The 30 Oldest Cities In The World

Chalcis is so old that the earliest written record of the city is actually a mention of it in Homer's Iliad. Today, it is located in central Greece, one of the countries with the best weather, and home to some beautiful Dominican architecture as a result of its Christian history. Since ancient times, the city has also had a Greco-Jewish presence – a presence that some claim has been continuous, which would make it the oldest Jewish community in Europe.

Known to the Ancient Greeks as Bactra, Balkh holds a lot of history. Most notably, it was traditionally a center of Zoroastrianism, as it is considered to be the place where Zoroaster first preached and later died. Many famous Persian figures came from Balkh, such as the poet Rumi, as well as the philosopher and scientist, Avicenna. Today, it is located in northern Afghanistan and is the site of many ancient ruins, as well as historic mosques and shrines. 

The ancient city of Thebes is the setting of many famous Greek myths, including that of Oedipus, Dionysus, and Cadmus. Today, it's a market town in Greece known for its handmade products and crafts as well as local archaeological sites. 

The second largest city on Crete, a bucket list island destination in Greece, Chania was first settled by the Minoans and referred to as Kydonia by the Greeks. Later also ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Venetians, and then Ottomans, today it is a beautiful destination with both a gorgeous old town and a modern city.

Also known as Benares, Varanasi is a city with ancient roots that holds great importance historically, culturally, and for some, religiously. Important historically to Buddhists, Hindu, and Sikhs, it thrived as a center of cultural importance and religious education under Muslim rule in the Middle Ages. Located on the banks of the Ganges River in northern modern-day India, one of the most stunningly beautiful countries to visit, Varanasi is also known today for its muslin, silk, perfumes, ivory, and sculpture.

Established at some point between the second and first millennia BC, Plovdiv is an underrated European travel spot in present-day Bulgaria. For much of its history, it was known as Philippopolis in the West after Philip II of Macedon who conquered the city in 342 BC. In fact, Plovdiv has a vastly diverse historical and cultural heritage as a result of being settled by Thracians and then conquered by the Persians, Greeks, Celts, Romans, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Rus', Crusaders, and Ottoman Turks. Home to over 200 archaeological sites, as well as many museums, theaters, and other sites of arts and culture, the city was designated by the European Union as a European Capital of Culture for 2019.

Prior to the Syrian Civil War that began in 2011, Aleppo – known as Halab in Arabic – was the largest city in Syria with approximately 4.6 million people, a number that has dwindled down to about 2.1 million today. Located on one end of the Silk Road, it has long held strong geographic, economic, and even cultural significance in the region, as well as numerous historic landmarks. Unfortunately, much of Aleppo has been subject to destruction as a result of the Battle of Aleppo that occurred from 2012 through 2016 as part of the Syrian Civil War, although reconstruction is underway.  

Over the millennia, Kirkuk has been conquered by the Arabs, Assyrians, Kurds, and Turkmen – all ethnicities still very much represented in the city. In fact, it has been described as a cultural capital for both the Kurds and Turkmen, and in 2010, the Iraqi ministry of culture officially named it a capital of Iraqi culture. The city is full of ancient archaeological sites, including the tomb of Daniel, a prophet in both Christianity and Islam. 

Built by the Canaanites around 2450 BC, in the ancient times, the Palestinian city of Jenin was a village known as Ein-Jenin or Tel Jenin. Located at the foot of the West Bank's northernmost hills, the city overlooks the Jezreel Valley. 

Jerusalem's Old City has been continuously inhabited since approximately 2800 BC, and until 1860, made up the entire city of Jerusalem, also called Al-Quds in Arabic. Destroyed at least twice, attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, and besieged 23 times, Jerusalem and its Old City are of the utmost important to all three Abrahamic religions as the site of the Temple Mount, Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Dome of the Rock, and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Just be careful that you don't end up with Jerusalem Syndrome should you go.

Jericho has been continuously inhabited since some time in the third millennium BC, but it should be noted that there is evidence of human presence going back to around 9000 BC. The city was destroyed and abandoned several times over the years, going without a population for hundreds of years, and has been rebuilt many times as well. A calm, tourist-heavy Palestinian city today, it's notable as the site of the tomb of Moses (according to Islamic tradition), the baptism of Jesus, and the Qumaran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. 

Lebanon's capital and largest city is also its oldest, having been inhabited for over 5,000 years now. Once part of the Roman Empire and later the Ottoman, Beirut was considerd "the Paris of the Middle East" prior to the start of the country's civil war in 1975. Despite the war and turmoil in recent decades that led to it becoming one of the most dangerous destinations Anthony Bourdain ever visited, it remains a popular Middle Eastern destination full of great food, a thriving nightlife, and beautiful sights.

The site of the ancient city of Thebes (known to the ancient Egyptians as Waset), Luxor is full of temple ruins, tombs, and other ancient monuments, to the point that it often referred to as the "world's greatest open-air museum." One of the many reasons Egypt is a must-visit tourist destination this year, Luxor is a very modern city today and currently undergoing a renewal plan that will bring the city new roads, more ritzy hotels, and tons of shopping opportunities for tourists, as well as an excavation and restoration of the nearly two-mile long Avenue of Sphinxes built by the ancient pharaoh Amenhotep III.

Greece's capital is a must-have destination on any travel bucket list, not just because it's the country's largest and most happening city, but also because of its immense history. Athens has been continuously inhabited since between the fifth and fourth millennia BC, although it should be noted that evidence for the earliest human presence here dates back to between the eleventh and seventh millennia BC. During the time of the Ancient Greeks, it was a powerful city-state that has been referred to as the "birthplace of democracy" and the "cradle of Western civilization," thanks to the contributions the Ancient Athenians made to politics and Western culture. Today, Athens remains a large economic center and global tourist destination.

Located in southern Greece, Argos may very well be the oldest city in the world, having been continuously inhabited since at least the fifth or sixth millennium BC. Traditionally believed to be the ancestral home of the Argaed dynasty – the ancient Macedonian royal house of rulers such as Alexander the Great and Philip II of Macedon – Argos has a strong presence in Greek history and remains a wonderful site for visiting ancient monuments.