These cities, which are the 20 oldest continually-inhabited places on earth, are about as close to time travel as you can be on a city break.
1. Varanasi, India 1000 BC
Situated on the west bank of the Ganges, Varanasi - also known as Benares - is an important holy city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu deity Lord Shiva 5,000 years ago, though modern scholars believe it to be around 3,000 years old. Mark Twain (American author): "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."
Found on a narrow spit of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, Cádiz has been the home of the Spanish navy since the 18th century. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading post and fell to the Carthaginians around 500BC, becoming a base for Hannibal's conquest of Iberia. It then came under Roman and Moorish rule, before experiencing a renaissance during the Age of Exploration. Robert Browning, the English poet and playwright, wrote: “Nobly, nobly Cape Saint Vincent to the North-west died away/ Sunset ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into Cádiz bay.”
A major rival of ancient Athens, Thebes ruled the Boeotian confederacy and even lent assistance to Xerxes during the Persian invasion of 480 BC. Archaeological excavation has revealed a Mycenaean settlement dating back even further. Today, Thebes is little more than a market town. John Milton (English poet): “Sometime let gorgeous Tragedy/ In sceptred pall come sweeping by/ Presenting Thebes, or Pelops' line/ Or the tale of Troy divine.”
The cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Athens's heritage is still very evident. It is filled with Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a hugely popular tourist destination. Alexander the Great: “How great are the dangers I face to win a good name in Athens.”
Founded as 'Citium' by the Phoenicians, Larnaca is well-known for its pretty seafront lined with palm trees. Archaeological sites and numerous beaches attract modern visitors. Robert Byron (British travel writer): "History in this island is almost too profuse. It gives one a sort of mental indigestion".
Known as Bactra to the ancient Greeks, Balkh is found in northern Afghanistan and is descibed as the 'Mother of Cities' by Arabs. It reached its peak between 2,500 BC and 1,900 BC prior to the rise of the Persian and Median empires. Modern Balkh is home to the region's cotton industry. W.C. Fields (American actor and writer): "During one of my treks through Afghanistan, we lost our corkscrew. We were compelled to live on food and water for several days.”
Located around 150 miles north of Baghdad, Kirkuk stands on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital of Arrapha. Its strategic importance was recognised by the Babylonians and the Media, who have also controlled the city. The ruins of a 5,000-year-old citadel are still visible, while the city is now the headquarters of Iraq's petroleum industry.
North of Kirkuk lies Arbil, ruled at various times by the Assyrians, Persians, Sasanians, Arabs and Ottomans. It was a major stop on the Silk Road while its ancient citadel - which rises 26 metres from the ground - still dominates the skyline.
The legendary birthplace of Europa and Dido, Tyre was founded around 2,750 BC, according to Herodotus. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC following a seven-month seige and became a Roman province in 64 BC. Today, tourism is a major industry: the city's Roman Hippodrome is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Bible mentions the city: "Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes.”
The spiritual centre of the Jewish people and Islam's third-holiest city, Jerusalem is home to several key religious sites, including the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the al-AqsaMosque. During its history, the city has been besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, captured 44 times and destroyed twice. Benjamin Disraeli (1st Earl of Beaconsfield; former UK prime minister): "The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the history of earth and of heaven."
