Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in England and is one of the most famous sites in the world. Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. It is at the centre of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds. It's located in the county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury. Archaeologists have believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC, as described in the chronology below. One recent theory however, has suggested that the first stones were not erected until 2400-2200 BC, whilst another suggests that bluestones may have been erected at the site as early as 3000 BC (see phase 1 below). The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury Henge monument. It is a national legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage, while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust. Archaeological evidence found by the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2008 indicates that Stonehenge served as a burial ground from its earliest beginnings. The dating of cremated remains found on the site indicate burials from as early as 3000 BC, when the initial ditch and bank were first dug. Burials continued at Stonehenge for at least another 500 years. If you don't mind walking 4 Km (2 there and then 2 back to the car park), you can significantly save on the tickets.

Chichen Itza, located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, was a sacred site and one of the great centers of the Mayan Empire. The stone monuments and art work left behind by the Maya and Toltec inhabitants of this Yucatan civilization that lasted for over 1,000 years act as a window to their view of the world. Among the masterpieces of construction and Mesoamerican architecture are the Great Ball Court, the Temple of Kulkulkan (a Mayan Pyramid also known as El Castillo) and the Temple of Warriors located at Chichen Itza. The town of Chichen Itza was located close to nearby Cenotes that provided a source of fresh water tapped by the inhabitants. The pre-Hispanic civilizations are believed to have begun to develop in this region as early as the 5th century with evidence of their successors continuing to occupy the ancient town as late as the 16th century when the local inhabitants were overwhelmed by the Spanish Conquest of Yucatan. The significant collection of ruins, artifacts and infrastructure attracts visitors from all over the world hoping to gain some insight into the lives of the ancient cultures that inhabited this region. Chichen Itza is one of Mexico’s most visited archaeological sites and draws many visitors from the nearby tourist destination city of Cancun. Chichen Itza is included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The ancient city is located midway between the capital city of Yucatan, Merida and Cancun. There are a number of operators that organize bus tours of the ruins and the nearby countryside. Accommodations are available nearby in the village of Piste as well as in the adjacent town of Valladolid, 40 kilometers away. Cancun with its significant collection of beach oriented resorts is about 160 kilometers from Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza is a 2.5 hour drive from Cancun. There are many tours from Cancun and other cities along the Yucatan. Plan on being at the site for 2-4 hours. Bring confortable walking shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Chichen Itza is open from 9:00a – 5:00p all year long. Your dream to visit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and the resorts of Cancun can easily accommodate a trip to Chichen Itza to view the historic ruins of the Maya and Toltec cultures. Add this excursion to your list and you will gain a greater understanding of the culture and history of this important part of the world. No doubt, you will return home with memories that will satisfy you for the rest of your life.

In the city of Giza, near the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt lies an ancient complex of unbelievable architectural achievement known the world over as “The Great Pyramids”. The collection of these ancient marvels includes three giant pyramids: the largest known as the Pyramid of Khufu in recognition of the Egyptian ruler to be entombed therein; nearby lies the Pyramid of Khafre, next in size and the Pyramid of Menkaure, the smallest of the three giants. The Pyramid of Khafre is often photographed with the iconic Sphinx directly adjacent, thought to be modeled after the Pharoah Khafre. Scattered about the complex are numerous smaller pyramids built for the spouses of the Pharoahs honored by the Great Pyramids. Long considered one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Pyramids are a must on antiquity tours making their way up and down the Nile River. Often thought of as the most famous man-made structures in the world, the chambers, temples, passageways and galleries of the Great Pyramids and the surrounding complexes can be toured individually or with groups guided in several languages. Giza is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Egypt and in addition to the impressive monuments to ancient Egyptian civilization presents a broad offering of accommodations, restaurants, shopping and culturally significant attractions. Visitors to Cairo can visit the Pyramids of Giza from that city by metro, taxi and bus. Cairo and Giza are respectively the largest and 3rd largest cities in Egypt, easily accessible from every part of the world. Your dream trip to Egypt will certainly not be complete without including a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza to embark upon an understanding of the ancient culture that designed and built these engineering marvels. Add this trip to your list and begin the research to insure that your time spent among these incredible buildings will only serve to enhance your adventure of a lifetime.

