO-listed sites and more, we’ve picked out the 15 best historical places to visit around the world.

The last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid at Giza is quite simply iconic. But while the three towering pyramids and nearby statue of the Sphinx are instantly recognisable, they’re even more astonishing when you see them in person. Built more than 4,500 years ago, the sprawling suburbs of Cairo have moved every closer to their desert location, but turn your back on the city and you can imagine yourself travelling back through the millennia to the time of the pharaohs. An unmissable part of any holiday in Egypt, a visit is also easy to combine with stops at some of the country’s other historic sites, including the Valley of the Kings, and the temples of Karnak and Luxor.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Built at the height of the Inca Empire’s powers between the 15th and 16th centuries, the ‘lost city’ of Machu Picchu never fails to capture the imagination. Hidden for centuries in its mountain home in Peru until being rediscovered in 1911, the view of the valley and citadel is unforgettable. Exploring the citadel itself is a chance to walk in the footsteps of the Incas, discovering more than 200 structures including the remains of temples, palaces, towers and fountains. Untouched by Spanish conquistadors, this archaeological masterpiece is a chance to see an Inca city as it was when it was abandoned, now deservedly named among the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Temple of Kukulcan, Chichen Itza, Mexico

Another of the New Seven Wonders of the World, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the best places in Mexico to learn more about the country’s Maya heritage. The complex of buildings on the Yucatan peninsula was one of the area’s most important cities from around the 7th to 13th century.

At Chichen Itza’s heart, the 24m high pyramid of El Castillo, also called the Temple of Kukulcan, is the best-known construction; famously the shadows cast by the setting sun at the spring and autumn equinoxes make it appear that a snake is curving down the stepped side. But you can also explore the Ball Court, which is twice the size of a football field and thought to have been used for ceremonies as well as games, along with the Temple of the Warriors and the Temple of the Jaguars.

Pyramids of Teotihuacan, Mexico

One of Mexico’s most important ancient sites, this UNESCO-listed site was also one of the most impressive. At its peak between the 1st and 7th centuries, Teotihuacan stretched across eight square miles, and was home to as many as 150,000 people. The 66m-tall Pyramid of the Sun is one of the highlights, while centuries-old temples line the Avenue of the Dead leading to the Pyramid of the Moon. Not only one of the world’s best historical sites to visit, it’s also among the most mysterious – no-one knows quite who lived here, why this vast site was burned and abandoned, or even what its inhabitants called it, with the name Teotihuacan given to it by the Aztecs hundreds of years later.

Ad Deir, Petra, Jordan

Dating back over 2,000 years, the ancient Nabatean site of Petra is an unmissable part of any holiday in Jordan. Lost for centuries beneath the desert sands until it was rediscovered in 1812, it’s one of the world’s oldest cities and another of UNESCO’s new Seven Wonders of the World.

From the moment you walk into the narrow rock passage called the Siq that leads to Petra, the ‘Rose Red City’ is an adventure – the façade of the Treasury is one of the most familiar sites, but the bigger building known as the Monastery is well worth the climb to its hilltop location too. It’s easy to spend hours, even days exploring the ruins of this ancient city.

Parade portal of Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Any journey along the Silk Road is a chance to travel through history, stopping at ancient trading sites and following in the footsteps of Marco Polo. But the highlight has to be the legendary city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, one of the oldest inhabited (and once most powerful) cities in Central Asia, thought to be more than 2,750 years old.

The city’s wealth is still evident in its ornate decoration, with buildings covered in blue majolica tiles and golden mosaics. Elsewhere, you can get a taste of what the city was like in medieval times as you step into the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the Ulugh Beg Madrasah and the mausolea of the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis.

Ta Phrom Temple, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The world’s largest religious structure, Angkor Wat is the highlight of a holiday in Cambodia and the stand-out site to visit in the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor. Built in the 12th century, Angkor Wat began life as a Hindu site before being transformed into a Buddhist temple, with astonishingly intricate carvings showing scenes of everyday life as well as telling stories of gods. Designed as a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods according to Hindu mythology, you’ll discover ornate towers and peaceful moats, plus monks offering blessings as you explore.

