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Best holiday destinations for history lovers
History lovers, check out our top holiday destination picks.
Do you spend hours researching the history and culture of your holiday destination before you set off? Or, do you love nothing more than exploring crumbling ruins and ancient artefacts? If your answer is yes to both of the above, here are some of the best holiday destinations to get your history fix minus the dusty textbooks.
From ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico to the preserved city of Pompeii in Italy, here are the best breaks for history lovers…
VIETNAM
Vietnam manages to mix old and new pretty well – head to this South East Asian country and you’ll experience buzzing cities full of soaring skyscrapers sat snug next to traditional fishing villages. In the North of the country, you’ve got colonial capital Hanoi with its famous Old Quarter and combination of French and Chinese influences. From here, you can travel easily to Halong Bay or Sapa to see the terraced rice paddies. And, in the South, there’s Ho Chi Minh where you can learn about the Vietnam war and even climb through the underground Cu Chi tunnels. Combine a tour of Vietnam’s mainland with a relaxing stay on Phu Quoc island with one of our Multi-Destination holidays to get the most out of your holiday. You can even build an itinerary that ticks off Angkor Wat in Cambodia, too. This jaw-dropping site is home to a maze of ancient temples and happens to be where Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed (if you’re more of a film than a history buff).
ITALY
One of Italy’s most famous ancient sites is the frozen-in-time city of Pompeii, which was covered in volcanic ash after an explosion back in 74 AD. You’ll start your trip by driving up Mount Vesuvius in a 4x4, where it all began, before exploring the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii below. You’ll then tick off stunning Sorrento and culture-packed Naples, and have the chance to hop over to super-cool celeb fave Capri as well. Phew.
EGYPT
You don’t have to be an avid historian to appreciate the grandiose architecture and gruesome stories of Ancient Egypt. And, if you’re staying in Hurghada or Marsa Alam, you can take a whistle-stop tour of Luxor to tick off once-in-a-lifetime sights like Tutankhamen’s tomb and the Valley of the Kings. This day trip, from your resort on the Red Sea, takes you right into ancient Thebes which is known as an ‘open air museum’ thanks to the wealth of tombs, ancient statues and crumbling monuments to explore. You’ll get the chance to enter the subterranean tombs of pharaohs like Ramesses II and Thutmose I, and see the still-preserved hieroglyphics and relics within.
MEXICO
Fancy retracing the thousand-year-old steps of the Ancient Maya people? There are more than a few impressive sights for you to explore on Mexico's Caribbean Coast – with the most famous being the ancient city of Tulum. This crumbling civilisation is the home of Chichen Itza, which is now known as one of the seven new wonders of the world. And, there are several other temples for you to visit, including the impressive, towering El Castillo and the Templo Dios del Viento which guards the sea entrance to the city. Tulum is easy to get to from Cancun, so if you’re enjoying a sunshine holiday it’s easy to get your culture fix, too. You can even mix beach and culture on a Multi-Destination holiday and combine your adventure back in time on the Caribbean Coast with a relaxing stay in dreamy Isla Mujeres, which is packed full of white sand beaches.
INDIA
If you’re heading to India, there’s one famous historical site you just have to tick off – the Taj Mahal. This iconic and beautifully-designed mausoleum took over 21 years to build with around 20,000 artisans working on it, so as you can imagine, it’s a pretty spectacular sight. You can bask in the splendour of the Taj Mahal and see the rest of India’s historical highlights if you combine a holiday to Goa with our Golden Triangle Tour. This tour starts off in the bustling city of Agra where you’ll see the famous mausoleum, and explore the 16th-century ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri. You’ll then head to Jaipur, known as the Pink City, to see the palaces, temples and courtyards, plus the city’s colourful markets. Your last stop is Dehli, one of the oldest cities in the world, where you’ll explore the old and new parts, and the stunning Red Fort. And after you’ve taken in more historical sights than you can shake a stick at, you’ll have time to relax on some of Goa’s best beaches.
Ready to book your history holiday?
Browse our late deals. Or, read the best jungle-themed holidays and five reasons why now is the best time to visit Vietnam for some more holiday inspiration.
Author: Selina Akhtar
Last updated: 03.11.2017