The world's most famous archaeological sites: Hegra, Petra, Giza

In Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

Place	Why go	Before you go
Hegra (Mada'in Salih)	More than 100 Nabataean tombs carved into the rock, and Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site (2008).	AlUla; official tours only
Dadan and Jabal Ikmah	Capital of the ancient kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan, and Jabal Ikmah with so many inscriptions that it is called an open library.	AlUla
Historic At-Turaif	The seat of the First Saudi State, with its mud-brick palaces and lanes, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2010.	Diriyah; ticketed, booked on the official website
Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad)	A UNESCO World Heritage Site: coral-stone houses with wooden roshan windows, Nassif House and traditional souqs.	Jeddah; best in the late afternoon and evening
Jubbah rock art	Thousands of prehistoric carvings and inscriptions, part of the Rock Art in the Hail Region World Heritage site.	About 100 km north-west of Hail
Tayma and Haddaj Well	One of the oldest oasis towns in Arabia, home to Haddaj, one of its best-known ancient wells.	South-east of Tabuk
Al Baleed Archaeological Park	The ruins of historic Al Baleed, part of the Land of Frankincense World Heritage sites.	Salalah, Oman
The Mleiha Archaeological Centre	Pre-Islamic finds and desert tours at Mleiha, and the Faya site on the World Heritage list since 2025.	About an hour from Sharjah
Hili Archaeological Park	The UAE's oldest known farming village, and a tomb more than 4,000 years old.	North Al Ain

Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia

Place	Why go	Before you go
The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx	The last surviving wonder of the ancient world, guarded by the Sphinx for thousands of years.	Giza, west of Cairo
Karnak Temple	The largest temple complex of the ancient world, with its giant hall of columns and sacred lake.	Luxor
The Abu Simbel temples	Two temples cut into the mountain with giant statues of Ramesses II; the sun reaches the sanctuary twice a year.	South of Aswan; the sun aligns on 22 February and 22 October
Petra	The Nabataean city carved in rose-red rock, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; its best-known monuments are the Treasury and the Monastery.	Southern Jordan; allow at least a full day
Jerash	One of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world: colonnaded streets, theatres and arches.	About an hour north of Amman
The ruins of Islamic Ayla	One of the first Islamic cities built outside Arabia, with its walls and gates.	Aqaba corniche
The ruins of Carthage	The remains of the ancient city and its Roman baths on the sea, on the World Heritage list.	North-east of Tunis

Türkiye and Europe

Place	Why go	Before you go
The ancient city of Ephesus	One of the most complete Roman cities in the world, with the Library of Celsus and its great theatre.	Near Izmir, Türkiye
Hierapolis	The ruins of a Roman city above the terraces, with its streets, gates and tombs.	Pamukkale, Türkiye
Perge	The ruins of an ancient city with a colonnaded street, baths and stadium.	East of Antalya
The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill	The ancient world's most famous arena, beside the ruins of old Rome's heart and the hill of imperial palaces.	Rome; one €18 ticket for all three
Pompeii	A whole Roman city buried by Vesuvius some two thousand years ago, with its streets, houses and theatres.	Near Naples and the Amalfi Coast
The Acropolis and the Parthenon	Athens' ancient citadel on a hill, on the World Heritage list.	Athens; go in the morning before the heat

Asia

Place	Why go	Before you go
The Registan	Three historic madrasas with blue mosaic façades, loveliest when lit at night.	Central Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Ancient Bolgar	The old capital of Volga Bulgaria, where Islam reached the Volga lands in 922, with ruins and a modern White Mosque, on the World Heritage list since 2014.	About 180 to 200 km south of Kazan
Gobustan	Rock carvings thousands of years old on the World Heritage list, with bubbling mud volcanoes nearby.	About an hour south of Baku
The Forbidden City	The palace of China's emperors with its halls and vast courtyards, on the World Heritage list.	Beijing; book ahead with your passport
Prambanan	Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex with its towering stone spires, on the World Heritage list.	Yogyakarta, near Borobudur
The Taj Mahal	A white marble mausoleum built by Shah Jahan, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.	Agra, India; closed on Fridays

Tips before you go

Visit open-air sites in the morning or before sunset, as most have little shade; carry water and a hat.
Book ahead at busy sites such as Hegra, the Colosseum and the Acropolis; some are by official tour only.
Take a guide or an audio tour at big sites such as Petra, Karnak and Ephesus: the story completes the beauty of the place.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most famous archaeological sites in Saudi Arabia?

Hegra and Dadan in AlUla, At-Turaif in Diriyah, Historic Jeddah and the Jubbah rock art in Hail, all on the World Heritage list.

What are the nearest famous archaeological sites to Saudi Arabia?

Petra and Jerash in Jordan, and the Pyramids of Giza and the temples of Luxor in Egypt.

Which Roman cities can I visit?

Ephesus in Türkiye, Jerash in Jordan, and Pompeii and the Roman Forum in Italy.

Which wonders of the world can I visit on a short trip?

The Pyramids of Giza, the last surviving wonder of the ancient world, and Petra in Jordan, one of the New Seven Wonders.

Last updated: October 2026. The information is for guidance only; ticket prices and opening hours are set by each attraction and may change, so check them on the official website before you go.