ETG tip: Use visiting ancient archaeological sites as an opportunity to explore the countryside. Hire a car and visit the smaller sites that are always dotted across the region and you will be rewarded with a fascinating snap shot of life in these ancient regions of the world.
5 European Archaeological Destinations
1. Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast - The Islands (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet
This is the Islands chapter from Lonely Planet's Naples, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast guidebook.
2. Greece - Athens & Around (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet
Ancient and modern, with equal measures of grunge and grace, bustling Athens is a heady mix of history and edginess. Iconic monuments mingle with first-rate museums, lively cafes and al fresco dining, and it’s downright fun.
3. Southeastern Europe - Macedonia (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet
Part Balkan and part Mediterranean, and offering impressive ancient sites and buzzing modern nightlife, Macedonia packs in much more action, activities and natural beauty than would seem possible. Skopje remains one of Europe’s more unusual capitals, where constant urban renewal has made the city a continuous work in progress.
4. England - Wessex (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet
With Wessex you get the cream of ancient England. This laid-back corner of the country is packed with some of Britain's best historic sites, from iconic stone circles to some of the world's most famous ships.
5. Turkey - Cappadocia (Chapter) Lonely Planet
Cappadocia is a geological oddity of honeycombed hills and towering phallic boulders of
otherworldly beauty. Fashioned through lashings of volcanic ash, moulded by millennia of rain and river flow, this fantastical topography is equally matched by the human history here.