Petra, Jordan is a city that is literally carved from rock. Known as the “Rose-Red City”, Petra takes its nickname from the hue of the rock of which its famous buildings and monuments were crafted by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people that inhabited this part of Jordan more than 2,000 years ago. Entry to Petra is through the Siq, a narrow gorge over 1 km in height, flanked on each side by soaring cliffs made of dazzling rock formations and hiding the entry to Al-Kahzneh, a massive façade carved from dusty pink sheer rock. The Al-Kahzneh was created as a tomb for a Nabataean King in the first century and is a perfect example of the engineering genius of the Nabataeans. Once inside the Siq, visitors enter the Petra valley. There are no motorized vehicles allowed past the Siq, into the valley. Walking is the primary method of touring but horses and horse drawn carriages are available to hire for transportation if needed. The Petra valley is full of awe-inspiring examples (there are hundreds) of the Natabaean engineering feats. There is a Roman style theatre that can seat more than 3,000 people. Obelisks, temples and sacrificial altars abound along colonnaded streets. High above the valley is the Ad-Deir Monastery, reachable only by a climb up 800 steps carved from the stone. The Petra Archaeological Museum and the Petra Nabataean Museum are worthy of your visit providing wonderful insight into Petra and its glory days. If your dream is to visit this Middle Eastern city famous for its prolific rock carvings and ancient history we suggest you start planning now. The rock formations are under constant attack from water, wind, weather and earthquakes. Conservation efforts are underway but the sheer magnitude of this incredible testament to man’s ingenuity makes preservation difficult and costly. Make sure you can cross a trip to Petra, Jordan to view the colossal rock carved structures off your list.

A UNESCO world heritage site, Easter Island (or Rapa Nui as is its indigenous name) presents unique and imaginative shrines, sculptures and monuments developed by native people without outside influence. For nearly 600 years beginning in the 11th century AD, these islanders of Polynesian descent erected enormous stone figures known as Moai, believed to be representative of the inhabitants’ ancient ancestors, that continue to fascinate all that choose to visit and observe. While it is widely believed that the first settlors of Rapa Nui arrived about 1700 years ago, probably from the Marquesas, the population and resultant development had its most explosive growth during the approximate 600 year span when the unique architecture and carvings were created. Given the massive dimensions of many of the Moai statues, numerous theories exist as to how the monuments were carved out of mostly volcanic rock and then transported to their sentinel positions. Much of the island is now part of the Rapa Nui National Park, so designated in consideration of the important relics and history located on Easter Island that deserve preservation. Rapa Nui National Park is a World Heritage Site. The park is divided into seven sections: Rano Kau (which includes Orongo) Puna Pau (named after the quarry where the pukao were carved). Rano Raraku (named after the quarry where most of the moai were carved). Anakena - Ovahe Ahu Akivi Costa Norte Hanga Roa (Urban Area). Easter Island was annexed to Chile in the late 1800’s and lies 3,500 kilometers west of Chile’s coastline in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The island is accessible by regular commercial air service from Tahiti, Santiago de Chile, and Lima, Peru. Access to the island is also possible by ship and is included on some “Around the World” cruises. Rental jeeps, buses, bicycles and motorbikes are the primary method of transportation once on the island. Besides the Moai statues and petroglyphs, carvings and monuments, visitors to Easter Island include viewing volcanic craters and cinder cones, visiting idyllic white-sand beaches, scuba diving and snorkeling along with exploration of an extensive cave system as their favorite on-island excursions. There are good restaurants, bars (serving the “unofficial” alcoholic drink of the island, Pisco) and a reasonable collection of hotels and guesthouses. A Visit to Easter Island, Chile belongs on your list if you have dreamed about viewing some of the world’s most interesting ancient monuments and rock carvings. Put this trip on your list and start doing the research to learn as much about the ancient culture that created these important links to the past. Tie this visit in with your trip of a lifetime to South America or Tahiti and truly create memories that will last forever.

