Top 10 Travel Destinations for History Buffs
Millenary cultures, pyramids and ancient cities. Discover the ten best places to visit if you are an History Lover.
When choosing the destination of our trip, there are people looking for places with paradisiacal beaches; Others prefer mountains or jungles that give them good doses of walks and adventures; And urbanites will look for cities that offer a good combination of cultural, gastronomy and leisure. Perhaps these are the most identifiable groups, but there are many others, and among them, we find those who feel something special when they travel historical places on which have devoured books, or watched the documentary, passionately.
For centuries, archaeologists and historians have worked hard to unravel the secrets of which man has left his mark on our planet. With their effort, they have achieved that many can enjoy trips that go beyond places, landscapes or people that inhabit it. They are authentic life experiences that take us back to other times.
Here we leave you ten destinations that would delight the very Indiana Jones: 10 perfect places for history lovers.
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
The halo of mystery and heroism that surrounds this Inca city, located between the promontories of the mountains of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, has given rise to a multitude of legends since its ruins were discovered in the western world at the beginning of the 20th century.
It is a stone citadel, where there are numerous religious buildings and noble houses that indicate that it could be used as a residence of high Inca rulers. When the Spaniards conquered the nearby and powerful Cuzco, many Incas sought refuge in Machu Picchu, erecting itself as the last bastion of resistance.
Its history, together with its stunning natural surroundings, has made it one of the most famous destinations in the world. If you have enough time, it is best to complement your visit to the city of Cuzco and the legendary walk known as the Inca Trail.
2. Lalibela, Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a historic treasure that is undervalued worldwide. Although the number of visitors increases every year, very few venture to discover a country that has the honour of being the only one in Africa that did not suffer colonization in Europe, making its culture a unique icon throughout the black continent.
The jewel of the Ethiopian crown is the city of Lalibela. Raised to 2600 meters above sea level, between inhospitable and inaccessible mountains, has the peculiarity of owning a large number of Christian churches dug into the rock. Most of them were built between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries, no wonder, bearing in mind that Christianity came to Ethiopia in the fourth century.
Bet Maryam (the oldest), Bet Abba Liban and Bet Danaghel are just a few examples of a story that remains hidden from much of the Western world.
3. Beaches of Normandy, France
You will not see cathedrals or other large and elaborate buildings on the beaches of the French coast of Normandy. However, the importance and historical symbolism here can be compared to that of the most emblematic places on the globe.
World War II, the bloodiest and most important conflict in history, took its final turn after the Allied troops disembarked on June 6, 1944, on the beaches whose names were Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword. The cliffs and the magnificent colours join the museums and monuments raised in the area to create a place that a lover of history can not ignore.
4. The temples of Angkor, Cambodia
Devoted by the luxuriant Cambodian jungle are the Buddhist temples that are the living proof of the mastery and grandeur of the Khmer Asian dynasty. Angkor was built in the 12th century and is said to be able to house a population of almost half a million people in its more than 200 square kilometres.
The best way to visit its dozens of temples of all sizes is by arriving in the nearby city of Siem Reap and renting a motorcycle.
5. The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
The great pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the declared Seven Wonders of the World. It is believed to have been built around 2570 BC by order of Pharaoh Cheops.
There are still many who wonder how such a job could be done in those times. There are more than two million blocks of stone that were used in this work of colossal dimensions. One feels a certain fear and respect when he can visit the chambers of the king and the queen. A symbol of humanity in the midst of a desert landscape that adds earthly beauty.
6. Stonehenge, United Kingdom
Contemporary of its pyramidal form Egyptian sisters, the stone circle of Stonehenge is considered one of the oldest and best-preserved burial monuments.
However, the place is not limited to the iconic circle that we have seen in so many images, but there are more than 26 square kilometers that include avenues, settlements, some 350 tombs, possible houses for cures and other constructions raised by men who In the Neolithic inhabited these lands of the south of England.
7. Tikal, Guatemala
When one is in the Great Plaza of the fascinating stone city of Tikal, in the heart of the jungle of the Guatemalan Petén, he asks how the Mayan civilization could disappear. Great pyramidal temples, wide avenues leading to the noble houses of the acropolis, water reserve accumulation systems, ball courts and many other buildings that are only part of an imposing city that remains partly buried under Jungle. Its construction began in century IV AC but its period of apogee would reach between the 200 and 900 of our era. There are many theories about its decay and abandonment, but most point to a mixture of overpopulation and drought.
It is very likely that spider monkeys are your expedition companions. Nature and history go hand in hand in this magical place.
8. The Great Wall, China
The stone belt raised by the Chinese dynasties to protect themselves from the Mongol invasions remains one of the most amazing works done by man. When you go through its thousands of kilometres of the perimeter, you have the opportunity to delve into the history and traditions of more rural China.
9. Rome, Italy
The epicentre of one of the most durable and large known empires in history offers the traveller an endless collection of monuments that will transport him to the dawn of our era. The famous Colosseum, the Foro Italico, the Capitoline Hill or the Vatican will be part of a visit that can take you weeks to unravel all the secrets of one of the most historical cities in the world.
10. Petra, Jordan
The city known as the Pink City was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom and remained hidden from the eyes of the western world, hidden in a narrow valley, until the nineteenth century.
Founded in the 8th century BC by the Edomites, it was the Nabateans who made it prosper, thanks to the strategic commercial situation that occupied the route of caravans trading with incense, spices and luxury products. It astonishes the way its main buildings are carved into a rock easily moldable. Its location, among desert landscapes, is a plus for the traveller looking for something more than history.
