The high design of modern metropolises is often an awesome sight. Nevertheless, there is also something to be said for impressive ancient destinations where the structures have stood for literally hundreds or even thousands of years. Here then, in no particular order, are eight ancient cities to add to your personal travel wish list.

1. Tiwanaku, Bolivia

The city of Tiwanaku is located near famous Lake Titicaca within Western Bolivia. This pre-Columbian adobe city was founded circa 500 AD. Still standing today, it was once the official capital of a strong pre-Hispanic ancient empire that controlled a huge portion of the well-known southern Andes and beyond.

It reached its pinnacle sometime between 501 and 899 AD. Today this ancient metropolis might look a bit more than a modern art installation than the powerful city it once was. The mighty monumental remnants represent a physical tribute to the political and cultural import of the civilization. Be sure to take a guided tour of the popular sandstone Pyramid of Akapana and all the temples too.

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Rome, Italy

The capital city of Rome in Italy makes almost any travel expert’s list of top ancient cities. After all, “all roads lead to Rome”, right? It was reportedly founded in 753 BC by the twins known as Remus and Romulus.

Rome blends the very best of the old — the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, and the Colosseum — with the new — the Fendi-sponsored Caravaggio Research Institute. Ah, but there’s more! Foodies praise the delicacies available at the Gelateria del Teatro, which serves up fresh lemon gelato made with the fruit from the famous Amalfi Coast. Other highlights here include the Scuderie del Quirinale, Villa Madama, Villa Farnesina, the Church of Sant’Agostino, and the big commemorative Raphael exhibition.

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Anciet Choquequirao, Peru

Choquequirao is a once lost city high in the well-known Andes. Specifically, this stone mountaintop metropolis is ensconced in southern Peru’s Vilcabamba mountain range within the district of Santa Teresa. The ruins of this Incan site are terraces and buildings both above and below Sunch’u Pata.

The architecture and structure here are much like Machu Picchu but much of it remains undiscovered. At press time, archeologists have unearthed only about 30 percent of it due to the remoteness of the area. Rarely do more than 30 travelers visit this place each day (compared to the 2,500 who visit Machu Picchu). Presently only accessible via a two-day hike from Cusco, a tourist cable car is in the works.

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  Pompeii, Italy

The ancient, volcano-stricken city of Pompeii can be found near the city of Naples in Italy’s Campania region. Pompeii, Herculaneum, and a number of neighboring villas were entombed beneath four to six meters (13 to 19+ feet) of pumice and volcanic ash during the AD 79 eruption of infamous Mount Vesuvius. Much was surprisingly preserved under all the ash, thus the now excavated location offers a distinct snapshot of ancient Roman life.

Pompeii is an official UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy’s biggest tourist attractions. Roughly 2.5 million travelers visit this place every year. Local highlights include the Stabian Baths, the Scavi di Pompei and the Sanctuary of the Madonna of the Rosary.

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Cahokia, Illinois

St. Louis is not what comes to most people’s minds when they hear the phrase “ancient city.” Nevertheless, Cahokia is an ancient, pre-Columbian Native American settlement found in western Illinois across the Mississippi River between Collinsville and East St. Louis. Reported to have been active between 1049 and 1351 CE, it remains the largest of its kind north of Mexico. Quite influential in its day, it spanned an area of 2,200 acres (or approximately three and a half square miles). and had a total population of more than 20,000. Be sure not to miss the rebuilt Woodhenge, an eye-catching circle of several wooden posts that was once used in order to track the stars.

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Ancient Delphi, Greece

Also once known as Pytho, Delphi is a famous ancient sanctuary that became both influential and popular as the seat of the high priestess and oracle Pythia. The olden Greeks considered Delphi to be the very center of the world itself and erected the stone monument called the omphalos (or navel) to signify that belief. Additionally, Apollo — the Greek god of archery, dance, music, prophecy, and truth — was said to have lived on this legendary mountaintop perch. Be sure to brave the steep hike to the top of the Delphi Ruins too which date back to the 300s. After you’ve explored this official UNESCO World Heritage Site, don’t forget to visit the popular Delphi Archaeological Museum as well.

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Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is a well-known temple complex situated in Cambodia. Once the established ninth-century capital of the historic Khmer Empire, it covered a space of 154 square miles. The Temple of Angkor Wat took three decades to construct. It includes two different styles of Khmer architecture: the galleried temple and the earlier temple-mountain architecture.

It was first built to be a Hindu temple and formally dedicated to the Indian god Vishnu. As the 12th century came to a close it re-established as a Buddhist temple. To this day it remains the largest religious structure on the planet. Make sure that you stop at the Bayon Temple, too, and check out the 200 carved stone faces on the outside of the building.

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Petra, Jordan

First known as Raqmu, Petra is an archaeological and historic city located in southern Jordan. The temples and tombs found in Petra were actually hand-carved into the salmon-colored sandstone of this ex-Nabatean Kingdom sometime around 300 BC. Veteran visitors say that one of the most inspiring sites here is The Treasury or Al-Khazneh.

You should also stop by the popular Street of Facadese and the well-known Colonnaded Street, with its memorable towering columns erected by the Romans back in 106 AD. Petra was declared an official UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 6, 1985. Some travelers even consider it to be one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.”

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