Sacrificial altars, cryptic stone circles and mysteriously abandoned cities – does it get any better than this?

The places we live, work, eat and play at often feel like they will last forever. But when you’re standing in a jungle in the ancient ruins of a stone house whose owners died thousands of years ago, you quickly realise they definitely won’t.

Travellers have long been chasing this feeling. Being drawn to monuments of our ancestors’ ancient way of life allows us to reflect on the fact that nothing lasts forever. And while countless ancient ruins are yet to be discovered, there are plenty of astonishing ones you should try to see in your lifetime.

1. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

One of the world’s most recognisable sites, the Pyramids of Giza was built in the 26th century BCE on the Giza Plateau near Cairo. They are the only surviving structure of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The site includes the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the slightly smaller Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure and the Great Sphinx. Abu Simbel and Luxor Temple are far away in southern Egypt, but wannabe archaeologists should try to visit them as well!

2. Tikal, Guatemala

The largest and most impressive example of pre-Columbian Maya architecture, the ancient city of Tikal in Central America is part of the Tikal National Park, which consists of thousands of ruined structures over hundreds of square metres of tropical rainforest.

Dating back as far as the 4th century CE, the ancient city is home to ceremonial pyramids, funerary acropolises, temples and palaces, and was one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya.

3. Pompeii and Herculaneum, Italy

These two Roman towns are well-known for being preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Pompeii, located on the lower slopes, is better known, while Herculaneum, closer to the volcano, was buried in a thicker layer of pyroclastic material, which preserved many wooden structures and organic materials.

Both sites reveal much about Roman life, including the sad fate of the towns.

4. Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan citadel located in the Andes Mountains of Peru, above the Sacred Valley. Built in the 15th century, it was later abandoned for unknown reasons.

The site includes temples, farmland terraces and palaces, with over a million tourists drawn to the awe-inspiring remains of the Inca civilisation at dizzying heights every year.

5. Petra and Siq al-Barid, Jordan

The city of Petra dates back thousands of years. Today, it is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites. Carved directly into sandstone cliffs, Petra served as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and is celebrated for structures such as the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) and the Monastery (Ad-Deir) that seem to glow twilight pink.

Millions of tourists visit every year. If you want a more crowd-free visit as well, stop by Siq al-Barid north of Petra.

6. Prambanan Temple, Indonesia

The Prambanan Temple Compounds, built in the 9th century CE, are the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, built by a powerful Javanese dynasty. Dedicated to the Hindu Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the site originally consisted of 240 temples, though many have been lost or damaged.

Mysteriously, the complex was abandoned very soon after it was built. The site is UNESCO World Heritage-listed and is often visited alongside the nearby Borobudur Temple, the world’s largest Buddhist temple.

7. Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Chichén Itzá is a pre-Columbian Mayan city on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It was a major centre of Maya civilisation, thought to have been most active between the 7th and 13th centuries CE.

Visit El Castillo (the Temple of Kukulcán), the Great Ball Court and the Cenote Sagrado, a natural sinkhole used for sacrificial offerings. Creepy.

8. Valley of the Temples, Italy

The Valley of the Temples or Valle dei Templi in Agrigento, Sicily, is one of the most significant examples of ancient Greek architecture today. It includes seven impressively well-preserved Doric temples built between 510 BCE and 430 BCE, such as the Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Juno.

The site also features extensive ancient city walls and necropolises. A hot tip – literally – don’t visit here when the sun is highest without some serious sunscreen and a big bottle of water.

9. Stonehenge and Avebury Stone Circles, England

Stonehenge is a mysterious prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, consisting of a ring of standing stones. It dates back to around 2500 BCE and is believed to have been used for ceremonial or astronomical purposes.

But nearby, the Avebury Stone Circles, which date back to around the same time, get around a fifth of the visitors, despite it being the largest megalithic stone circle in the world.

10. Gwalior Fort, India

Gwalior Fort in India has seen several rulers and dynasties over the centuries and is considered by UNESCO to be one of the greatest architectural examples of ‘intercultural exchange’. It is known for its massive walls and the intricate palaces and temples within its grounds.

The fort is also home to the Chaturbhuj Temple, which contains one of the earliest known inscriptions of the number zero.

11. Skellig Michael, Ireland

Skellig Michael is a remote island off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland, known for its early Christian monastery, which dates back to the 6th century CE. It is famous for the unusual aesthetic of the distinctive beehive-shaped stone huts where monks lived (which might have been one of the reasons Star Wars was filmed here).

Skellig Michael is also well-known for its birdlife, including puffins and one of the largest gannet colonies, as well as grey seals.

12. Ayutthaya, Thailand

Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom, founded in 1350 and flourished until its destruction by invaders in the mid-18th century. The city in Thailand was known for its grand temples, palaces and statues, many of which still stand in ruins today.

There’s a lot to cover here, and you could spend days doing it. But if you’re limited in time, see Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the royal temple.

13. Ellora Caves, India

This UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is recognised for its rock-cut temples and monasteries, dating from the 6th to the 10th centuries CE and featuring 34 caves in total.

It is seen today to represent a harmonious coexistence of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, with temples, sanctuaries and monasteries dedicated to these faiths. The most well-known is the Kailasa Temple, a massive monolithic rock excavation dedicated to Lord Shiva.

14. The Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

While you’ve probably heard of the Angkor Wat temple complex, there are others built by the powerful Khmer Empire. Ruling from the ninth to the 15th century, the empire built many of these temples to honour Hindu deities, before transitioning to pay tribute to Buddhism, as it became the main religion. Along with the enormous and highly significant Angkor Wat, you can visit Angkor Thom, the last capital of the empire, the root-covered temple of Ta Prohm, and the pink sandstone Banteay Srei.

15. Rani ki vav, India

Rani ki vav – the Queen’s Stepwell – is a subterranean temple. Commissioned to be built in the 11th century by Queen Udayamati of the Solanki dynasty, a spiritual place that also worked as a water management system with a well at the bottom, in dedication to her late husband. It was later hidden by repeated flooding before being ‘rediscovered’ in the 20th century. Today, you can walk down into the temple to see the hundreds of elaborate sculptures, many of which depict Hindu deities, all the way down to the water.