Depending on the type of vacation you are looking to have, chances are you will likely want to relax in the sunshine, but also check a couple of wonders off your bucket list. Here, we will look at some of the must-see historical sites around the world, focusing on perhaps the most famous ancient parts of history – Egypt and Greece.
Egypt
Over the years, Ancient Egyptian iconography, society, and tales have inspired a wide range of different media – from TV shows to novels and movies on the silver screen. Ancient Egyptian themes are also often utilized by online casino games, too, such as the Jackpots at Paddy Power where players can play games like Egypt Megaways, Eye of Horus: The Golden Tablet, and Wings of Ra, which provide immersive gameplay allowing players to explore the wonders of Ancient Egypt.
It is no wonder, then, that the historic landmarks of Egypt have been a popular tourist destination for decades – particularly when it comes to the pyramids. Perhaps the most in-demand location of all is Giza, or Al Giza, across the Nile from the capital city Cairo.
Unsurprisingly, this is where the iconic Pyramids of Giza are situated. Of the pyramids, travellers can explore the largest pyramid in the world – the Great Pyramid of Giza – which is the resting place of the Fourth Dynasty Pharaoh, Khufu (or Cheop). Surrounding this is the Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren), and the Pyramid of Menkaure.
Nearby, you can find the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt – the Great Sphinx of Giza – which is perhaps the most recognizable statue of all time. The Sphinx is around a five-minute drive or just over a 10-minute walk from Giza’s pyramid complex.
Just over a two-and-a-half hour’s drive away from Giza is the city of Alexandria, which is known for being home to historic sites like Pompey’s Pillar, and the underground Great Library of Alexandria, which is located under the ruins of the Serapeum, as covered by Britannica.
Greece
When visiting Greece for a mixture of sunshine and relaxation and historical adventures, arguably the best city to use as your base is Athens, known as the birthplace of Western civilization. In addition to delicious food and sweeping landscapes, Athens has a plethora of striking historical landmarks speckling the horizon. Perhaps the most popular tourist destination of them all is the Acropolis.
The Acropolis contains a variety of different monuments and buildings that date back to Greek Antiquity – the majority of which are estimated to have been constructed during Athens’ “golden age” in the fifth century BC, before being developed during the Hellenistic, Macedonian, and Roman periods. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Amongst the buildings are the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, the temple of Athena Nike, and, of course, the Parthenon.
For sports enthusiasts, around a 10-minute drive out of Athens, the Panathenaic Stadium is also well worth a visit – the site of the first modern Olympic games in 1896, built on the same site as the stadium that hosted the Ancient Greek Panathenaic games for millennia before.
Now, by no means is this an exhaustive list of all the historical sites in and around Egypt and Greece. However, with these examples of historical must-sees to introduce you to what’s out there and whet your appetite, the world is your oyster – all that’s left to do is explore it.
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