It is all very well visiting sparkling new hotels and gleaming modern theme parks but don´t you sometimes yearn to see something a bit older on your travels?
If you are tempted to visit the oldest tourist attractions on the planet then where should you go? The following are a few options that should definitely be taken into account.
The Great Pyramid of Giza – 2560 BC
The statistics for the Great Pyramid of Giza are pretty staggering, really. Despite being far and away the oldest of the classic Wonders of the Ancient World it is also the only one still in a decent state. More impressively, this massive pyramid was the tallest man made structure on Earth for close to 4,000 years. It weighs not far off 6 million tonnes and we don´t even know how the people of ancient Egypt managed to build such a giant construction in those days. The most substantial damage done to it over the centuries since it went up is the fact that it lost its smooth white facade in the 14th century, following an earthquake. Interestingly, you can actually enter the pyramid if you get there early enough to snap up one of the 300 tickets put on sale every day.
Stonehenge
Among the many mysteries around Stonehenge are; who built it, why they built it and when they built it. Apart from those small points everything is pretty much clear about this world famous stone circle. Current expert opinion suggests that the standing stone structure was built sometime between 3000 BC and 2000 BC and is only a small part of a whole ritual landscape (which is based in and around Stonehenge), it is a pretty big timeframe when you think about it. Stonehenge can be taken in on an easy half day trip from the pretty town of Salisbury, while it is also easily reachable from a number of other towns and cities in the area. On the downside, it can get really busy and it is also difficult at times to get close to the stones. Most tourists agree that the summer solstice is the best time to make a visit to see the ancient wonders of Stonehenge. A special summer tour in the evening or at night time can be a spectacular way to see one of the UK´s top tourist attractions, as well as one of its oldest. Even if you are staying in the northern part of the country, in one of the great country hotels in Cheshire for example, you can get to Stonehenge in a matter of hours.
Uluru / Ayers Rock
Unlike the first couple of ancient attractions, Uluru isn´t man-made. However, this amazing rock in the Australian outback is thought to be up to 600 million years old. The monolith that looms up in front of visitors was discovered by European travellers in the late 19th century but humans have lived in the area for more than 10,000 years. It is a sacred site for the indigenous Australians and visitors are expected to be on their best behaviour. It is a long trip here from the nearest town, which is the distant Alice Springs, but it is worth making the effort to go here in order to see an incredible sunset and the changing colours of the rock.
The World´s Oldest Dinosaur
If you really want to see the most ancient stuff on the planet then you need to head to a museum. The Natural History Museum in London is just about the best place on the planet to do this and it recently added a new claim to fame to the list; it is now the place where the world´s oldest dinosaur is kept. A few years ago, staff uncovered fossils that had been stored there and discovered that it was far older than any other dinosaur ever found. To put things into perspective, the handily named Nyasasaurus parringtoni is thought to have lived a minimum of 10 to 15 million years before any other dinosaur we know about. It lived in the Anisian Stage of history, which was over 240 million years ago. Other fascinating items in the same museum include a massive collection of birds and animals from long ago, as well as the famous 32 metre long dinosaur replica called Dippy. This is one of just many of the ancient wonders you can take in while in the UK. It is also possible to break up your history lessons with spa days in Cheshire to refresh your body as well as you mind. It is a country packed full of history and great things to do, both modern and ancient.
