6 Most Famous Archaeological Sites To Explore In The World

There were those that we always heard about and were excited to see such as the Colosseum, Machu Picchu, or the Pyramids in Egypt. But there were also unknown gems that really surprised us. For example, the Persepolis in Iran or Baalbek temples in Lebanon. Just wow! A few archaeological sites remain on our bucket list: from the Leptis Magna in Libya and the incredible Moai or Rano Raraku, also known as statues on Easter Island. Hopefully, we get to see them in our lifetime.

In the meantime, enjoy the list of the 6 most amazing archaeological sites in the world. From iconic monuments, ancient cities to century-old temples, these should be on your bucket list.

# Baalbek, Lebanon

Baalbek was known as Heliopolis and it is home to some of the most incredible Roman Ruins. Although it was in Roman times that Baalbek gained its wide recognition, the site was of political and religious importance long before the Romans arrived.

The highlight is the Temple of Jupiter, constructed in the 1st century AD, and the Temple Of Bacchus built a century later. Most importantly, it is the best-preserved Roman temple of its size anywhere. It was almost bizarre to share this huge archaeological site with just a dozen other tourists. Lebanon doesn’t see near as many tourists as bordering countries such as Israel or even Jordan.

# Bagan, Burma

More than 2000 temples and pagodas can be found around Bagan. During its golden age when Bagan was the capital of the kingdom, there were more than 10,000 of them. Enjoy the magic sunsets here or book a balloon ride to get some incredible photos. And then get up for sunrise to watch it all again.

We hired a guide with a horse cart for a day, a great way to see it. But you can also explore on a bicycle. Not something that can be done at other archaeological sites. Try to stay in Old Bagan as you will be in proximity to the temples. Check out these day tours in Bagan to get the most from your time here.

# Moai of Rano Raraku, Easter Island, Chile

Human figures carved out by people for what reason? Nobody knows… The tallest figure is believed to weigh 82 tonnes so the question is – just how were these huge structures moved? In short, we have no idea. To clarify, we believe they date to around the 13-14th century. But we simply don’t understand how or why.

Getting to Easter Islands isn’t so easy unless you live in Santiago, Chile.

# Petra, Jordan

Jordan’s most amazing attraction and one of the new seven wonders of the world: Petra. While you might have seen the photo of the Treasury many times, there is a lot more to this place! In addition to the treasury, there is an entire city that takes hours to explore – we walked 25kms on the day we visited.

The rose-red city was built by the Nabataeans about 2000 years ago. Carved from the natural red sandstone, the city is a miracle of the ancient world, particularly when one realises that it was built in the middle of the hot and inhospitable Jordanian desert.

# The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Voted as one of the new 7 Wonders of the world, the Colosseum doesn’t need an introduction. The largest amphitheatre in the world built around the year 80 AD could seat 50,000 people! It used to have a massive awning to shelter the audience from the hot sun, while they watched the gladiators fight for their freedom. The arena was once covered in sand to soak up the blood during battles.

Today the top of the floor has been removed and it exposed the cages and underground chambers where gladiators were kept. The Colosseum survived the fall of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages and it is a great symbol of Roman engineering.

# Teotihuacán, Mexico

The size of this Mesoamerican city is almost surreal to comprehend. The highlights are the Pyramid of the Moon, Pyramid of the Sun and the Avenue of the Dead. This huge archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City was once a flourishing pre-Columbian city. It was also the largest city in the Western hemisphere before 1400. Just imagine arriving here and seeing its size. The Aztecs gave it its name later on, which means “birthplace of the gods”.

The enormous Pyramids of the Sun and Moon are not like those in ancient Egypt, being temples rather than tombs. The Street of the Dead connects the pyramids and forms an urban grid. But the whole design is set around the movement of the sun. Amazing! In 2009, a tunnel beneath the Pyramid of the Sun was found so hopefully, we find more answers about Teotihuacán.