by Jade Li

Created on: June 24, 2010

Many of the countries that we visit nowadays are chosen because of their immense rich historical legacy. We seem to be attracted to history, the legends surrounding them, the beautiful architecture and art like moths drawn to an ever-lasting flame that’s burned continuously for centuries.

No matter which continent you go to, there are always ancient cities that are worth visiting. It’s choosing one to start with and then having to deal with the addiction of visiting them!

Europe:

Athens is perhaps one of the oldest cities in Europe. Archaeologists have shown that there were people living on the Acropolis as early as the 9th century BCE before they moved down to where the modern city is today in the 6th century BCE.

Athens is testament to the glory of the Classical World, a city that is still extremely proud of her rich historical and mythological past. This was the city won by the goddess of wisdom, Athena, in a contest with Poseidon, the god of the sea, the people tell visitors, the pride still evident in their voices.

The city of Athens has some wonderful attractions dating from different parts of history – Neolithic, Classical, Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman and more modern. It would take at least a week to explore this beautiful city thoroughly and still leave you wanting to come back for more.

Africa:

Cairo and Luxor are perhaps the two most famous cities from ancient Egypt, a time when pharaohs were considered living gods and ruled much of the Middle East. The Giza pyramids, the Karnack temple, the Valley of the Kings and Queens and the Cairo Museum are visited by millions each way.

The incredible history of this ancient land has been extensively studied by Westerners and Middle East historians and archaeologists for centuries; British gentleman archaeologists and adventurers were digging in the sands hundreds of years before Howard Carter discovered the incredible King Tut’s tomb in the 1920s. Additional finds draw millions of new visitors to Egypt every year.

Asia:

Beijing is perhaps one of the most famous ancient cities in Asia, perhaps the entire world. This is a city of emperors, courtesans and eunuchs, a place of intrigue and mystery. The Forbidden City is the number one attraction in Beijing (formerly known as Peking); until the 19th century, it was forbidden to the majority of Chinese people as well as Westerners (hence the name). Today, it is a shining example to the history, the culture and the beliefs of the ancient Chinese people, both the former emperors and the ordinary people.

There are so many different attractions in Beijing – the temples date from the different dynasties Chinese history is divided into, each more beautiful and rich in historical heritage. Westerners, and even other Asian tourists, gather in Beijing to marvel at the beauty, the heritage and the history of one of the greatest cultures of earth.

With the world being as large as it is, there is no end to the amount of ancient cities there are to visit. But I promise you this, once you start to visit them, you will find it very hard to stay away.

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