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The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins · 2026

The Best Ancient Cities in the World

46 of the 100 sites in The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins 2026 are ancient cities, in 16 countries. The highest placed is Calakmul in Calakmul, Mexico, at number 1 in the world. Petra in Wadi Musa, Jordan (number 2) and Machu Picchu in Aguas Calientes, Peru (number 3) follow.

Calakmul
N° 1 · Calakmul, Calakmul

Maya and other cities of Mexico and Central America

Calakmul, first on the list, Tikal, Palenque, Yaxchilán, Uxmal, Copán and Chichén Itzá are Maya cities; most stand in forest and several have pyramids that visitors may climb. Teotihuacan, Monte Albán, El Tajín and Cantona belong to other cultures of central and eastern Mexico.

Greek and Roman cities

Ephesus, Hierapolis, Aphrodisias, Sagalassos, Perge, Priene and Sardis are in Turkey, Jerash and Umm Qais in Jordan, Dougga in Tunisia, Leptis Magna in Libya, Ancient Messene in Greece, Pompeii, Ostia Antica and Selinunte in Italy. Visitors walk paved streets between theatres, baths, temples and houses.

Elsewhere

Petra in Jordan is cut into sandstone cliffs. Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo are Inca sites in Peru. Persepolis was a ceremonial capital of the Persian kings. Hampi, Sukhothai and Polonnaruwa were royal capitals in India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, and Ani a medieval city on the Turkish-Armenian border.