Taj Mahal, India

Few buildings are as iconic as the Taj Mahal, built in the 17th century as a memorial to Shah Jahan’s favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The shimmering white marble mausoleum took 20,000 skilled labourers (and 1,000 elephants) to build over 22 years, with semi-precious stones used for the calligraphy on the walls. Considered one of the world’s best examples of Mughal architectural style, it combines elements of Ottoman, Indian, Persian and intricate Islamic decoration, and despite being one of the newer historic sites on the list, it’s unmissable for anyone visiting India.

Colosseum, Italy

The largest amphitheatre ever built, the Colosseum could hold up to 80,000 spectators and is perhaps the best-known ancient Roman site, famously the site of gladiator battles, animal hunts and even naval extravaganzas. Commissioned by Emperor Vespasian in 72CE, it took almost 10 years to build, with Vespasian’s son Titus reigning as the final level was completed, before being used for around 450 years.

Despite being one of Rome’s iconic landmarks, the arena’s hypogeum was only discovered in the 19th century, the complex network of underground tunnels and rooms used to house gladiators, animals and machines. Even its name is a later addition; originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, the name Colosseum probably comes from the huge statue of Emperor Nero which used to stand by the building, modelled on the Colossus of Rhodes.

Pompei, Italy

One of the most unusual historical places to visit around the world, a visit to Pompeii gives a glimpse of everyday life as it was lived almost 2,000 years ago. This Roman resort town was buried in 79CE by a sudden and massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius, with locals unable to escape the volcanic ash and lava, which covered the area and its inhabitants, freezing them in time. You can discover everything from household items to shops and other buildings, with signs and graffiti preserved for millennia, as well as some of the people and animals caught in the catastrophe.

Hagar Qim, Malta

Few people associate this Mediterranean island with ancient history, but Malta is home to temples which predate the pyramids. One of the best preserved is the megalithic temple complex of Hagar Qim, which dates back to between 3600 and 3200BCE, with the neighbouring temple of Mnajdra sitting a short walk away on the hillside above the sea. Containing some colossal slabs of stone, one weighing 20 tonnes, it’s thought that the site was used for worship, with statues believed to be fertility goddesses and known as the ‘fat ladies’ excavated from the site.

Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Towering high above modern-day Athens, the Acropolis is one of the best-known ancient Greek sites, and easily among the best historical places to visit around the world. First inhabited in around 4000BCE, it began life as a military fortress, before being turned into a religious site in the 5th century BCE, home to a string of temples including the Parthenon. Climbing up to the highest point of the Acropolis, which translates as ‘high city’, you can discover the Odeon, a huge stone amphitheatre that’s still used today, as well as smaller temples. The site is even home to an olive tree said to be the descendent of one planted by the goddess Athena.

Saranda Kolones, Paphos Archaeological Park, Cyprus

The UNESCO-listed Kato Pafos is a fascinating collection of archaeological sites around Paphos in Cyprus, dating across centuries from prehistoric times to the Romans and medieval period. The Tombs of the Kings is the best-known section, with the ornate tombs reserved for high-ranking officials and aristocracy, and dating back to the 3rd century BCE. The area is also home to the ruins of Nea Paphos, with its temple, theatre and beautifully-preserved mosaics depicting scenes from Greek mythology.

Palace of Knossos, Crete

The legendary home of the Minotaur and prison of Daedalus and Icarus, the Palace of Knossos on Crete is one of the most fascinating historical places to visit around the world. While there’s no labyrinth to brave today, the palace was the heart of the Minoan civilisation which ruled here for around 2,000 years, from around the time of the first pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. Discovered in 1878, excavations uncovered artefacts linked to a cult of bull worship, as well as some impressive frescoes in the palace complex, before being restored in colourful, if controversial, fashion. Many of the original items can still be seen in the nearby archaeological museum in Heraklion.

Ephesus, Turkey

One of the most well-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean, Ephesus in Turkey was a vital trading port for the Greeks and later the Romans, before playing a role in the spread of Christianity across Europe. Home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis, little remains of the original site which was famed for its size and magnificence, but visitors can still walk the marble-lined streets to see the impressive Library of Celsus and Great Theatre, as well as spotting the ruts from chariot wheels and decorative mosaic pavements. Later home to St Paul, it’s said that the Virgin Mary spent her final years nearby and that St John also wrote his Gospel here

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