Thebes and Athens are included in the list with the world’s oldest cities published by British Telegraph.

These cities, which are the 20 oldest continually-inhabited places on earth, are about as close to time travel as you can be on a city break (if you are able to go, that is), says Telegraph.

For Athens, the article mentions: “The cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Athens’s heritage is still very evident. It is filled with Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a hugely popular tourist destination”.

“A major rival of ancient Athens, Thebes ruled the Boeotian confederacy and even lent assistance to Xerxes during the Persian invasion of 480 BC. Archaeological excavation has revealed a Mycenaean settlement dating back even further” Telegraph says for Thebes.

See the world’s oldest cities:

1. Jericho, Palestinian Territories

2. Byblos, Lebanon

3. Aleppo, Syria

4. Damascus, Syria

5. Susa, Iran

6. Faiyum, Egypt

7. Sidon, Lebanon

8. Plovdiv, Bulgaria

9. Gaziantep, Turkey

10. Beirut, Lebanon

11. Jerusalem

12. Tyre, Lebanon

13. Arbil, Iraq

14. Kirkuk, Iraq

15. Balkh, Afghanistan

16. Athens

17. Larnaca

18. Thebes

19. Cádiz, Spain

20. Varanasi, India