The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. The figures, dating from 210 BC, were discovered in 1974 by some local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The figures vary in height, according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits. The Terracotta Army was discovered in the spring of 1974 in the eastern suburbs of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province by a group of farmers who were digging a water well 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Mount Li. The region around the mountain was riddled with underground springs and watercourses. In 195 B.C., Liu Bang — the first emperor of the dynasty that followed the Qin — had ordered that 'twenty households' should move to the site of the mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin (Shi Huangdi, "Shi Huangdi" means the first emperor) to watch over the tomb. To this day, twenty villages sit in the immediate vicinity of the mausoleum, one of them the hamlet where the Yang family lived; the terracotta army may have been rediscovered by the direct descendants of the people left to guard it. For centuries, there were reports of pieces of terracotta figures and fragments of the Qin necropolis — roofing tiles, bricks, and chunks of masonry — having been occasionally dug up in the area.This most recent discovery prompted archaeologists to investigate. The Terracotta Army is a form of funerary art buried with the First Emperor of Qin in 210-209 BC. The Army's purpose was to help rule another empire with Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife.

The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, its sister city, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in 79 AD. The eruption buried Pompeii under 4 to 6 meters of ash and pumice, and it was lost for over 1,500 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1599. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy. Herculaneumis famous as the source of the first Roman skeletal and physical remains available for study that were located by science, for the Romans almost universally burned their dead. Since the discovery of bones in 1981, some 300 skeletons have been found, most along the sea shore — the town itself having been effectively evacuated. Herculaneum was a smaller town with a wealthier population than Pompeii at the time of the destruction. Oplontisis the location of the Villa Poppaea, the villa of the wife of Emperor Nero, which was excavated in the mid-twentieth century and is open to the public. A second villa, the Villa of L. Crassius Tertius, was discovered in 1974, 250m east of the Villa of Poppaea, during the construction of a school. It was named following the finding of a bronze seal bearing the aforementioned term.

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India. About 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi, they are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. The temples are famous for their Nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures. Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 AD, during the Chandela dynasty. Historical records note that Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers. Of these, only about 20 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers. Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art. The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two schools of Hinduism and to Jainism - suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains. Khajuraho group of monuments are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi. The temples are in a small town also known as Khajuraho, with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census). Khajuraho is served by Khajuraho Airport (IATA Code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra and Mumbai. The site is also linked by Indian Railways service, with the railway station approximately six kilometer from the monuments entrance. The monuments are about 10 kilometers off the east-west National Highway 75, and about 50 kilometers from the city of Chhatarpur, that is connected to Bhopal - the state capital - by the SW-NE running National Highway 86.

The temples of Angkor, Cambodia were built by the Khmer civilization between the 9th and the 15th centuries. The remaining structures display one of man’s most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. The Khmer Kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China then to the Bay of Bengal from Angkor. The more than 100 stone structures one sees at Angkor today are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis that once included many other buildings such as palaces, public buildings and homes built of wood that have long since decayed and disappeared. The Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent relics tucked into a heavily forested area. Angkor Wat (Wat denotes “capital temple”) was developed during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II in the classic Khmer architectural style. The Temple honors the Hindu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of the Hindu structure of the universe. It consists of an enormous building symbolizing the mythical Mt. Meru. Angkor Wat’s five nested rectangular walls and moats are thought to represent chains of mountains and the ocean that is the universe. The shorter dimensions of the vast compound are precisely aligned along a north-south axis, while the east-west axis has been deliberately diverted 0.75 degrees south of east and north of west, reasoned to give the faithful a three day anticipation of the spring equinox. Although originally built as a place of worship for those of Hindu faith, the complex switched to a religious place for those followers of Theravada Buddhism before the end of the 15th century. Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has become the symbol of Cambodia. The Khmer civilization was highly evolved and displayed a refined taste for art. The walls of the temple speak about the lives and customs of the citizens in the reliefs carved into the walls which includes more than 300 nymphs in at least 30 different styles. A visit to Angkor, Cambodia and the iconic Angkor Wat is best planned for a multiple day excursion. The Archaeological Park is located about 20 minutes from Siem Reap by car or "Tik Tuk", a hired motorbike with a driver. Siem Reap has its own international airport, the second largest in Cambodia. Every type of service sought by tourists is available in Siem Reap including a broad selection of accommodations, restaurants, shopping and attractions. Your dream of visiting an iconic temple complex that was the center of an ancient civilization to admire its architecture and gain a better understanding of its citizens can be realized by visiting Angkor Wat in Angkor, Cambodia. Add this trip to your list of other World Heritage sites you wish to visit one day and start planning the when and how.