This is just a point of idle thought and curiosity as I drink my morning coffee and browse the boards.
Last year I did the digital nomad thing for a bit and was able to spend time in Italy, Türkiye, and Greece (“only” Athens, as though the word “only” could ever be applied to such a city… I spent a month there and it wasn’t nearly enough).
Anyway, I obviously saw many fascinating and ancient things. So here’s my question for you: what’s the best/favourite classical site you have visited and/or what is at the top of your “bucket list” of places to visit when you get the opportunity?
I’m not even sure that I can choose one, so I’ll choose one from each country I visited:
Türkiye: Ephesus takes the cake. Highly recommend. Runners up: the Roman Baths open air museum and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.
Athens: the marble stadium. I went early in the morning before everyone else—in my running attire—and had the joy of being completely alone in the stadium for a few laps before people started trickling in. Posed for a photo on the marble podium.
Italy: can’t choose. But for something a little out of the way I’d go with the Valley of the Temples in Sicily. And the Aqueduct park in Rome.
Your turn! Give us some places to put on our lists for next time.
Ok here we go! I vote for ( in no particular order)
Roman Vindolanda in northern England which is utterly amazing and doesn’t seem to attract as much publicity as other sites.
Segovia in Spain for the Aqueduct - absolute geniuses that those Roman engineers were.
Merida in Spain - a veteran colony established by Augustus and whose Roman ruins are in excellent shape after all this time.
Paestum in Southern Italy for the best preserved Greek temples outside of Greece.
For the Bucket List:
The ruins on Troy in Turkey ( amongst others too numerous to name)
The ruins of Carthage in Tunisia
Ephesus
How extensive, geographically, is the “classical world”? I remember being surprised by Trier. In my ignorance, I had never realized how important a place it had been in the Roman period.
I love, love, love aqueducts! They are so cool.
Yes, the Romans were geniuses. When I went to the aqueduct park in Rome I had a guide who told me about the building and design, etc. Fascinating.
For the Bucket List:
The ruins on Troy in Turkey ( amongst others too numerous to name)
The ruins of Carthage in Tunisia
Ephesus
More to come!
Cheers.
One of the museums in Türkiye (I want to say the museum of archaeology in Istanbul, but don’t quote me on that) had an exhibit all about Troy, but I didn’t make it to the actual site. That would be fascinating. Türkiye is chock full of ancient sites—Ephesus is definitely a must-see.
I don’t know what the experts would answer, but the Greeks and Romans spread themselves out all over Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, right? So in my mind that’s how I picture it.
It’s so nice to meet a fellow lover of aqueducts! I think they are amazing and can ( and have ) stared at them for hours at a time.
I am planning on a long trip to Turkey once my youngest finishes high school which is not too far off
Another one on the bucket list is Trioa in Portugal which was one of the biggest Garum factories in the Roman world and I believe has fantastic ruins of the factories to visit.
I will think of more and post here! This is a fun topic to contribute to.
Then you must go to the aqueduct park in Rome the next time you’re there. It’s out of the way so most tourists don’t go there. It’s mostly locals having picnics, cooling off in the ancient cisterns, and kids climbing on the aqueducts. There are 3-4 of them of varying ages and stages of disrepair. There’s also a bit of one of the oldest stone roads too. I’ll try to post some photos in a bit.