Sites

95. Priene 94. Ostia Antica 86. Tulum 85. Polonnaruwa 84. Chichén Itzá 83. Patara 80. Beit She’an 79. Tlos 78. Chaco Canyon 72. Monte Albán 71. Ollantaytambo 70. Sardis 68. El Tajín 67. Ani 65. Selinunte 64. Phaselis 62. Teotihuacan 60. Olympos 58. Aizanoi 55. Umm Qais 51. Sukhothai Historical Park 50. Pompeii 48. Perge 47. Hierapolis 45. Leptis Magna 44. Cantona 41. Copán 40. Ephesus 39. Kibyra 37. Edzná 36. Hampi 29. Ek Balam 22. Termessos 20. Aphrodisias 18. Yaxchilán 16. Sagalassos 15. Jerash 13. Palenque 12. Persepolis 10. Ancient Messene 9. Uxmal 7. Tikal 5. Dougga 3. Machu Picchu 3 2. Petra 2 1. Calakmul 1
95. Priene 94. Ostia Antica 86. Tulum 85. Polonnaruwa 84. Chichén Itzá 83. Patara 80. Beit She’an 79. Tlos 78. Chaco Canyon 72. Monte Albán 71. Ollantaytambo 70. Sardis 68. El Tajín 67. Ani 65. Selinunte 64. Phaselis 62. Teotihuacan 60. Olympos 58. Aizanoi 55. Umm Qais 51. Sukhothai Historical Park 50. Pompeii 48. Perge 47. Hierapolis 45. Leptis Magna 44. Cantona 41. Copán 40. Ephesus 39. Kibyra 37. Edzná 36. Hampi 29. Ek Balam 22. Termessos 20. Aphrodisias 18. Yaxchilán 16. Sagalassos 15. Jerash 13. Palenque 12. Persepolis 10. Ancient Messene 9. Uxmal 7. Tikal 5. Dougga 3. Machu Picchu 3 2. Petra 2 1. Calakmul 1
  1. Calakmul N° 1 Calakmul Calakmul, Mexico Ancient city
  2. Petra N° 2 Petra Wadi Musa, Jordan Ancient city
  3. Machu Picchu N° 3 Machu Picchu Aguas Calientes, Peru Ancient city
  4. Dougga N° 5 Dougga Téboursouk, Tunisia Ancient city
  5. Tikal N° 7 Tikal Flores, Guatemala Ancient city
  6. Uxmal N° 9 Uxmal Santa Elena, Mexico Ancient city
  7. Ancient Messene N° 10 Ancient Messene Mavrommati, Greece Ancient city
  8. Persepolis N° 12 Persepolis Marvdasht, Iran Ancient city
  9. Palenque N° 13 Palenque Palenque, Mexico Ancient city
  10. Jerash N° 15 Jerash Jerash, Jordan Ancient city
  11. Sagalassos N° 16 Sagalassos Ağlasun, Turkey Ancient city
  12. Yaxchilán N° 18 Yaxchilán Frontera Corozal, Mexico Ancient city
  13. Aphrodisias N° 20 Aphrodisias Karacasu, Turkey Ancient city
  14. Termessos N° 22 Termessos Antalya, Turkey Ancient city
  15. Ek Balam N° 29 Ek Balam Temozón, Mexico Ancient city
  16. Hampi N° 36 Hampi Hampi, India Ancient city
  17. Edzná N° 37 Edzná Campeche, Mexico Ancient city
  18. Kibyra N° 39 Kibyra Gölhisar, Turkey Ancient city
  19. Ephesus N° 40 Ephesus Selçuk, Turkey Ancient city
  20. Copán N° 41 Copán Copán Ruinas, Honduras Ancient city
  21. Cantona N° 44 Cantona Tepeyahualco, Mexico Ancient city
  22. Leptis Magna N° 45 Leptis Magna Al Khums, Libya Ancient city
  23. Hierapolis N° 47 Hierapolis Pamukkale, Turkey Ancient city
  24. Perge N° 48 Perge Antalya, Turkey Ancient city
  25. Pompeii N° 50 Pompeii Pompei, Italy Ancient city
  26. Sukhothai Historical Park N° 51 Sukhothai Historical Park Sukhothai, Thailand Ancient city
  27. Umm Qais N° 55 Umm Qais Umm Qais, Jordan Ancient city
  28. Aizanoi N° 58 Aizanoi Çavdarhisar, Turkey Ancient city
  29. Olympos N° 60 Olympos Kumluca, Turkey Ancient city
  30. Teotihuacan N° 62 Teotihuacan San Juan Teotihuacán, Mexico Ancient city
  31. Phaselis N° 64 Phaselis Kemer, Turkey Ancient city
  32. Selinunte N° 65 Selinunte Castelvetrano, Italy Ancient city
  33. Ani N° 67 Ani Kars, Turkey Ancient city
  34. El Tajín N° 68 El Tajín Papantla, Mexico Ancient city
  35. Sardis N° 70 Sardis Salihli, Turkey Ancient city
  36. Ollantaytambo N° 71 Ollantaytambo Ollantaytambo, Peru Ancient city
  37. Monte Albán N° 72 Monte Albán Oaxaca, Mexico Ancient city
  38. Chaco Canyon N° 78 Chaco Canyon Nageezi, United States Ancient city
  39. Tlos N° 79 Tlos Seydikemer, Turkey Ancient city
  40. Beit She’an N° 80 Beit She’an Beit She’an, Israel Ancient city
  41. Patara N° 83 Patara Kalkan, Turkey Ancient city
  42. Chichén Itzá N° 84 Chichén Itzá Pisté, Mexico Ancient city
  43. Polonnaruwa N° 85 Polonnaruwa Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka Ancient city
  44. Tulum N° 86 Tulum Tulum, Mexico Ancient city
  45. Ostia Antica N° 94 Ostia Antica Ostia, Italy Ancient city
  46. Priene N° 95 Priene Söke, Turkey Ancient city

Best by region

  1. EuropeNuraghe Santu AntineTorralba, ItalyN° 8
  2. AsiaEllora CavesEllora, IndiaN° 6
  3. The Middle EastPetraWadi Musa, JordanN° 2
  4. North AmericaCalakmulCalakmul, MexicoN° 1
  5. Latin AmericaMachu PicchuAguas Calientes, PeruN° 3
  6. AfricaDouggaTéboursouk, TunisiaN° 5

Best by kind

  1. Ancient citiesCalakmulCalakmul, MexicoN° 1
  2. Temple sitesDendera TempleQena, EgyptN° 4
  3. Pyramids & TombsPyramids of GizaGiza, EgyptN° 17
  4. Amphitheatres & TheatresAmphitheatre of El JemEl Jem, TunisiaN° 23
  5. Rock-cut sitesEllora CavesEllora, IndiaN° 6

Best by country

  1. TurkeySagalassosAğlasunN° 16
  2. MexicoCalakmulCalakmulN° 1
  3. EgyptDendera TempleQenaN° 4
  4. IndiaEllora CavesElloraN° 6
  5. ItalyNuraghe Santu AntineTorralbaN° 8