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Tenth place: Mantua, Italy
Mantua is located in northern Italy, in the Lombardy region, and is known as the city of three lakes. It is not a tourist destination, but the medieval appearance of the settlement has been preserved almost entirely. Mantua was once the cultural capital of Italy and the gastronomic capital of Europe.
People come to the city to enjoy the art, architecture and relaxed atmosphere. For more than 400 years, Mantua was ruled by the Gonzaga family, who had a greater influence on the city. They built a number of buildings that made this place the jewel of Northern Italy. Palazzo Ducale, the Gonzaga residence, still exists today and houses a museum. It is a complex of buildings connected with each other by corridors, galleries, courtyards and gardens. The total area of the palace is 34 thousand m2.
How to get there
As a rule, people come to Mantua for 1-2 days from larger cities. There are direct regional trains from Verona and Milan, the journey takes 45 minutes and 2 hours respectively. From Venice or Bologna, it is best to travel by car, as there are no direct travel options.
Ninth place: Gaziantep, Turkey
Gaziantep is one of the most interesting cities in Turkey in terms of history. Some historians lean towards it being founded in 3650 BC, but most scholars believe it’s much older than that. But whatever their point of view, Gaziantep is still considered one of the ancient cities. Among the historic buildings are mosques and the fortress of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. However, during an earthquake in February 2023, part of the castle was badly destroyed.
Gaziantep is considered the gastronomic capital of Turkey. In 2015, UNESCO named it a ‘culinary creative city’, and several dishes were even included in the list of intangible heritage.
How to get there
Gaziantep has an airport with direct flights from Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Izmir.
Eighth place: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Plovdiv is known as the ‘city on hills’ as it was built on seven hills. But today only six remain: one of them, Markovo Tepe, was destroyed a hundred years ago. Plovdiv is one of the 10 oldest cities in the world, and almost everything here reminds of its history. There are stone buildings, cobbled streets, ancient churches, monasteries and other architectural objects on every corner.
The Roman theatre, built in the 2nd century BC, is well preserved. It is considered one of the largest and best preserved in the region. The theatre seats 5000-6000 spectators and performances are still held here.
The Dzhumaya Mosque is one of the oldest Islamic buildings in the Balkans and the main Muslim temple of the city. It was built during the Ottoman Empire.
How to get there
There are no direct flights from Russia, mostly all planes to Plovdiv fly from London. But you can fly to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, with a connection in Istanbul – and from there take a couple of hours by train or bus to Plovdiv.
Seventh place: Fayoum, Egypt
Faiyum is located 100 kilometers from Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The city was once a desert until an oasis formed by the canals of the Nile River appeared here. After that, Fayyum became a fertile region, which attracted the attention of Egyptians.
Today Fayyum belongs to the city of Medinet-el-Fayum. But in ancient times it was used to refer to the whole territory where large prosperous cities existed, among them – Shedit (better known as Crocodilopolis), Karanis, Hawara, Kahun and others.
The city is famous for the so-called Fayum Portraits, a collection of beautifully executed mummy masks. And there are many ancient Egyptian ruins preserved throughout the region, such as the pyramid of Amenemhet III in Hawara. Despite the proximity of Cairo, there aren’t many tourists here.
How to get there
On an excursion to El Fayum go from Hurghada (460 km) or Cairo (100 km). There are direct flights from Moscow to these cities.
Sixth place: Athens, Greece
Athens has been called the birthplace of Western civilization. The city’s history dates back 3,400 years. Despite the city’s popularity and the large number of ancient archaeological sites, only two of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Acropolis and the Daphne Monastery.
The Acropolis is located in the centre of the city – it is an iconic site where philosophers questioned the essence of the universe. Surrounding the Acropolis are the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Temple of Erechtheion, the Odeon (ancient theatre) of Herodotus Atticus and the Theatre of Dionysus.
How to get there
There are no direct flights to Athens, but you can catch a connecting flight to Istanbul.
Fifth place: Sidon, Lebanon
Sidon (now Saida) was a Phoenician port city. It reached its peak of prosperity during the era when it supplied the Persian Empire with ships and sailors to fight the Egyptians and Greeks. But today, only ruins remain of the city.
Among the surviving sights is the Sea Castle, built by the Crusaders in the 13th century on the island. Only the northern wall remains of the original fortress, and the other two walls were destroyed in a hurricane in 1936 and later rebuilt.
The old bazaars, where beautiful buildings have been preserved, help you immerse yourself in the cultural heritage. Here it is easy to get lost among the narrow and winding alleys and drown in the aromas of spices. The food in the bazaar is considered one of the highlights of Saida. The town also has a beautiful promenade overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Locals and travellers come here to take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the sunset.
How to get there
Travelers come to Sidon from Beirut – there are 40 km between the cities and regular buses.
Fourth place: Souza, Iran
Susa was once the meeting point of two major ancient civilisations, Mesopotamia and Elam. The city was the winter residence of Persian kings. At different times the Assyrian, Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, Sassanid and Babylonian dynasties ruled this land.
Nowadays, Susa is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world, located at the source of the river. The remains of Susa are located in the modern city of Shush. It will take you 1-2 days to see the sights here, but they are definitely worth seeing. For example, the Choga-Zanbil Ziggurat is considered one of the best preserved ziggurats in the world – these are temple towers, which are multi-stage structures. Shush Castle was built by a French archaeologist in the 1890s to provide a secure base for archaeological research and excavations.
How to get there
The nearest airport is Dezful, only 30 kilometres from the city. There are direct flights from Tehran (the capital of Iran) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. However, most often tourists come from Ahvaz – planes from Tehran fly there every day.
Third place: Argos, Greece
Argos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the oldest in Europe. People have been living in it for seven thousand years. Argos has a very beautiful central square next to the church of St Peter from 1859. In front of the church there is a long pond resembling a river. In summer it is one of the most popular places in the city.
During walks you can see the ancient theatre and agora, as well as the acropolis of Larissa, named after the daughter of the city’s founder, Pelasgus. The history of the fortifications (defensive structures) of the Acropolis dates back to the VI-V centuries B.C. The Acropolis is located 3.5 km from the city centre.
How to get there
You can get to Argos by train or bus from Athens.
Second place: Byblos, Lebanon
In ancient times Byblos was called Gebal and was a Phoenician port city on the Mediterranean coast. It is also mentioned in Egyptian mythology. According to legends, it was here that Isis, the goddess of fertility, found her dead husband Osiris.
The modern name of Byblos is Jebeil, or Byblos. In the city there are still objects built in the XII century. For example, the Crusader Castle is a classic knight’s castle with fortress walls and four towers, once surrounded by a deep moat. Now only ruins remain and there is a small museum inside. You can also climb to the observation deck, which offers a view of the city.
In Byblos you can see Roman columns, royal tombs and ancient temples. Be sure to visit the old bazaar – it was built back in Ottoman times to demonstrate the strength of the economic spirit. Nowadays there are many small shops selling souvenirs, local craftsmen and other goods.
How to get there
Byblos has no airport, but you can fly to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. There, take a bus from Helou bus station to Byblos.
First place: Jericho
Jericho is the oldest city in the world, with the first settlement here around 9600 BC. Now it is a small city on the territory of Palestine with a population of only 20 thousand people. Jericho is not only the oldest city, but also the lowest settlement on Earth.
Christians often travel here to touch religious sites. Jericho is home to Mount Karanthal, where, according to the Bible, Jesus was tempted by the devil. Nabi Musa is the site of the supposed tomb of Moses. On the border between Palestine and Jordan, not far from the city, you will find Qasr al-Yahud, the site of Jesus’ baptism.
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